71 verses
Sañjaya said: Madhusūdana spoke these words to Arjuna, whose eyes were filled with tears, and who was overcome with compassion.
The Lord said: How has this bewilderment come upon you at the time of battle? It is against dharma, precluding Svarga in next life and fame in this life.
Why (kutaḥ) has this bewilderment (kaśmalam) at this critical juncture of the war (viṣame) come upon you (upasthitam)? This bewilderment is not to be experienced by persons of good reputation (anārya-juṣṭam), and is against both happiness in next life (asvargyam) and this life (akīrt-karam)?
Do not become a coward. This is not suitable to you. Give up this low weakness of mind and rise, O afflicter of enemies!
“Do not become cowardly (klaibyam); do not become impotent. O Pārtha, though you are the son of Pṛthā, you have acted like this! Do not yield to this. This may occur among other inferior kṣatriyas, but in you, My friend, it is not proper at all!”
“Do not worry about my lack of bravery. Do not think I am a coward. One must consider the precepts of dharma in regards to Bhīṣma, Droṇa and other elders, and also consider the aspect of compassion in regard to the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who, being weaker than I, being afflicted by my weapons, are about to die.”
“This is not discretion from principles of dharma nor is it mercy. It is bewilderment and lamentation, which are indications of a weak mind (kṣudraṁ hṛdaya-daurbalyam). Therefore give up this weakness of mind and rise up. O conqueror of enemies (parantapa), you, who afflict enemies, fight!”
Arjuna said, “O Madhusūdana, killer of enemies, how will I fight in the battle with arrows against Bhīṣma and Droṇa, who are worthy of worship?”
“According to scriptures of dharma, not respecting those worthy of worship is a cause of bondage: pratibadhnāti hi śreyaḥ pūjya-pūjā-vyatikramaḥ. Therefore I withdraw from fighting. How can I kill them?” The form prati yotsyāmi (parasmaipada) is used instead of the form prati yotsye (ātmanepada, for oneself).
“But those two elders are fighting against you. Why are you not able to fight against them?”
“No, I cannot do so, for they are worthy of worship (pūjārhau): I should offer flowers to their feet in devotion rather than sharp arrows in anger. O friend Kṛṣṇa! Even You injure only the enemies in battle, and not Your own guru Sāndīpani Muni or your friends the Yadus, O Madhusūdana, killer of Madhu!”
“But I am a descendent of Madhu, in the ancient lineage of the Yadu dynasty. Therefore I am called Mādhava. How could I have killed Madhu?”
“No, I do not mean that Madhu. I am speaking about the demon named Madhu who was Your enemy (ari-sūdana).”
It is better to eat by begging in this life, not killing such great elders. Having killed elders who were desiring wealth, I will enjoy objects contaminated with their blood.
“If you don’t want the kingdom, then how will you live?”
“Not killing my elders, I will live by begging, though it is condemned for the kṣatriya to do so. It is better to eat the food got from begging. Though it will bring infamy in this life, it will not be inauspicious for future lives. One should not say that these gurus, being obedient to Duryodhana, should be rejected because they have become proud, and do not know right from wrong, by citing the scriptures:
guror apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānataḥ
utpathapratipannasya parityāgo vidhīyate
One should reject the guru who is proud, does not know proper behavior, who becomes engaged in sinful life. Mahābhārata 5.178.24
They, on the contrary, are great souls (mahānubhāvān). What fault is there in Bhīṣma and others who have control over time and lust?”
“But Bhīṣma said to Yudhiṣṭhira,
artha sya puruṣo dāso dāsas tv artho na kasyacit
iti satyaṁ mahārāja baddho ’smy arthena kauravaiḥ
Man is a servant of wealth. Wealth is not a servant of anyone. O king, I have been bound by wealth to the Kauravas. Mahābhārata 6.41.36
Therefore, has not their great character been destroyed by such desire for wealth?”
“That is true, but if I kill them, I will be unhappy. Even in killing those Kurus who are greedy for wealth (artha-kāmān), if I should enjoy the wealth, it will be contaminated with their blood. The meaning is this: though they have desire for wealth, they are still my gurus. Therefore in killing them, because I commit the sin of killing guru, my enjoyment will be mixed with that sin.”
We do not know which is better--whether we should conquer them or whether they should conquer us. These sons of Dhṛtarāṣtra, by killing whom we do not wish to live, are situated facing us.
Moreover I do not know if I shall be victorious or defeated even if I am prepared to kill them. And I do not know which will be better, victory or defeat: if I conquer them or they conquer me. And even if I am victorious, that also is defeat, for I will not want to live.
My nature has been overcome by weakness. My mind is bewildered about dharma. I ask You what is best. Please tell me with certainty. I am Your student. Please instruct me, who have surrendered to You.
“Indeed, while speaking the meaning of scripture to bring out a conclusion, though you are a kṣatriya, you have decided to become a beggar! What is the use of My speaking?”
“Giving up my natural courage as kṣatriya is my weakness (kārpaṇyam). My intelligence has become bewildered in trying to understand the implementation of dharma, as the path of dharma is very subtle: dharmasya sūkṣmā gatiḥ. (Mahābhārata 3.198.2, 1.188.11) Therefore it is better that You decide and tell me.”
“But if you defeat My words by posing yourself as learned, how can I speak?”
“I am Your student, and will no longer uselessly oppose You.”
I do not see who can remove this sorrow which is drying up my senses, even if I attain an unrivalled prosperous kingdom on earth and even sovereignty over devas.
“But you have a friendly relationship with Me, not one of respect. Therefore how can I make you a student? You should thus surrender to someone like Veda Vyāsa, whom you greatly revere.” Arjuna answers with this verse.
“I do not see even one person at all (pra paśyāmi: pra indicates “to a high degree”) in all three worlds except You who can remove (apanudyāt) my sorrow. I do not know anyone more intelligent that Yourself--even Bṛhaspati. Therefore, to whom else should one who is full of sorrow surrender? Due to that sorrow (yad) my senses have dried up completely, just as intense summer heat dries up completely (utśoṣa means utkarṣeṇa śoṣa) a small pond.”
“Now you are full of grief, but if you fight, by conquering the enemy you will attain a kingdom. Absorbing yourself in the enjoyment of that kingdom, your grief will disappear.”
“Even if I attain a kingdom over the whole earth, or sovereignty in Svarga, controlling all the devatās, my senses will still be dried up.”
Sañjaya said: Having thus spoken to Hṛṣīkeśa, Guòākeśa, afflicter of enemies, telling Govinda “I will not fight,” became silent.
Hṛṣīkeśa, smiling slightly, spoke these words to the depressed Arjuna, in the midst of the two armies.
“You have shown such lack of judgment!” Laughing at him as a friend, Kṛṣṇa could put Arjuna in an ocean of embarrassment for his unworthy actions. However, because now Arjuna took the position of student, laughing would be improper. Thus Kṛṣṇa suppressed that laugh by closing His lips. Instead He slightly smiled (prahasann iva). The Lord of the senses (hṛṣīkeśa) was previously controlled by the words of Arjuna out of love for him (BG 1.24), and now He became the controller of Arjuna’s mind, again out of love, for the benefit of Arjuna. Arjuna’s dejection and Kṛṣṇa’s offering consolation to him were seen directly by both armies (senayor ubhayor madhye).
The Lord said: You, while lamenting for what is not worthy of lamentation, are speaking words of wisdom. The wise men do not lament for the gross body or the subtle body.
“O Arjuna, this lamentation of yours caused by attachment to friends and relatives is the cause of bewilderment. Your power of discernment arising from your concerns starting in verse four with ‘How can I fight against Bhīṣma and Droṇa?’ are the cause of lack of wisdom.” That is stated in this verse.
