Bhagavad Gita. Ch 2: Sankhya Yoga

Bhagavad Gita

Ch 2: Sankhya Yoga (Yoga of Knowledge)

1/35 “In greed to gain all three worlds     Or even to protect my own life.

          I don’t want to kill oh Krishna,          Why I then kill for a kingdom?”

    I will not kill them, even to defend my own life. Even if the three worlds are given for it; I will not kill.  Why should I then I kill them for a piece of land. More over-

1/36  “What gain I get by killing     Dartharashtras Janardhana ?

 But I will get sin by killing      

 Evil though these kinsmen are.”

Killing kinsmen for gaining wealth will only bring sin on us. Thus saying, Partha; sat mum and sorrow full. Krishna reprimand him lovingly –

2/2  “Its un-heavenly, cowardice;  

 And disgrace too oh Arjuna!  

At situation neared so critical       Stupidity caught thee then.”

“How in such a critical situation, you are behaving irresponsibly?   This does not suit a brave man like you. Shed this stupidity, get up and fight; Partha!.” 

Yet in spite of all persuasions; Partha is not ready to fight. He began to argue thus 

- 2/5   

“Great is to go and beg for bread    Than killing noble sirs so dear.     

 It is same as drinking blood               Killing Gurus to enjoy wealth.”

If we kill the most reverent gurus and elders for amassing wealth, it will be a sin. Thereafter we will have to consume the blood stained bread for ever. We will prefer begging than killing our beloved grandfather and guru. I don’t know what to do; kindly instruct me; I am thy disciple, thus saying Partha again sat mum with tears. In ancient times in India; even thinking bad about his teacher/ guru and elders is considered as worst sin; so how can Partha kill his grand father and guru?

Seeing the despondent friend Krishna pitied. With great compassion and a smile, Krishna delivers Gita the eighteen secret yoga to  Partha to rejuvenate him instantly in the middle of the battle field itself.

2/11  “You grieve for the undeserved   Yet speak and discuss as a wise.

For those live or for those dead       The wise deserves never to grieve.”

”  The wise do not worry about the living or the dead. Because –

2/12 “You never perish and so  

Are these kings and me too.

Nothing can cease here so     

 For ever we all will last.

Me, you and all these kings you see will be here forever. Their bodies may

Perish, but souls are not destroyed.  As a matter of fact-  

2/16 “The real knows no death    

The unreal knows no being

The truth of real – unreal     

The noble seers only know.” 

That which exists cannot be destroyed. That which does not exist, cannot be created. This whole world is filled with it, which can never be destroyed. Such is the soul. The soul has neither death nor birth. It is ancient and everlasting. The part of the cosmic soul possesses a body and thereafter: –

2/22   “Like a man puts off his rags    And he wear on new cloths

Thus soul also leaves an old    

And enters another body new.”

 Like a man who changes his filthy dress, the soul takes a new body leaving an old or defective one. Then again it enjoys the child, youth and such circle of life, living in it. The wise do not grieve in this.  The heat and cold in the atmosphere is to be bear by all. That is the unchangeable law of nature. Therefore remember –

2/15  “Samadukha sukham dheeram     So amruthatwaya kalpathe..” 

“So be bold in joy and pain        

 It is considered deathlessness.”

“Whom joy and pain afflict not; that man is immortal;” because; such one is seated in absolute soul, the paramathman.   The soul is beyond imagination; unclear and beyond senses. Somebody describe it as a wonder, some see it as wonder, yet another hear it as wonder; yet no body know the real soul.  

2/23  

No weapon can cleave a soul        

Nor the fire can burn it

Neither water can wet it                 

Nor the wind can dry the soul.

Soul cannot be severed with weapon, it cannot be burned by fire, it cannot be wetted by water or it cannot be dried by wind. Realizing the truth of soul; you be ready for the fight. If abstaining from your duty and not fighting for the truth, for your people, sin will be on you and defamed and for you death will be welcome than defame. Therefore without considering the result of war; do fight.

Thus the knowledge of Supreme soul is delivered to Arjuna  which is the Sankya yoga on wisdom Adyathma. Now, hear on Sankhya yoga as per discrimination of karma; which discuss the does and don’ts of karma.

