Bhagavadgita Parayana - Chapter 2

śrī bhagavānuvācha

kutastvā kaśmalamidaṃ viṣamē samupasthitam । anāryajuṣṭamasvargyam akīrtikaramarjuna ॥2

The Blessed Lord said, "From whence has this perilous strait come upon you, this dejection which is unworthy of you, disgraceful, and which will close the gates of heaven upon you, O Arjuna?"

klaibyaṃ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitattvayyupapadyatē । kṣudraṃ hṛdayadaurbalyaṃ tyaktvōttiṣṭha parantapa ॥3॥

Do not yield to impotence, O Arjuna, son of Pritha. It does not befit you. Cast off this mean weakness of the heart! Stand up, O conqueror of foes!

arjuna uvācha

kathaṃ bhīṣmamahaṃ saṅkhyē drōṇaṃ cha madhusūdana । iṣubhiḥ pratiyōtsyāmi pūjārhāvarisūdana ॥4

Arjuna said, "O Madhusudana, how can I fight in battle with arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of being worshipped, O destroyer of enemies?"

gurūnahatvā hi mahānubhāvān śrēyō bhōktuṃ bhaikṣyamapīha lōkē । hatvārthakāmāṃstu gurūnihaiva bhuñjīya bhōgān rudhirapradigdhān ॥5॥

Better it is, indeed, in this world to accept alms than to slay the most noble teachers. But if I were to kill them, even in this world, all my enjoyments of wealth and fulfilled desires would be stained with their blood.

na chaitadvidmaḥ katarannō garīyaḥ yadvā jayēma yadi vā nō jayēyuḥ । yānēva hatvā na jijīviṣāmaḥ tē'vasthitāḥ pramukhē dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ ॥6॥

I can hardly tell which would be better, that we should conquer them or that they should conquer us. Even the sons of Dhritarashtra, whom we do not wish to slay, stand facing us.

kārpaṇyadōṣōpahatasvabhāvaḥ pṛchChāmi tvāṃ dharmasammūḍhachētāḥ । yachChrēyaḥ syānniśchitaṃ brūhi tanmē śiṣyastē'haṃ śādhi māṃ tvāṃ prapannam ॥7॥

My heart is overpowered by the taint of pity; my mind is confused as to my duty. I ask Thee: Tell me decisively what is good for me. I am Thy disciple; instruct me, who has taken refuge in Thee.

na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyāt yachChōkamuchChōṣaṇamindriyāṇām । avāpya bhūmāvasapatnamṛddhaṃ rājyaṃ surāṇāmapi chādhipatyam ॥8॥

I do not see that this sorrow that burns up my senses would be removed, even if I were to attain prosperous and unrivaled dominion on earth or lordship over the gods.

sañjaya uvācha

ēvamuktvā hṛṣīkēśaṃ guḍākēśaḥ parantapaḥ । na yōtsya iti gōvindam uktvā tūṣṇīṃ babhūva ha ॥9

Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus to Hrishikesha, the Lord of the senses, Arjuna, the conqueror of sleep and destroyer of foes, said, "I will not fight," and became silent.

tamuvācha

hṛṣīkēśaḥ prahasanniva bhārata । sēnayōrubhayōrmadhyē viṣīdantamidaṃ vachaḥ ॥10

To him who was despondent in the midst of the two armies, Krishna, smiling, O Bharata, spoke these words.

śrī bhagavānuvācha

aśōchyānanvaśōchastvaṃ prajñāvādāṃścha bhāṣasē । gatāsūnagatāsūṃścha nānuśōchanti paṇḍitāḥ ॥11

The Blessed Lord said, "You have grieved for those who should not be grieved for; yet, you speak words of wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead."

na tvēvāhaṃ jātu nāsaṃ na tvaṃ nēmē janādhipāḥ । na chaiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarvē vayamataḥ param ॥12॥

Nor, at any time, was I not, nor thou, nor these rulers of men; nor, verily, shall we ever cease to be hereafter.

dēhinō'sminyathā dēhē kaumāraṃ yauvanaṃ jarā । tathā dēhāntaraprāptiḥ dhīrastatra na muhyati ॥13॥

Just as the embodied soul passes through childhood, youth, and old age in this body, so too does it pass into another body; the steadfast one does not grieve over this.