“You are continually lamenting (anu śocaḥ) for what is not worthy of grief (aśocyān). Thus you are uttering words of wisdom to Me, who am trying to enlighten you. You speak words (vādān) of wisdom (prajñā) as in verse four.” The intention behind the Lord’s words is the opposite: “Actually you have no wisdom.”
“This is because those who are wise (paṇòitāḥ) do not lament for the gross bodies from which life has passed (gata asūn)--since the bodies are destructible by their very nature. Neither do they lament for the subtle bodies from which the life airs have not passed (agata asūn), for those subtle bodies will certainly be destroyed before liberation. They do not lament because they accept the inherent natures of all of the gross and subtle bodies. But fools lament when life airs pass from the gross bodies of fathers and others, and do not generally understand about the subtle bodies. Enough of such fools! All these, including Bhīṣma, are souls equipped with gross and subtle bodies. Because of the eternal nature of their souls, there is no cause for lamentation. Previously you said that dharma-śāstra was stronger than artha-śāstra. But I say here that jñāna-śāstra (teaching about ātmā) is stronger than dharma-śāstra.”
It is not that I, you and these kings did not exist, and nor in the future will we not exist.
“Now, O friend, I will ask you a question. When you see the death of a person you love, you lament. But is the object of affection while the person is in this world the soul or the body? Śukadeva says that the soul is most dear in all living beings:
sarveṣām eva bhūtānāṁ nṛpa svātmaiva vallabhaḥ. (SB 10.14.50) If the soul is the object of affection, the soul should not be the object of lamentation, because it cannot suffer death, since both types of ātmā, the jīva and īśvara are eternal.” With this intention, He speaks this verse.
It is not that I, the Paramātmā, have ever not been in existence, but rather I have always existed. You also, a jīvātmā, have also always existed. These kings also, jīvātmās, have always existed. Here the Lord shows that previous non-existence (prāg-abhāva) is absent for all souls. And it is not that I, you, and all these kings (sarve vayam) will not exist in the future. Rather we will certainly exist. Here he shows that the soul is devoid of destruction (dhvaṁsa abhāva). By this he concludes that since the Paramātmā and the jīva are both eternal, there is no cause for lamentation. The śruti says:
nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān
He is the chief eternal among all eternals. He is the chief conscious entity among all conscious entities, the one fulfills the needs of all others. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.13
As the soul passes through boyhood, youth and old age, so it attains another body after death. The wise are not bewildered by this.
“One’s body becomes the object of affection as it is related to the soul (which is most dear to the self.) By relation with that body, one’s sons, brothers or other relatives become objects of affection. And by relationship to them, even their sons also become objects of affection. So when their bodies perish, there will certainly be lamentation.”
In answer to this, He speaks this verse. “In the body belonging to the jīva (dehinaḥ) one attains stages such as boyhood. After boyhood is destroyed one attains youth. When youth is destroyed one attains old age. In the same manner, one attains another body (after death). Just as (yathā) one does not lament for the destruction of the objects of affection in the form of boyhood and youth of the body which are related to the soul (and therefore dear), so (tathā) one should also not lament for the destruction of the object of affection, the body, which is also related to the soul.”
“But with the destruction of youth and attaining old age, one does lament.”
“But then again, with the destruction of boyhood and attainment of youth one rejoices. And with the destruction of worn out bodies of Bhīṣma and Droṇa, they will attain new bodies and will also become joyful.”
Another meaning is: Just as in one body a jīva attains various states such as boyhood, the same jīva attains various bodies life after life (and therefore one should not lament).
O son of Kuntī, the experience of the sense objects gives sensations of cold and heat, happiness and distress, always temporary, appearing and disappearing. O Bhārata, tolerate these.
“Yes this is indeed true. I have shown such indiscretion. My mind, producing nonsense, uselessly covered with lamentation and bewilderment, causes me suffering.”
“It is not the mind alone. The various functions of the mind, in the form of all the senses such as skin, experiencing their sense objects, produce this problem (anartha). One has the experience (sparśa) of the sense objects (mātrā). In the hot season, cold water is pleasant, and in the cold season, it is painful. This happens in an uncontrolled manner, appearing and disappearing (āgama apāyinaḥ). Therefore you must tolerate these experiences of the sense objects. Tolerating them is part of dharma prescribed in the scriptures. One should not give up the bath in the month of Māgha because it gives pain, since it is prescribed in the scriptures. Following dharma gradually rids one of all low qualities. You must tolerate that sons give joy when they are born or earn money, and give sorrow when they die, by their temporary appearance and disappearance. One should not give up one’s scripturally prescribed duty to fight by that consideration. Not performing the prescribed duty eventually brings about great problems.”
O best of men, the intelligent person, equal in happiness and distress, who is not pained by these sense objects, attains liberation.
Practicing tolerance with this discernment, the experience of the sense objects will, with passage of time, not give distress at all. When a person reaches this state where there is no distress from the objects of the senses, liberation of the ātmā is close at hand; he is qualified for liberation (amṛtatvāya).
There is no permanent existence for the body, and no cessation of existence for the soul. Those who see things in truth see this conclusion about both of these.
The previous verse described the results for those who have attained the level of discrimination. Actually as śruti says, the soul is not attached to matter: asaḍgo hy ayaṁ puruṣaḥ. (Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.15) Thus, the jīva does not have a relationship with the subtle or gross bodies and their products such as lamentation and bewilderment. This relationship is caused by ignorance. This is explained in this verse.
For the soul, there is no existence (bhāvaḥ) of lamentation and bewilderment for their shelter, the body (asataḥ), since they have qualities opposed to the qualities of the soul. And there is no non-existence (abhāvaḥ) of the jīva with its eternal form (sataḥ). The conclusion (antaḥ) about these two--the body and the soul--has been seen by the seers of truth.
By this conclusion, there will be no lamentation or bewilderment arising from seeing the body and things related to the body, because Bhīṣma and others of the opposing party as well as you and your allies are indestructible, being eternal. How can Bhīṣma and others be destroyed, and why do you lament for them? That is the meaning of this verse.
Know that the soul by which the body is pervaded is indestructible. No one can destroy that which indestructible.
This verse clarifies the meaning of the previous verse. “Know this jīva (tat) which is spread throughout the body (sarvam idam tatam) is indestructible.”
“But, being spread throughout the body by its consciousness, this soul would be impermanent because it is of medium size only (being the size of the body).”
This is not so, for the Lord says, sūkṣmānām apy ahaṁ jīvaḥ: of small things I am the jīva”. (SB 11.16.11) As well, śruti says:
eṣo ’ṇur ātmā cetasā veditavyo yasmin prāṇaḥ pañcadhā saṁviveśa
One should know by the pure consciousness the small ātmā near which the five life airs rest. Muṇòaka Upaniṣad 3.1.9
bālāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca bhāgo jīvaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ
One should know that the jīva is the size of one ten thousandth of the tip of the hair. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.9
ārāgra-mātro hy aparo ’pi dṛṣṭaḥ
The inferior soul is seen to be the size of the tip of a spoke. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.8
By these statements of śruti we understand that the jīva is very small. It has the power to spread itself throughout the whole body, just as pulverized gems or herbs when applied to the head have the power to spread their nourishing influence throughout the whole body. There is nothing contradictory in being small and pervading the body.
