Krishna, what challenges do you pose for us mere mortals? One of the most complex chapters with multitudes of concepts, each one better than the other and amidst this myriad of these concepts, I have my own constraint: Find that One Verse that defines this chapter. This perhaps will be the most challenging task of mine and could potentially draw a lot of comments. The chapter has 72 verses which in itself is such a huge collection that it becomes a very challenging proposition.
In order to arrive at what could be a representative verse as compared to the other famous ones, let’s first understand what is Sankhya Yoga. This chapter is actually a dual yoga chapter i.e. Sankhya Yoga and Buddhi Yoga. If we consider Sri Krishna’s words,
एषा तेऽभिहिता साङ्ख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां शृणु ।
बुद्ध्या युक्तो यया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि ॥ 2.39॥
Hitherto, I have explained to you Sānkhya Yog, or analytic knowledge regarding the nature of the soul. Now listen, O Parth, as I reveal Buddhi Yog, or the Yog of Intellect. When you work with such understanding, you will be freed from the bondage of karma.
Sankhya Yoga is the analytical knowledge about what constitutes a soul. Buddhi Yoga / Yoga of intellect is how to free ourselves from the bondage of Karma. Given this distinction, I aim to propose 2 specific verses to each of these sub-chapters of this very interesting and perhaps one of the most important chapters of Srimad Bhagwad Gita.
When Arjuna laments (as seen in Arjuna Vishada Yoga), Sri Krishna reminds him that the body is just a container. The core essence is the atma and Sankhya Yoga describes this indestructible element. Considering this thought process, I feel that the verse that could describe the atma best is thus:
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूय: ।
अजो नित्य: शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥ 2.20॥
The soul is neither born, nor does it ever die; nor having once existed, does it ever cease to be. The soul is without birth, eternal, immortal, and ageless. It is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.
The subsequent verses go on to describe the attributes of the soul and why one shouldn’t mourn for the inevitably destroyed container i.e. the body. Now, there could be questions as to why one of the verses from the set 2.17 - 2.19 or 2.21 - 2.26 could have been the representative verse. Each one of them is powerful and enlightening to be the potential representative verse. However, the absolute reality of the indestructible Brahma Tattva or atma is best described in the 2.20 verse and hence, is my choice of verse for Sankhya Yoga.
Sri Krishna elaborates further that this soul is influenced and impacted by the action of indiyas or senses. Sri Krishna’s advice to Arjuna is to seek refuge in knowledge and elevate himself or rather release himself from the shackles of senses. He elaborates this concept in clear terms:
त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन ।
निर्द्वन्द्वो नित्यसत्त्वस्थो निर्योगक्षेम आत्मवान् ॥ 2.45॥
The Vedas deal with the three modes of material nature, O Arjun. Rise above the three modes to a state of pure spiritual consciousness. Freeing yourself from dualities, eternally fixed in Truth, and without concern for material gain and safety, be situated in the self.
The essence of Buddhi Yoga is to elevate oneself above the triguna influence and hence, my preferred verse to describe this part of Srimad Bhagwad Gita is:
बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते ।
तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योग: कर्मसु कौशलम् ॥ 2.50॥
One who prudently practices the science of work without attachment can get rid of both good and bad reactions in this life itself. Therefore, strive for Yog, which is the art of working skillfully (in proper consciousness).
This could be a different choice than the most anticipated and often quoted verse of Srimad Bhagwad Gita:
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥ 2.47 ॥
You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, nor be attached to inaction.
This is perhaps quite perfect to describe the core essence of Sankhya-Buddhi Yoga. However, I choose 2.50 as the preferred verse as it has the reference to Buddhi Yoga, performing actions without attachment to results and being agnostic to either positives or negatives arising out of the actions.
Additional Commentary:
This chapter is perhaps one of the most crucial chapters of Srimad Bhagwad Gita. Each verse is worth the weight in gold and can easily be considered for analysis and commentary. Continuing from Arjuna Vishada Yoga, we encounter a beautiful verse where Arjuna sets a wonderful example for the humanity. He acknowledges his ignorance and surrenders entirely to the almighty. Complete surrender is a recurring theme in Mahabharata and I consider this to be one of the most core crucial tenets of the epic.
कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभाव:
पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेता: ।
यच्छ्रेय: स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे
शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् ॥ 2.7॥
I am confused about my duty, and am besieged with anxiety and faintheartedness. I am Your disciple, and am surrendered to You. Please instruct me for certain what is best for me.