mātrāsparśāstu kauntēya śītōṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ । āgamāpāyinō'nityāḥ tāṃstitikṣasva bhārata ॥14॥

The contact of the senses with the objects, O son of Kunti, which causes heat and cold, pleasure and pain, has a beginning and an end; they are impermanent; endure them bravely, O Arjuna.

yaṃ hi na vyathayantyētē puruṣaṃ puruṣarṣabha । samaduḥkhasukhaṃ dhīraṃ sō'mṛtatvāya kalpatē ॥15॥

That firm man, whom surely these afflictions do not, O chief among men, to whom pleasure and pain are the same, is fit for attaining immortality.

nāsatō vidyatē bhāvaḥ nābhāvō vidyatē sataḥ । ubhayōrapi dṛṣṭō'ntaḥ tvanayōstattvadarśibhiḥ ॥16॥

The unreal has no being; there is no non-being of the real; the truth about both has been seen by the knowers of the truth (or the seers of the essence).

avināśi tu tadviddhi yēna sarvamidaṃ tatam । vināśamavyayasyāsya na kaśchitkartumarhati ॥17॥

Know that to be indestructible, by which all this is pervaded. No one can cause the destruction of that, the Imperishable.

antavanta imē dēhāḥ nityasyōktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ । anāśinō'pramēyasya tasmādyudhyasva bhārata ॥18॥

These bodies of the embodied Self, which are eternal, indestructible, and immeasurable, are said to have an end. Therefore, fight, O Arjuna.

ya ēnaṃ vētti hantāraṃ yaśchainaṃ manyatē hatam । ubhau tau na vijānītaḥ nāyaṃ hanti na hanyatē ॥19॥

He who takes the Self to be the slayer and he who thinks it is slain, neither of them knows. It does not slay, nor is it slain.

na jāyatē mriyatē vā kadāchit nāyaṃ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ । ajō nityaḥ śāśvatō'yaṃ purāṇaḥ na hanyatē hanyamānē śarīrē ॥20॥

It is not born, nor does it ever die; after having been, it again does not cease to be; unborn, eternal, changeless, and ancient, it is not killed when the body is killed.

vēdāvināśinaṃ nityaṃ ya ēnamajamavyayam । kathaṃ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṃ ghātayati hanti kam ॥21॥

Whoever knows it to be indestructible, eternal, unborn, and inexhaustible, how can that person slay, O Arjuna, or cause to be slain?

vāsāṃsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya navāni gṛhṇāti narō'parāṇi । tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāni anyāni saṃyāti navāni dēhī ॥22॥

Just as a man casts off worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, so too the embodied Self casts off worn-out bodies and enters others that are new.

nainaṃ Chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṃ dahati pāvakaḥ । na chainaṃ klēdayantyāpaḥ na śōṣayati mārutaḥ ॥23॥

Weapons cannot cut it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet it, wind cannot dry it.

achChēdyō'yamadāhyō'yam aklēdyō'śōṣya ēva cha । nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuḥ achalō'yaṃ sanātanaḥ ॥24॥

This Self cannot be cut, burned, wetted, nor dried up; it is eternal, all-pervasive, stable, immovable, and ancient.

avyaktō'yamachintyō'yam avikāryō'yamuchyatē । tasmādēvaṃ viditvainaṃ nānuśōchitumarhasi ॥25॥

This Self is said to be unmanifested, unthinkable, and unchangeable. Therefore, knowing this to be so, you should not grieve.

atha chainaṃ nityajātaṃ nityaṃ vā manyasē mṛtam । tathā'pi tvaṃ mahābāhō naivaṃ śōchitumarhasi ॥26॥

But even if thou thinkest of It as constantly being born and constantly dying, even then, O mighty-armed one, thou shouldst not grieve.

jātasya hi dhruvō mṛtyuḥ dhruvaṃ janma mṛtasya cha । tasmādaparihāryē'rthē na tvaṃ śōchitumarhasi ॥27॥

For the born, death is certain, and for the dead, birth is certain; therefore, you should not grieve over the inevitable.

avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata । avyaktanidhanānyēva tatra kā paridēvanā ॥28॥

Beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their middle state, O Arjuna, and unmanifest again in their end. What is there to grieve about?