Because of its dependence on upādhis (mistaken identity), the soul goes to various bodies in heaven and hell. In this way the soul is sarva-gataḥ, going everywhere (pervading everywhere). Dattātreya (in the form of the avadhūta brāḥmana) says how the jīva, taking shelter of the mahat-tattva at the beginning of creation, goes to different bodies:
tām āhus tri-guṇa-vyaktiṁ sṛjantīṁ viśvato-mukham
yasmin protam idaṁ viśvaṁ yena saṁsarate pumān
According to great sages, that which is the basis of the three modes of material nature and which manifests the variegated universe is called the sūtra or mahat-tattva. Indeed, this universe is resting within that mahat-tattva, and due to its potency the living entity undergoes material existence. SB 11.9.20
Thus the soul’s pervasion of the body (and still being minute) is not contrary to its eternal nature stated in the previous verse. Therefore the word avyayasya is used in this verse also. It refers to the soul being eternal or nitya. No one can destroy the eternal soul. As the śruti says:
nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān
The Lord is the chief eternal among all eternals (souls). He is the chief conscious entity among all conscious entities. He is the one person who fulfills the needs of all others. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.13
Or the meaning of the verse can be as follows.
The body, the jīva and the Paramātmā are all seen everywhere in all forms such as human and animal. The first two, the body and jīva, were mentioned in the previous verse. The third, Paramātmā is mentioned in this verse. It is indestructible and spread everywhere in the universe (idam). The word tu serves to distinguish Paramātmā from the body and jīva. The Paramātmā is by its very nature different from matter and the jīva.
The bodies belonging to the eternal, indestructible, small soul are said to be temporary. Therefore, fight, O Bhārata.
This verse also clarifies verse 16. The possessor of the body (sarīriṇaḥ), the jīva, is beyond measurement, or difficult to understand, because it is very, very small (aprameyasya). Therefore you should fight. This means that you should not give up your dharma as prescribed in scripture.
Those who think that the soul kills and those who think that the soul is killed do not know that the soul does not kill or get killed.
“O friend Arjuna! You, a soul as well, are neither the performer of killing nor the object of killing.” That is expressed in this verse.
He who thinks the jīva (enam) is the killer--that Arjuna is the killer of Bhīṣma and others, and he who thinks that the jīva is killed--that Arjuna is killed by Bhīṣma, are both ignorant. Therefore, what is your fear of infamy from the words of ignorant people who say that Arjuna killed his guru?
The soul is never born, nor does it ever die. Neither was it born in the past, nor will it be born in the future. It has no creation in the past, present or future, and no destruction in past, present or future, and is therefore eternal. It is most ancient but not subject to ageing. It is not killed when the body is killed.
The eternal nature of the jīva is here clearly proven. The first line negates the possibility of birth and death for the jīva at the present time. The second line negates birth and death in the past and the future. Therefore it is unborn (aja): in past, present and future. Because of no birth, it has no previous non-existence (prag-abhāva). It exists at all times (śāśvataḥ), meaning that at no time in past, present or future, will it be destroyed (dhvaṁsa). Therefore it is eternal (nityaḥ).
“But because the soul exists for a long time, it can grow old.”
“No, though it is old (purā), it is as if new (na for nava), because of absence of the six states of transformations.”
“With the death of the body, will it not die along with the body?”
“It does not die when the body dies. Because it is not joined permanently with the body, the soul is not subservient to it.”
He who knows constantly, that this soul is indestructible, unborn, and eternal, kills whom and how? Whom does he cause others to kill and how?
With this knowledge, neither you who are fighting nor I who am urging you to
fight have any fault. Here nityam is used as an adverb: "He who knows
constantly that the soul is indestructible, unborn, and eternal.…."
The words describing the soul are used to negate the objections of Arjuna about destruction. "Whom do I (sa puruṣaḥ), the Lord, cause to be killed (by advising you to fight)? And how do I cause anyone to be killed? And whom do you kill? And how do you kill?"
As a man gives up old clothes and accepts new ones, so the soul gives up the old bodies and attains new ones.
“But by my fighting, a jīva will give up the body known as Bhīṣma. Then you and I will be the cause of that.”
“What fault is there in a person giving up old worn cloth to put on new cloth? In a similar way, Bhīṣma will give up an old body and attain a new divine body. What fault is there for Me or you in that?”
Weapons do not cut the soul. Fire does not burn it. Water does not wet it. Wind does not dry it.
Also, it is not possible to injure the soul at all by the weapons used by you in the battle. That is explained in this verse. Weapons such as swords cannot cut it. The fire weapon cannot burn it. The rain weapon cannot wet it, nor can the wind weapon dry it out.
The soul cannot be cut, cannot be burned, cannot be moistened or dried. It is eternal, traveling in all bodies, and stable. It is imperceptibly small, pervading the body inconceivably, and without changes. Knowing it thus, you should not lament.
Therefore the ātmā is described in this way (taking the descriptions of the previous verse): it cannot be cut, burned, dried or moistened. The repetition of the words signifying the eternal nature of the soul in this section (such as the use of the words nitya and sanātanaḥ in this verse, and statements of previous verses) is for the purpose of precisely defining the soul for those of confused intellect, just as one will repeat several times in order to make certain that everyone understands, “This is the dharma of Kali-yuga, this is the dharma of Kali-yuga.”
Sarva-gataḥ (gone everywhere) means that the soul goes into all sorts of bodies such as human, animal and deva by its karma. Sthāṇu and acala have the same meaning, “having stability,” and the repetition makes the meaning clear.
Because it is very fine, it is called avyakta. Because it pervades the body with consciousness, it is called acintya, beyond conception. Being devoid of the six changes such as birth, it is called avikārya.
Even if you think the soul is always born and always dies, still you should not lament, O Mighty-armed one!
“I have presented to you the conclusive truth according to the scripture. Now I will present the truth according to material vision. Please understand it.” Then He speaks this verse.
If you think that the soul is always born (nitya-jātam) when the body is born, and always dies (nityaṁ mṛtam) with the death of the body, you should not lament for it. O mighty-armed Arjuna, being a brave kṣatriya, this war is your dharma.
As Bhāgavatam says:
kṣatriyāṇām ayaṁ dharmaḥ prajāpati-vinirmitaḥ
bhrātāpi bhrātaraṁ hanyād yena ghoratamas tataḥ
The code of sacred duty for warriors established by Lord Brahmā enjoins that one may have to kill even his own brother. That indeed is the most dreadful law.” SB 10.54.40
For what is born, death is certain. For what is dead, birth is certain. Therefore, since both are unavoidable, you should not lament.
Since (hi) death is certain (dhruvaḥ) with the depletion of karmas meant for this life, and birth is also certain because of the karma accrued by that body which just died-- since both death and birth are unavoidable (aparihārye arthe)--do not lament.
Living entities are invisible in the beginning, manifest in the middle, and invisible at the end. What is there to lament in this?
Thus from the point of view of the soul, having no birth and death (verse 20), and from the point of view of the body, for which birth and death are certain (verse 27), the causes for lamentation have been eliminated. In this verse the Lord argues against lamentation using both ideas—being eternal and having certain birth and death (but with a purely materialistic argument).
Devas, humans and animals are not visible before their birth. However, their subtle and gross bodies do exist invisibly in a potential form, from the existence of the causal ingredients such as earth. They become visible in the middle period, and invisible after death. Even at the time of mahāpralaya these bodies exist in a subtle form through the continued existence in subtle form of karmas and other elements. Thus all living entities bodies are invisible before birth and after death, and are visible in the interval.
This is stated by the personified Vedas in the Bhāgavatam:
sthira-cara-jātayaḥ syur ajayottha-nimitta-yujaḥ
O eternally liberated, transcendental Lord, Your material energy causes the various moving and nonmoving species of life to appear by activating their material desires, but only when and if You sport with her by briefly glancing at her. SB 10.87.29
What cause is there for lamentation (paridevanā)?
As Nārada says:
yan manyase dhruvaṁ lokam adhruvaṁ vā na cobhayam
sarvathā na hi śocyās te snehād anyatra mohajāt
O King, in all circumstances, whether you consider the soul to be an eternal principle, or the material body to be perishable, or everything to exist in the impersonal Absolute Truth, or everything to be an inexplicable combination of matter and spirit, feelings of separation are due only to illusory affection and nothing more SB 1.13.44.