2/40“Swalpasya dharmasya    thraayathee mahatho bhayaath….”

“Even a bit of this knowledge will   Protect you from great fears.”

  Also there are no reactions if practicing this.  The deluded; those who don’t know this; they think and do for world of pleasures and comforts. They live with prayers and efforts for amassing wealth and pleasure by amassing many things and praying for longevity for enjoying such pleasures. They get birth after birth and shuttles between earth and heaven, without liberation. But, liberation from birth should be the aim of life, for which one should perform right duty with devotion. The pious with less wisdom are not doing the Dharma – Karma correctly.  Because ---

2/47  “To work only is your right              But never for their fruits

      You neither be wage motive          Nor be subjected to inaction.”

Your right is only to do own duty/work. Not for its fruit. You should not do duty aiming wage or fruit, nor abstain from work.  The duty should be delivered abided in yoga, remembering the Lord. Pegging mind in the ultimate (God) is called yoga. Again..

2/48“ Sidha asidho samo bhuthwa     samatwam yoga uchyathe.”

“Be steady and perform actions       Abandoning all attachments.

Gain or loss have balance,             

For balance of mind is Yoga.”

Without considering the gain or lose; balance in action and steadfast in the supreme soul is known as yoga.  Further Krishna says—

2/50    “ Thasmaath yogaya ujyasya    Yoga karmasu kawshalam.”

“With wisdom, quit it here             

 Both deeds good and bad.

Hence with yoga arise, Partha     

For the skill in action is Yoga.”

That is skill in karma is Yoga.

In the path of yoga, if the mind is not steady, yoga is not possible.  For the unsteady or poor-willed; their thinking and mind is many branched and endless. They cannot gain enlightenment or steady will or meditation.  Steady willed means that who is not disturbed by grief; not moved by wealth or poverty; such restrained cannot be disturbed by lust and rage. To gain steady will; meditation is the only way.  Since the main obstacle in the path of yoga is, lust and rage; so, one must avoid it. 

Gita says…2/62-63

 “ Dhyayathe vishayaan pumas    sangathoshupajaayathe;

Samgaath samjaayathee kaama        kaamaath krodhoobhi jaayathe”

“Krodhath bhavathi sammoha         sammohath smruthi vibhrama 

Smruthi bhramsath buthinaasho    buthinaashath pranashyathi.”

“For men pondered on objects      Desire geminates in his mind.

Lust arises from grown desires    

 And anger spurt when lust is burst.”

”Anger cause men delusion           Delusion cause sluggishness;

Sluggishness cause stupidity        

And stupidity cause the doom.”

Desire longing will cater attachment, attachment will bring up lust and lust if failed cause rage; and rage then converts to revenge or lose of reasoning; When reasoning lost that will cause lose of the character. Character is lost; all is lost. It is also told that –

 “ Naasthi budhirayukthasya    nachaayukthasya bhaavana

    Nachaa bhaavayatha shanty    Ashantyasa kutha sukham.”

2/66 “Whose mind is unsteady                  He cannot have meditation.

Peace never grace unmeditated      And peaceless how can be happy ?”

Those who cannot control their mind how can have meditation; and the non-meditated how can be happy?  Therefore like a tortoise which sensed danger; withdraws its limbs from all its sides thus, a yogi should guard his senses from lust, rage and such senses. Those who control the senses and destroy sin causing lusts, those who abandon greed that germinated in mind and restrict  desires that arising in mind, thus he being loveless desire less and ego less; is liberated, even during his worldly life. Gita says such yogis will be liberated at least at the end of their life…

2/72 “Sthithwa syamantha kaalepi     Brahmanirvaana mruchathi.”

This Brahmic state oh Partha        

Who ever attains in this stage

Even if at the end of his life           Attains supreme Brahmic Bliss.

Those who read this chapter of Gita, clear off doubts, become sorrow free, courageous and attain self confidence in their life. They become devoted to duty.  But for achieve anything action is the only way. So learn the teachings in the Karma yoga the second chapter of Gita. For attaining Brahamanirvana or liberation one should do karmayoga. So let us study the third chapter Karma yoga. Hari Om.