āścharyavatpaśyati kaśchidēnaṃ āścharyavadvadati tathaiva chānyaḥ । āścharyavachchainamanyaḥ śṛṇōti śrutvā'pyēnaṃ vēda na chaiva kaśchit ॥29॥

One sees this (the Self) as a wonder; another speaks of it as a wonder; another hears of it as a wonder; yet, having heard, none understands it at all.

dēhī nityamavadhyō'yaṃ dēhē sarvasya bhārata । tasmātsarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvaṃ śōchitumarhasi ॥30॥

This indweller in the body of everyone is ever indestructible, O Arjuna; therefore, you should not grieve for any creature.

svadharmamapi chāvēkṣya na vikampitumarhasi । dharmyāddhi yuddhāchChrēyō'nyat kṣatriyasya na vidyatē ॥31॥

Further, having regard to your duty, you should not waver, for there is nothing higher for a Kshatriya than a righteous war.

yadṛchChayā chōpapannaṃ svargadvāramapāvṛtam । sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha labhantē yuddhamīdṛśam ॥32॥

Happy are the Kshatriyas, O Arjuna! who are called to fight in such a battle that comes of its own accord as an open door to heaven.

atha chēttvamimaṃ dharmyaṃ saṅgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi । tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ cha hitvā pāpamavāpsyasi ॥33॥

But if you will not fight this righteous war, then having abandoned your own duty and reputation, you will incur sin.

akīrtiṃ chāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti tē'vyayām । sambhāvitasya chākīrtiḥ maraṇādatirichyatē ॥34॥

People will also recount your everlasting dishonor; and for one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death.

bhayādraṇāduparataṃ maṃsyantē tvāṃ mahārathāḥ । yēṣāṃ cha tvaṃ bahumataḥ bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam ॥35॥

The great chariot-warriors will think that you have withdrawn from the battle out of fear, and you will be held in low esteem by those who have held you in high regard.

avāchyavādāṃścha bahūn vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ । nindantastava sāmarthyaṃ tatō duḥkhataraṃ nu kim ॥36॥

Your enemies, scoffing at your power, will speak many abusive words—what could be more painful than this?

hatō vā prāpsyasi svargaṃ jitvā vā bhōkṣyasēmahīm । tasmāduttiṣṭha kauntēya yuddhāya kṛtaniśchayaḥ ॥37॥

Slain, you will obtain heaven; victorious, you will enjoy the earth; therefore, stand up, O son of Kunti, resolved to fight.

sukhaduḥkhē samē kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau । tatō yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṃ pāpamavāpsyasi ॥38॥

Having made pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat equal, engage in battle for the sake of battle; thus, you shall not incur sin.

ēṣā tē'bhihitā sāṅkhyē buddhiryōgē tvimāṃ śṛṇu । buddhyā yuktō yayā pārtha karmabandhaṃ prahāsyasi ॥39॥

This, which has been taught to you, is wisdom concerning Sankhya. Now listen to wisdom concerning Yoga, endowed with which, O Arjuna, you shall cast off the bonds of action.

nēhābhikramanāśō'sti pratyavāyō na vidyatē । svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyatē mahatō bhayāt ॥40॥

In this, there is no loss of effort, nor is there any harm produced, nor any transgression. Even a little of this knowledge protects one from great fear.

vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ ēkēha kurunandana । bahuśākhā hyanantāścha buddhayō'vyavasāyinām ॥41॥

Here, O joy of the Kurus, there is only one single-pointed determination; many-branched and endless are the thoughts of the indecisive.

yāmimāṃ puṣpitāṃ vāchaṃ pravadantyavipaśchitaḥ । vēdavādaratāḥ pārtha nānyadastīti vādinaḥ ॥42॥

The unwise, taking pleasure in the eulogizing words of the Vedas, utter flowery speech, saying, "There is nothing else," O Arjuna.

kāmātmānaḥ svargaparāḥ janmakarmaphalapradām । kriyāviśēṣabahulāṃ bhōgaiśvaryagatiṃ prati ॥43॥

Full of desires, with heaven as their goal, (they speak words that are directed to ends) leading to new births as the result of their works, and prescribe various methods abounding in specific actions, for the attainment of pleasure and power.