Some see the soul with amazement. Others speak of it in amazement. Others hear about it with amazement. Hearing about it, speaking about it or seeing it--still, no one knows it at all.
“What an astonishing thing you are describing! And it is so astonishing that though I am being enlightened by You, my lack of discernment does not go away.”
“Yes, the ātmā is truly astonishing.” With this intention the Lord then speaks this verse.
The word enam in this verse stands for the soul and the body, the combination of both, which constitutes the whole world. (The meaning would be: Yes, people see this combination of soul and body, which constitutes all living beings, as amazing.)
O Bhārata, the soul in the body of all entities can never be killed. Therefore you should not lament for any being.
“Therefore speak clearly. What should I do and not do?”
“Do not lament, but rather fight.” In two verses, Kṛṣṇa explains this.
Considering your own duties, you should not be fearful. There is nothing better for the warrior than to fight for the right cause.
Because the soul cannot be destroyed, you should not fear killing (stated in the previous verse). And considering from the point of view of your particular duties (since there is nothing better than fighting for dharma), you should not fear killing. That is the relation of the two verses.
Warriors are the happy who obtain such a battle which comes by chance and which opens the doors to heaven.
Moreover, more than even the victors, those who die in a just battle attain happiness. By killing Bhīṣma and others, you make them happier. Even without doing karma-yoga, one can attain Svarga through the battle, without any obstructions (apāvṛtam).
If you do not take part in this righteous war, giving up your duty and fame, you will instead reap sin.
In four verses he describes the fault in doing the opposite.
They will speak incessantly of your infamy. For one who has great position, dishonor is worse than death.
The great warriors, by whom you were regarded highly, and will now be regarded with contempt, will think that you have abandoned the battlefield out of fear.
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Those who have high regard for you as a warrior, even though you are an enemy, will no longer give you respect if you give up the battle. The mahā-rathas like Duryodhana will think that you have fled in fear from the battlefield. They will not think of any other reason for the kṣatriya to leave the field than fear. Strong bonds of friendship will not be considered.
They will speak many unspeakable words about you, criticizing your abilities. What could be more painful?
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Being killed, you will attain heaven. Being defeated, you will enjoy the earth. Therefore, rise, O son of Kuntī, and fight with determination.
“In this battle, my victory is not even certain. Therefore, why should you encourage this war?” He answers in this verse.
Being equal in happiness and distress, in gain or loss, in victory or defeat, engage in the battle. You will not incur any sin.
In all ways, your fighting is an act of dharma. If you fear that it will produce sin, I have shown you that it will not be a cause of sin. Therefore fight. The Lord gives this instruction in this verse.
Being equal in happiness and distress, which are caused by gain and loss--such as gain and loss of a kingdom, which are in turn caused by victory and defeat in the war; understanding that both results are equal through a discerning mind--equipped with that knowledge, you will not incur sin at all. It will also be stated later:
lipyate na sa pāpena padma-patram ivāmbhasā
I have taught you understanding necessary for the process of jñāna. Now hear about understanding necessary for the process of bhakti. By engaging your intelligence in this yoga, O son of Pṛthā, you will become free from the bondage of karma.
In this verse, Kṛṣṇa concludes the topic of jñāna-yoga which he has just taught. Sāḍkhya means “that by which true knowledge of things (vastu-tattvam) is perfectly (samak) revealed (khyāyate).” In other words, sāḍkhya means a perfect process of knowing. The intelligence (eṣā) to be implemented in that process has been explained. Now hear about the intelligence necessary to implement bhakti-yoga (yoge) which will now be explained. Endowed with this understanding concerning the subject of bhakti-yoga, you will give up saṁsāra (karma-bandham).
In this process, there is no loss by stopping without completion, and no sin incurred by doing so. One is delivered from birth and death even by practicing a little of this process.
There are two types of yoga explained in this section of the chapter: activities of bhakti, including hearing chanting and other such activities; and prescribed duties offered to the Lord without personal desire (niṣkāma-karma-yoga), which is expressed later starting with the verse karmaṇy evādhikāras te (BG 2.47). Before that, however, bhakti is discussed. Because bhakti alone, and no other process, is beyond the three modes, a person transcends the modes only by performing bhakti-yoga. Thus the statement nistraiguṇyo bhava to Arjuna (BG 2.45) indicates that this section is about bhakti. The nirguṇa nature of bhakti is also well supported by the statements of the Eleventh Canto of Bhāgavatam. Jñāna and karma cannot be said to be nistraiguṇya because of the presence of sattva in jñāna, and rajas in karma.
And the bhakti found in karma-yoga in the form of offering ones prescribed actions to the Lord is present there just makes karma lose its uselessness and bear material fruits. This process of karma-yoga does not have the designation of bhakti proper because predominance of bhakti is absent. If one considers karma offered to the Lord to be bhakti, then what would the designation karma refer to? If one says that it refers to prescribed karma not offered to the Lord, that cannot be, for Nārada says,
naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ
na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam
kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare
na cārpitaṁ karma yad apy akāraṇam
Knowledge of self-realization, even though free from all material affinity, does not look well if devoid of a conception of the Infallible [God]. What, then, is the use of fruitive activities, which are naturally painful from the very beginning and transient by nature, if they are not utilized for the devotional service of the Lord? SB 1.5.12
This statement indicates that karma devoid of the Lord is completely useless.
Therefore, in this verse and in the verses till verse 45, bhakti, characterized only by hearing, chanting, and other devotional acts, practiced only to attain the sweetness of the Lord’s lotus feet, is being described. Niṣkāma-karma-yoga will also be described. Both of these are indicated by the word buddhi-yoga mentioned in verse 39. In the phrase dadāmi buddhi-yogam taṁ yena mām upayānti te (BG 10.10), the word buddhi-yoga indicates bhakti-yoga. In the phrase durena hy avaraṁ karma buddhi-yogād dhanañjaya (BG 2.49), the word buddhi-yoga indicates niṣkāma-karma-yoga.
Thus, this present verse is a glorification of the process of bhakti with hearing and chanting, which is beyond the modes of nature. In bhakti-yoga (iha) there is no destruction (nāśaḥ), and there is also no sin incurred (pratyavāya), if the practice has just begun (abhikrama) and then stopped. If karma-yoga, however, is begun and then stopped, there is both destruction of the fruits of karma-yoga and sinful reaction as well for the performer.
“But then, by non-performance of bhakti which he is supposed to do, the aspiring practitioner also should not get any results.”
“Whatever little bhakti was there by the initial practice (svalpam apy asya dharmasya), even that small amount, will certainly deliver him from the bondage of saṁsāra (mahato bhayat).”
This is understood from such verses as the following:
yan-nāma sakṛcchravaṇāt pukkaśo ’pi vimucyate saṁsārād
Merely by hearing the holy name of Your Lordship only once, even caṇòālas men of the lowest class, are freed from all material contamination. SB 6.16.44
And it is also seen in the example of Ajāmila and others.
One can see that the following statement by the Lord has the same meaning:
hy aḍgopakrame dhvaṁso mad-dharmasyoddhavāṇv api
mayā vyavasitaḥ samyaḍ nirguṇatvād anāśiṣaḥ
My dear Uddhava, because I have personally established it, this process of devotional service unto Me is transcendental and free from any material motivation. Certainly a devotee never suffers even the slightest loss by adopting this process. SB 11.29.20
In the Bhāgavatam verse quoted above, Kṛṣṇa also shows the cause of indestructibility of bhakti. As it is beyond the guṇas, it never can be destroyed. The same reasoning should also be applied to the present Gītā verse. One cannot say however that niṣkāma-karma-yoga, even by being offered to the Lord, is beyond the modes of nature, for it is said:
mad-arpaṇaṁ niṣphalaṁ vā sattvicṁ nija-karma tat
Work performed as an offering to Me, without consideration of the fruit, is considered to be in the mode of goodness. SB 11.25.23
This verse indicates that niṣkāma-karma-yoga, even by the power of being offered to the Lord, is in the material mode of sattva (and therefore subject to destruction).