As humans, we tend to consider that we know it all. It is a challenge to our mind to accept that we don’t know. To accept that the understanding is limited and that we need help or rather asking for help (even in trivial matters) is the biggest challenge for ego. Surmounting that is no less than climbing Everest. One may term this as eating humble pie, but truly putting our belief in divinity is the first step towards problem solving.
We all know Sri Krishna was the Parama Purusha himself. We also know that he would have shown his Viraat Roopa in the court of Dhritarashtra when Duryodhana tries to imprison him. In Srimad Bhagwad Gita also, we have an entire chapter dedicated to the Vishwaroopa of Bhagwantha. One question that could spring in the minds of aasaktas - When do we know that Sri Krishna is the divine supreme personality i.e. Parama Purusha? The answer is this verse from Sankhya Yoga:
न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः ।
न चैव न भविष्याम: सर्वे वयमत: परम् ॥ 2.12॥
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
Sri Krishna reveals to Arjuna that he is beyond Kaala - the indication that he pervades space, time and the entire universe.
There are some concepts beyond Sankhya Yoga (lesson about atma) and Buddhi Yoga (using knowledge to uplift oneself). The concept of equanimity recurs multiple times in this chapter and is one of the critical aspects of the same. This verse captures the core essence of equanimity very well. Alas, if we can implement even 0.1% of this detached attachment, we could be in a different plane.
सुखदु:खे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ ।
ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥ 2.38॥
Fight for the sake of duty, treating alike happiness and distress, loss and gain, victory and defeat. Fulfilling your responsibility in this way, you will never incur sin.
This verse is also one of my favored verses like कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा.. and was a strong contender to be the verse for the chapter. However, as I wanted to ensure that Sri Krishna’s words of taking refuge in Buddhi is essential, I had to down prioritize the same. This is actually supported by the fact that verse succeeding the chosen verse for Buddhi Yoga is
कर्मजं बुद्धियुक्ता हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीषिण: ।
जन्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्ता: पदं गच्छन्त्यनामयम् ॥ 2.51॥
The wise endowed with equanimity of intellect, abandon attachment to the fruits of actions, which bind one to the cycle of life and death. By working in such consciousness, they attain the state beyond all suffering.
Equanimity is the milestone to reach. How does one know who has reached this stage or how to identify those who implement this concept? This is answered by another crucial aspect of this chapter of Srimad Bhagwad Gita - Sthitha Prajna. Verses 2.54 -2.57 describe the attributes of Sthitha Prajna so very well that it could serve as a template for us humans to emulate. Specifically this verse:
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
प्रजहाति यदा कामान्सर्वान्पार्थ मनोगतान् ।
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्ट: स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते ॥ 2.55॥
The Supreme Lord said: O Parth, when one discards all selfish desires and cravings of the senses that torment the mind, and becomes satisfied in the realization of the self, such a person is said to be transcendentally situated.
If we study the essence of this shloka, it is yet another manifestation of कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा.. . How do we achieve this state? What should we do? Sri Krishna has a solution for the same too.
तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्त आसीत मत्पर: ।
वशे हि यस्येन्द्रियाणि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥ 2.61॥
They are established in perfect knowledge, who subdue their senses and keep their minds ever absorbed in Me.
Subduing the senses, removing attachment to results and focussing our entire existence on Bhagwantha is perhaps the most simplistic, yet profound summary of this chapter.
What do we get by performing all these actions? What is the end result? Sri Krishna concludes the chapter with a bang:
एषा ब्राह्मी स्थिति: पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति ।
स्थित्वास्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति ॥ 2.72॥
O Parth, such is the state of an enlightened soul that having attained it, one is never again deluded. Being established in this consciousness even at the hour of death, one is liberated from the cycle of life and death and reaches the Supreme Abode of God.
This chapter is like a flowing river of nectar. No matter how much one savours, the soul wants more and more. This has been the most challenging chapter of Srimad Bhagwad Gita for its richness and enormous knowledge.
Please do share your view on the choice of shloka and my interpretations thereof. I would like to get your thoughts and feedback and maybe we discover something hidden in Srimad Bhagwad Gita.
Sarvam Sri Krishnaarpanamastu
Verses and meanings from: https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/
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