Resolute intelligence is only one in this process, O son of the Kurus. The intelligence of those who are irresolute has many branches of action and unlimited desires.
Moreover among all types of intelligence, that intelligence concentrated on bhakti-yoga is the best. Resolute intelligence fixed in bhakti-yoga is only one. The meaning of this is illustrated as follows.
“My sādhana is to serve the lotus feet of the Lord, to remember and glorify Him as instructed by my guru. That is also my goal (sādhya). It is my life sustaining medicine, for I cannot give up the sādhana and the sādhya. This is my most desirable object, my duty, and nothing else is my duty; nothing else is desired, even in dreams. There may be happiness or sorrow. Saṁsāra may be destroyed, or may not be destroyed. That is no loss for me. Let there only be resolute intelligence fixed in pure bhakti.”
It is said:
tato bhajeta māṁ bhaktyā śraddhālur dṛòha-niścayaḥ
My devotee should remain happy and worship Me with great faith and conviction. SB 11.20.28
The intelligence of others however is not ekā. Those intellects have many branches, and thus the intellects are unlimited (anantāḥ) rather than one, because of the unlimited desires to fulfill in karma-yoga. For instance, in jñāna-yoga, in order to purify the mind, one must first fix the intelligence on niṣkāma-karma. When the mind is purified, the intelligence then concentrates on giving up action (karma-sannyāsa). Next, the intelligence concentrates on jñāna, knowledge. But the intelligence at that time must also concentrate on bhakti so that jñāna does not become devoid of results. The intelligence then concentrates on giving up jñāna, as the Lord says, jñānaṁ ca mayi sannyaset one should surrender such knowledge in order to attain me. (SB 11.19.1) Thus the intelligences or minds, concentrating on different objects, are said to be infinite or many. And the types of differing sādhanas are also many, since karma, jñāna and bhakti must all be performed.
The unintelligent people, absorbed in discussing the Vedas, who propound the theory that matter is everything, attractively speak flowery words.
This verse speaks of the persons with wavering intelligence, involved in sakāma-karma, who are very dull witted. They speak excellently (pra vadanti) pleasant words of the Vedas which are like a poisonous but attractive flowering plant. Since their consciousness has been deluded by those words, they are not endowed with fixed intelligence, (tayā apahṛta cetasām vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate). The sentence is completed in verse 44. Because of the impossibility for them to accept, that fixed intelligence is not taught to them. Why do they speak in this way? They speak in this way because they are fools (avipaścitāh), because they interpret the words of the Vedas (veda-vāda-ratāḥ) such as the following:
akṣayyaṁ ha vai cāturmāsya-yājinaḥ sukṛtaṁ bhavati
One who has worshiped by means of the vows of cāturmāsya attains pious credits which never become depleted. Āpastamba Śrauta Sūtra, Kṛṣṇa Yajur Veda 8.1.1
apāma somam amṛtā abhūma
We drank soma and became immortal. Ṛg Veda 8.48.3
They say that there is no God other than this (na anyat asti).
Filled with desire, anxious for heaven, they speak many words concerning rituals for attaining power and enjoyment, words for giving the fruits of their action in the form of higher birth.
What type of words do they speak? They speak words about various rites giving many results for attaining power and enjoyment, words which give good karma in terms of birth.
For those people, who are attached to enjoyment and power, whose consciousness has been deluded by that talk, the resolute intelligence, fixed on one point, does not take place.
Those whose minds are attracted by the flowery words, who are attached to power and enjoyment, do not have the determined intelligence fixed firmly on one point (samādhau), fixed only on the Supreme Lord. The form of the verb na vidhīyate is reflexive passive (karma-kartari), meaning in this case “is not attained.” This commentary is Śrīdhara Svāmī’s version.
The subject of the Vedas is the three modes. Rise above the three modes, Arjuna, and be free of dualities, situated with the eternal devotees, devoid of desire for gain or preservation, and be engaged in the intelligence given by Me.
Give up all sādhanas of dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa, and just take shelter of bhakti-yoga. That is the intention of this verse.
The Vedas have the ability to reveal only karma and jñāna and other topics composed of the three modes (traiguṇya viṣaya) for personal gratification. The suffix ya in traiguṇya viṣaya here denotes self-interest. This statement of course means that the majority of texts deal with material subjects. However the śrutis (Vedas) do say:
bhaktir evainam nayati
Bhakti alone leads to the Lord. Māṭhara Śruti
yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau
One should have as much devotion in guru as one does in the Lord. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23
As well, the pañcarātra and smṛti scriptures, and other Upaniṣads like the Gītā Upaniṣad and Gopāla Tāpanī Upaniṣad make nirguṇa-bhakti the subject of discussion. If the Vedas did not speak of bhakti at all, then bhakti could not be substantiated.
Do not involve yourself with those statements of the Vedas dealing with jñāna and karma affected by the three guṇas (nistraiguṇya bhava). But you should always follow the Vedic statements dealing with bhakti. By following those injunctions, you are free from fault:
śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pāñcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā
aikāntikī harer bhaktir utpātāyaiva kalpyate
Without following the rules of śruti, smṛti, purāṇas and pañcarātra, pure bhakti to the Lord creates disaster. Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu, 1.2.101 quoted from Brahma-yāmala
By this, one can understand that the Vedas deal with both material and spiritual topics, topics involving the three guṇas and topics beyond the guṇas. But you should be devoid of the guṇas (nistraiguṇya bhava). By following the path of nirguṇa bhakti offered to Me, cross over the paths dealing with the three guṇas.
Then, such a person will be free of the dualities (nirdvandaḥ) within the guṇas, such as respect and disrespect, and will remain with the eternal living entities (nitya sattva), My devotees. If one were to say that nitya sattva sthaḥ means to be situated in sattva guṇa, that would be a contradiction to the statement nistraiguṇya bhava.
You will be free from the desire to acquire what you lack (yoga) and to protect what you have attained (kṣema), because of your taste for My bhakti-rasa. This is because I, out of affection for My devotee, carry the responsibility: yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham. (BG 9.22) You will be fixed in the intelligence given by Me (ātmavān).
Here there will be an examination of the meaning of nistraiguṇya and traiguṇya. It is said in the Eleventh Canto of Bhāgavatam:
mad-arpaṇaṁ niṣphalaṁ vā sattvicṁ nija-karma yat
rājasaṁ phala-saḍkalpaṁ hiṁsā-prāyādi tāmasam
Work performed as an offering to Me, (occasionally) without consideration of the fruit, is considered to be in the mode of goodness. Work performed with a desire to enjoy the results is in the mode of passion. And work impelled by violence and envy is in the mode of ignorance. SB 11.25.23
In this statement niṣphalam vā means “occasionally devoid of desires for the results of execution of duties.”
kaivalyaṁ sattvicṁ jñānaṁ rajo vaikalpikaṁ ca yat
prākṛtaṁ tāmasaṁ jñānaṁ man-niṣṭhaṁ nirguṇaṁ smṛtam
Absolute knowledge is in the mode of goodness, knowledge based on duality is in the mode of passion, and foolish, materialistic knowledge is in the mode of ignorance. Knowledge based upon Me, however, is understood to be transcendental. SB 11.25.24
vanaṁ tu sāttviko vāso grāmo rājasa ucyate
tāmasaṁ dyuta-sadanaṁ man-niketaṁ tu nirguṇam
Residence in the forest is in the mode of goodness, residence in a town is in the mode of passion, residence in a gambling house displays the quality of ignorance, and residence in a place where I reside is transcendental.
SB 11.25.25
sattvicḥ kārako ’saḍgī rāgāndho rājasaḥ smṛtaḥ
tāmasaḥ smṛti-vibhraṣṭo nirguṇo mad-apāśrayaḥ
A worker free of attachment is in the mode of goodness; a worker blinded by personal desire is in the mode of passion, and a worker who has completely forgotten how to tell right from wrong is in the mode of ignorance. But a worker who has taken shelter of Me is understood to be transcendental to the modes of nature. SB 11.25.26
sāttvikyādhyātmikī śraddhā karma-śraddhā tu rājasī
tāmasy adharme yā śraddhā mat-sevāyāṁ tu nirguṇā
Faith directed toward spiritual life is in the mode of goodness, faith rooted in fruitive work is in the mode of passion, faith residing in irreligious activities is in the mode of ignorance, but faith in My devotional service is purely transcendental. SB 11.25.27
pathyaṁ pūtam anāyastam āhāryaṁ sattvicṁ smṛtam
rājasaṁ cendriya-preṣṭhaṁ tāmasaṁ cārti-dāśuci
Food that is wholesome, pure and obtained without difficulty is in the mode of goodness, food that gives immediate pleasure to the senses is in the mode of passion, and food that is unclean and causes distress is in the mode of ignorance. (According to Śrīdhara Svāmī the word ca indicates “But food offered to Me is beyond the modes.”) SB 11.25.28
sattvicṁ sukham ātmotthaṁ viṣayotthaṁ tu rājasam
tāmasaṁ moha-dainyotthaṁ nirguṇaṁ mad-apāśrayam
Happiness derived from the self is in the mode of goodness, happiness based on sense gratification is in the mode of passion, and happiness based on delusion and degradation is in the mode of ignorance. But that happiness found within Me is transcendental. SB 11.25.29
The last verses, after showing the objects in the three modes of nature, explain the conquest of the three modes situated to some degree within oneself, by the process of nirguṇa-bhakti, in order to reach complete transcendence of the modes.
dravyaṁ deśas tathā kālo jñānaṁ karma ca kārakaḥ
śraddhāvasthā-kṛtir niṣṭhā traiguṇyaḥ sarva eva hi
Therefore material substance, place, result of activity, time, knowledge, work, the performer of work, faith, state of consciousness, species of life and destination after death are all based on the three modes of material nature.
SB 11.25.30
sarve guṇamayā bhāvāḥ puruṣāvyakta-dhiṣṭhitāḥ
dṛṣṭaṁ śrutam anudhyātaṁ buddhyā vā puruṣarṣabha
O best of human beings, all states of material being are related to the interaction of the enjoying soul and material nature. Whether seen, heard of or only conceived within the mind, they are without exception constituted of the modes of nature. SB 11.25.31
etāḥ saṁsṛtayaḥ puṁso guṇa-karma-nibandhanāḥ
yeneme nirjitāḥ saumya guṇājīvena cittajāḥ
bhakti-yogena man-niṣṭho mad-bhāvāya prapadyate
O gentle Uddhava, all these different phases of conditioned life arise from work born of the modes of material nature. The living entity who conquers these modes, manifested from the mind by the process of devotional service, can dedicate himself to Me and thus attain pure love for Me. SB 11.25.32
Thus, only by the process of bhakti can one conquer over the three modes. There is no other way. Later, in answer to the question, “How can one surpass the three modes of nature?” the Lord says:
māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate BG 14.26
Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that verse as follows: the ca word indicates exclusiveness. “He who serves only Me, the Supreme Lord, through undeviating bhakti-yoga, surpasses the guṇas.”
As the purposes of all wells are fulfilled by a large water body, so all the results of all types of worship mentioned in the Vedas are fulfilled just by knowing and worshiping the one Supreme God.
The glory of bhakti-yoga, being niṣkāma and nirguṇa, is such that it goes without saying that it is without loss or sin, even if started and discontinued. That even a little performance of bhakti makes one successful is stated by Uddhava in the Eleventh Canto.
na hy aḍgopakrame dhvaṁso mad-dharmasyoddhavāṇv api
mayā vyavasitaḥ samyaḍ nirguṇatvād anāśiṣaḥ
My dear Uddhava, because I have personally established it, this process of devotional service unto Me is transcendental and free from any material motivation. Certainly a devotee never suffers even the slightest loss by adopting this process. SB 11.29.20
However, even bhakti with material desire (sakāma-bhakti) is known by the term vyavasāyātmikā buddhi (since there is worship of only one person). This is shown through an example.
The singular case is used to indicate a whole class of wells. “Whatever purposes the wells serve” is the meaning of yāvān artha udapāne. Some wells are used for cleaning the body after passing nature. Some others are used for brushing teeth. Others are used for washing clothing. Others are used for washing hair. Others are used for bathing. Others are used for drinking water. All the purposes of all the different wells are served by a large body of water like a lake. In that one lake, one can perform all the activities such as cleaning the body or brushing the teeth. Whereas by using different wells for different purposes, one becomes tired of wandering around, that is not the case in using the lake. The outstanding quality of the lake water however is its sweet taste, whereas that of the well is not tasty.
Thus, whatever purposes are served by worship of all the devatās mentioned in all the Vedas are achieved through worship of the one Supreme Lord, by the person in knowledge, one who knows the Vedas (brāhmaṇasya). He who knows the Veda (brahma), is called brāhmaṇa. One may know the Vedas, but one who knows the import of the Vedas, bhakti, is a special knower (viśeṣato jānataḥ = vijānataḥ).
It is said in the Second Canto of Bhāgavatam:
brahma-varcasa-kāmas tu yajeta brahmaṇaḥ patim
indram indriya-kāmas tu prajā-kāmaḥ prajāpatim
One who desires to be absorbed in the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence should worship the master of the Vedas, one who desires powerful sex should worship the heavenly King, Indra, and one who desires good progeny should worship the great progenitors called the Prajāpatis. SB 2.3.3
But then it is said:
akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ
tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena yajeta puruṣaṁ param
A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead. SB 2.3.10
Just as the sunshine, unmixed with clouds or other obstructions, is intense, bhakti-yoga, unmixed with jñāna, karma or other pollutants, is intense (tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena). One attains fulfillment of many desires by worshipping many devatās. This requires many types of mental concentration. But one can attain all those desires from the one Supreme Lord, from just one portion of ones concentration on the one Lord. One should understand that this concentration on one personality (and attaining many goals) arises from the excellent qualities possessed by the object of concentration, the Lord.
You have qualification for prescribed work, but not the results of the work. Do not be the cause of results of work. Do not be attached to not doing work, or doing sinful work.
The Lord wanted to speak about the processes of jñāna, bhakti and karma-yoga to Arjuna, who was his dear friend. Having spoken of jñāna and bhakti-yoga, the Lord then considered that these two were not suitable for Arjuna. Thus He now speaks of niṣkāma-karma-yoga.
“You are qualified for works. But those who crave the results are very impure in consciousness. But you have an almost pure heart. I can say this about you since I know you.”
“But in doing actions, a result must come.”
“By doing an action with a desire for a certain result, a person becomes the cause of that result. But you should not act in that manner. I give you that blessing. And do not become attracted to non-performance of your duty, or in doing sin (akarmaṇi), rather you should hate doing that. I give you that blessing also.”
However, in the next chapter, Arjuna says, “My intelligence is bewildered by these equivocal words.” This apparent lack of connection between the previous and later statements should be understood to be intentional, having a purpose. “Just as I stand as your charioteer awaiting your order, you also await My order.” One should see that Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna actually had real agreement of mind.
Being situated in this niṣkāma-karma-yoga, perform your duties, giving up attachment, and being equal to success and failure, O conqueror of wealth! Such equal mindedness is called yoga.
With this verse, Kṛṣṇa starts teaching the method of niṣkāma-karma. Acting in this way, seeing victory and defeat as equal, O Arjuna, you should perform your duty of fighting. This performance of niṣkāma-karma-yoga transforms into jñāna-yoga. Jñāna-yoga should be understood from the previous and latter portions of the work.
O conqueror of wealth, actions with desire are far inferior to niṣkāma-karma-yoga. Surrender to this buddhi-yoga or niṣkāma-karma-yoga. Those who seek results from their work are wretched (and receive bondage).
Kṛṣṇa here criticizes karma done with material desires (sakāma-karma). The actions done with material desire (avaraṁ karma) are far inferior to niṣkāma-karma-yoga offered to the Supreme Lord (buddhi-yogāt). Take shelter of niṣkāma-karma-yoga (buddhau). In this verse buddhi-yoga refers to niṣkāma-karma-yoga rather than bhakti-yoga.
He who is engaged in niṣkāma-karma-yoga gives up both pious and impious reactions. Therefore engage in this yoga. Among all types of action, this performance without attachment is a skill.
Therefore be engaged in the yoga as described here (yogāya yujyasva). Among all actions done with or without desire (karmaṣu), action performed with indifference to results (yogaḥ) is a skill (kauśalam).
Being engaged in this niṣkāma-karma-yoga, having given up the results of work, the intelligent people, freed from the bondage of birth, attain the place of no suffering.
When your intelligence has completely crossed the denseness of illusion, you will be indifferent to all that has been heard and all that will be heard.
From the performance of niṣkāma-karma-yoga offered to the Supreme Lord, you will develop this neutrality (yoga). When your intelligence has surpassed particularly (vi) and completely (ati) the denseness of illusion, at that time you will become indifferent to all the subjects about which you will hear, and have already heard. This you will achieve by destruction of doubts and misconceptions, through hearing instructions of scripture from Me. You will think “At the present, I must practice my sādhanas continuously.”
When your intelligence is indifferent to the Vedas because of being fixed, and you are situated in samādhi, then you will attain the status of jīvan-mukta.
At that time, you will become detached from hearing about all sorts of material and Vedic subjects, because of being averse to the agitation created by these subjects (niścalā). And your intelligence will be fixed in samādhi (samādhau acalā), as described in the sixth chapter. At that time, by achieving direct realization, you will achieve the status of jīvan-mukta (yogam avāpsyasi).
Arjuna said: O Keśava, what is the description of this person situated in samādhi, the sthita-prajña? What does he speak, how does he sit, how does he move?
Hearing about intelligence fixed in samādhi (samādhav acalā buddhiḥ), Arjuna asks about the characteristics of that yogī. Sthita-prajña in this verse has the same meaning as acalā buddhi in the previous verse: fixed intelligence. What qualities can describe the sthita-prajña (kā bhāsā)? What are the qualities of the person situated in samādhi, samādhi stha? Actually the terms sthita-prajña and samādhi-stha both refer to the jīvan-mukta. What will that person say in the face of happiness and distress, respect and disrespect, praise and condemnation (kim prabhāṣeta)? What will he say, either loudly or to himself? In what way will his senses remain unresponsive to the external objects (kim āsīta)? In what way will his senses respond to the objects (vrajeta kim)?
The Lord said: When he completely gives up all desires which arise from the mind alone, and is satisfied with the soul alone by that mind, he is called sthita-prajña.
Step by step, Kṛṣṇa answers each of the four questions, from this verse until the end of the chapter. (This verse answers the first question: What is the nature of the jīvan-mukta?)
He gives up all desires, so that not even one desire remains for any object. He is able to give up these desires because they belong to the mind (manogatān); they are not the intrinsic quality of the soul. If they were the intrinsic quality of the soul, they could not be given up, just as fire never gives up heat. The cause for this is stated. He is satisfied by the soul whose very nature is bliss (ātmanā tuṣṭaḥ), in the mind (ātmani) which has withdrawn from sense objects. The śruti says:
yadā sarve pramucyante kāmā ye ’sya hṛdi śritāḥ
atha martyo ’mṛto bhavaty atra brahma samaśnute
When all the desires situated in the heart are cleared away, the mortal becomes immortal and enjoys Brahman. Kaṭha Upaniṣad 6.14
The sage whose mind is not disturbed by the appearance of suffering, who has given up all desire during opportunities for happiness, who is devoid of attachment, fear and anger, is called a sthita-prajña.
This verse and the next verse, the Lord answers the question “How does he speak?”
His mind is not disturbed by adhyātmika suffering in the form of hunger, thirst, fever, or headache, by the adhibhautika suffering coming from snakes or tigers, or by the adhidaivika suffering arising from extremes in wind or rain. When someone asks about his welfare, he says simply that this suffering is his prārabdha-karma which he must unavoidably endure. He is not agitated with suffering (duḥkheṣv anudvigna-manāḥ). Otherwise, internally he will think in this way if not asked. This absence of disgust at his situation is understood by the intelligent person to be the symptom of an undisturbed person. False indifference to suffering, the mark of the imposter, however, is detected as such by the wise man. Such a pretender is called fallen or depraved.
In the face of opportunities for happiness, he is without desire and says to himself or others that it is simply his prārabdha-karma which he must tolerate. And the intelligent person recognizes by this his quality of being devoid of desire for happiness.
These qualities are made clearer. He is devoid of attachment to enjoyment (vīta-rāga), and devoid of fear from such things as tigers that want to eat him. He is devoid of anger towards friends who have attacked him. As an example, Jaòa Bharata in front of the Goddess Durgā, did not show fear or anger towards the caṇòāla leader who wanted to kill him.
He who has no motivated affections at all, who does not rejoice on attaining good fortune or curse on attaining misfortune, is situated in prajñā.
That person is without affections which are subject to material conditions (anabhisneha). Unconditional affection out of mercifulness however should remain to some degree. He is fixed in those qualities. On receiving something favorable to himself (śubham), through respect or feeding for instance, he does not approve, and receiving disrespect (aśubham), such as a punch from someone’s fist, he does not disapprove. He does not say, “Oh, you are so religious, serving a great devotee. I bless you with happiness.” Nor does he curse the disrespectful person saying, “Go to hell, you sinful creature.” He is prajñā pratiṣṭhitā, situated in samādhi (samādhim pratiṣṭhita), or well situated in prajñā or samādhi.
When he draws his senses away completely from sense objects like a turtle withdrawing its limbs, he is situated in prajña.
This verse answers the question, “How does he sit?” (kim āsīta)
He withdraws his senses such as the ear from the objects of the senses such as sound. Stopping the movement of the independent senses towards the external objects, he establishes them without movement internally. This is the “sitting” of the person situated in prajñā. An example is given. He does so, just as the turtle fixes his senses such as mouth and eyes within itself by its will.
One who refrains from eating also stops the sense objects from functioning, but the desire for enjoyment remains. Having seen the Paramātmā, one can stop the desire as well.
“But even the fool who is fasting because of sickness is able to stop the movement of his senses.”
For one who stops eating (nirāhārasya), the objects of the senses disappear, but not the desire for objects (rasa-varjam). The desire (rasa) for objects does not disappear. For the person situated in prajñā however, having seen the Paramātmā, the desire for objects does disappear. This is not a deviation from the qualities of the sthita-prajña. The ability to realize the soul directly is something that has to be attained through practice, not something that is naturally possible for everyone (such as the ignorant person fasting.)
Even for the wise man who endeavors, O son of Kuntī, the agitating senses take away the mind by force.
The effort at the stage of sādhana is very great, without power to turn back the senses completely at all times. Pramāthīni means “causing agitation.”
The yogī who is devoted to Me, after restraining all the senses, will remain seated, unresponsive to sense objects. He whose senses have thus been brought under control is sthita-prajña.
Mat-paraḥ means My devotee. Without devotion to Me, one cannot conquer the senses. This will be seen everywhere in later verses of the Gītā. Uddhava has also said:
prāyaśaḥ puṇòarīkākṣa yuñjanto yogino manaḥ
viṣīdanty asamādhānān mano-nigraha-karśitāḥ
athāta ānanda-dughaṁ padāmbujaṁ haṁsāḥ śrayeran
O lotus-eyed Lord, generally those yogīs who try to steady the mind experience frustration because of their inability to perfect the state of trance. Thus they weary in their attempt to bring the mind under control. Therefore, O lotus-eyed Lord of the universe, swanlike men happily take shelter of Your lotus feet, the source of all transcendental ecstasy. SB 11.29.2-3
The person whose senses have been brought under control (vase hi) is the sthita-prajña. This distinguishes him from the sādhaka, the person attempting to do so.
For the person who meditates on the sense objects, attachment arises. From attachment arises desire. From desire arises anger.
The sthita-prajña controls also the mind. That indeed is the cause of control of the senses. If one does not have control of the mind at all, please hear the result.
A person who thinks of the sense objects develops attachment (saḍga) to them. And by that attachment, he develops strong desire (kāma) for those objects. From desire, anger develops due to obstruction to fulfilling his desire, caused by someone or something.
From anger arises bewilderment. From bewilderment comes loss of memory. From loss of memory comes loss of intelligence. From loss of intelligence one becomes completely destroyed.
From anger develops absence of discrimination of what should be done and what should not be done (saṁmohaḥ). From bewilderment develops loss of remembrance of ones own benefit derived from the instructions of scriptures (smṛti-vibhramaḥ). From that comes a destruction of resolve for spiritual practices (buddhi-nāśa). Then one falls into the hole of samsāra.
One whose mind is submissive, who engages in the sense objects with the senses freed of attachment and repulsion, under the control of the mind, attains peace.
This verse answers the question, “How does the sthita-prajña go?” (vrajeta kim) The Lord explains that it is not a fault to accept the objects of the senses, if it is done with controlled senses, with absence of attachment of the objects in the mind.
According to Amara Kośa, vidheya means “submissive, situated in words, compliant, controlled, well behaved, polite, and equal.”
One whose mind (ātmā) is submissive to instructions (vidheya ātmā), (who contacts objects with senses controlled by the mind, senses devoid of attachment and repulsion), attains peace (prasādam). Contacting the sense objects is not a fault. Rather it is a good quality for one who does so with control.
In other words, for the sthita-prajña, accepting the renunciation of enjoyment of objects, either by withdrawal of the senses (āsana) or by engaging the senses (vrajana), is beneficial.
From this peace arises destruction of all distress. Quickly the intelligence of the peaceful-minded person becomes completely fixed.
The intelligence is fixed in its desired goal completely (pari avatisthati). All distress is destroyed, but because of no desire for enjoying the objects, the person, accepting necessary objects of the senses for his survival, has tranquility. He has a peaceful consciousness (prasanna-cetasaḥ), just because of bhakti.
The First Canto of Bhāgavatam states that, without bhakti, one cannot have a peaceful mind. Vyāsadeva, even though writing the Vedānta-sūtras, did not have happiness of mind, but he gained peace of heart through bhakti taught by Nārada.
For the person with uncontrolled mind, there is no intelligence fixed on the soul, and no meditation on the Paramātmā. Without meditation he has no peace. Without peace, where is bliss?
Kṛṣṇa makes his statement clear by stating the effects of the opposite condition.
For one who has not controlled the mind (ayuktasya), there is no intelligence, no prajña, fixed on the soul. For one who not having such prajnā arising from controlled mind, meditation on the Supreme Lord (bhāvanā) also is not possible. Not performing meditation (abhāvayataḥ), he does not have peace, the cessation of agitation from sense objects. This person without peace does not have bliss (sukham) from the soul.
The mind which follows one of the moving senses steals away the intelligence, as wind moves a boat on the water.
This verse examines the person with no intelligence due to lack of control of the mind (ayuktasya buddhiḥ na asti described in the previous verse).
Among all the senses moving towards their respective sense objects, the mind follows after one sense. In this way a person follows each of the senses. Such a mind takes away the intelligence or prajñā of the person, just as unfavorable wind takes a boat off course which is being steered somewhere on the water.
He who completely restricts the senses from the sense objects, O mighty-armed one, is fixed in prajña.
He who controls his mind restricts his senses from sense objects. He is fixed in intelligence. O might-armed one (mahā-bāho), just as you control your enemies with your strength, you should also control your mind.
The sthita-prajña is awake in the night when all other living entities sleep. The night of the observant sthita-prajña is the time during which the all living entities are awake.
The sthita-prajña is able to control his senses very naturally. There are two types of intelligence: that directed towards soul and that directed towards matter.
The intelligence directed towards the soul is night for all other entities. Just as in the night, people sleeping do not know what is happening at that time, so all living entities do not know the things which are being perceived by the intelligence directed towards the soul. But during that night, the sthita-prajña or saṁyamī, controlling his senses, is awake, not sleeping. In other words he directly realizes the bliss from fixing his intelligence on the soul. When the living entities are awake, with intelligence directed towards material sense objects, they realize directly the happiness, lamentation and bewilderment of those sense objects upon which their intelligence is fixed. They are not sleeping. But that is night for the muni, the sthita-prajña, who does not experience fixing his intellect on those objects at all. But he does see those objects. He looks upon (paśyataḥ) all those sense objects which give happiness and distress to the people bound in samsāra with disinterest. This means that he accepts the required sense objects for his survival without being affected.
Just as the rivers enter the ocean which has fixed shores and is never quite full, so the objects of enjoyment enter into the sthita-prajña, but he remains peaceful. This is not so for the desirer of those objects.
This verse describes the sthita-prajña’s condition of not being affected or agitated when he accepts the sense objects. Just as in the rainy season, rivers (āpaḥ) here and there enter into the ocean, almost filling it up (ā--almost, pūryamāṇam--filled), but not being able to completely fill it up, not being able to go beyond the shore (acalā-pratiṣṭham), in a similar manner the objects of sense enjoyment (kāmaḥ) come to the sthita-prajña for his enjoyment (but cannot disturb him). Just as, whether the rivers enter or do not enter the ocean, the ocean is not disturbed at all, the sthita-prajña (saḥ) remains undisturbed whether he gets objects of enjoyment or not. He attains the stage of jñāna (śāntim).
He who gives up all objects of enjoyment but carries out action without desires for them, being devoid of possessiveness and ego, attains peace (jñāna).
This verse describes the person who, , does not enjoy the semse objects at all because he has no faith in them. He is devoid of possessiveness and ego regarding his body and objects related to the body (nirmamaḥ nirahaḍkāraḥ).
O son of Pṛthā, this is the situation for attaining Brahman. Attaining that state, one is not bewildered, and attains brahma-nirvāṇa even at the time of death.
This verse concludes the topic.
Brahmī means “that which gives attainment of Brahman.” Even one at the point of death (anta-kāle), what to speak of one of young age, by this practice, attains brahma-nirvāṇa.
Having presented very clearly jñāna and karma and indirectly bhakti, this chapter is called the sūtra (abbreviated form) of the Gītā.
This is commentary on the second chapter of the Gītā for the joy of the devotees’ minds, following after the great devotees.
In this second chapter, after destroying the darkness of bewilderment and lamentation of Arjuna by distinguishing the soul from the body, Kṛṣṇa speaks about the characteristics of the liberated soul.