bhōgaiśvaryaprasaktānāṃ tayā'pahṛtachētasām । vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyatē ॥44॥

For those who are attached to pleasure and power, whose minds are drawn away by such teachings, their determinate reason is not formed which is steadily bent on meditation and Samadhi (superconscious state).

traiguṇyaviṣayā vēdāḥ nistraiguṇyō bhavārjuna । nirdvandvō nityasattvasthaḥ niryōgakṣēma ātmavān ॥45॥

The Vedas deal with the three attributes; be thou above these three attributes. O Arjuna, free yourself from the pairs of opposites and ever remain in the quality of Sattva, freed from acquisition and preservation, and be established in the Self.

yāvānartha udapānē sarvataḥ samplutōdakē । tāvānsarvēṣu vēdēṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ ॥46॥

To the Brahmana who has known the Self, all the Vedas are of as much use as a reservoir of water would be in a place where there is a flood.

karmaṇyēvādhikārastē mā phalēṣu kadāchana । mā karmaphalahēturbhūḥ mā tē saṅgō'stvakarmaṇi ॥47॥

Your right is only to work, but not to its results; do not let the results of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.

yōgasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā dhanañjaya । siddhyasiddhyōḥ samō bhūtvā samatvaṃ yōga uchyatē ॥48॥

Perform action, O Arjuna, being steadfast in Yoga, abandoning attachment and balanced in success and failure; evenness of mind is called Yoga.

dūrēṇa hyavaraṃ karma buddhiyōgāddhanañjaya । buddhau śaraṇamanvichCha kṛpaṇāḥ phalahētavaḥ ॥49॥

Far lower than the Yoga of wisdom is action, O Arjuna. Seek thou refuge in wisdom; wretched are those whose motive is the fruit.

buddhiyuktō jahātīha ubhē sukṛtaduṣkṛtē । tasmādyōgāya yujyasva yōgaḥ karmasu kauśalam ॥50॥

Endowed with wisdom and evenness of mind, one casts off in this life both good and evil deeds; therefore, devote yourself to Yoga; Yoga is skill in action.

karmajaṃ buddhiyuktā hi phalaṃ tyaktvā manīṣiṇaḥ । janmabandhavinirmuktāḥ padaṃ gachChantyanāmayam ॥51॥

The wise, possessing knowledge, having abandoned the fruits of their actions, and being freed from the bonds of birth, go to the place which is beyond all evil.

yadā tē mōhakalilaṃ buddhirvyatitariṣyati । tadā gantā'si nirvēdaṃ śrōtavyasya śrutasya cha ॥52॥

When your intellect passes beyond the mire of delusion, then you will attain indifference to what has been heard and what has yet to be heard.

śrutivipratipannā tē yadā sthāsyati niśchalā । samādhāvachalā buddhiḥ tadā yōgamavāpsyasi ॥53॥

When your intellect, which is perplexed by the Vedic texts you have read, stands immovable and steady in the Self, then you will attain Self-realization.

arjuna uvācha

sthitaprajñasya kā bhāṣā samādhisthasya kēśava । sthitadhīḥ kiṃ prabhāṣēta kimāsīta vrajēta kim ॥54

Arjuna said, "O Krishna, what is the description of one who has steady wisdom and is merged in the superconscious state? How does one of steady wisdom speak, how do they sit, and how do they walk?"

śrī bhagavānuvācha

prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvānpārtha manōgatān । ātmanyēvātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñastadōchyatē ॥55

The Blessed Lord said, "When a man completely casts off, O Arjuna, all the desires of the mind and is satisfied in the Self by the Self, then he is said to be one of steady wisdom."

duḥkhēṣvanudvignamanāḥ sukhēṣu vigataspṛhaḥ । vītarāgabhayakrōdhaḥ sthitadhīrmuniruchyatē ॥56॥

He whose mind is not shaken by adversity, who does not long for pleasures, and is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is called a sage of steady wisdom.

yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnēhaḥ tattatprāpya śubhāśubham । nābhinandati na dvēṣṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ॥57॥

He who is everywhere without attachment, upon encountering anything good or bad, neither rejoices nor hastens; his wisdom is firm.

yadā saṃharatē chāyaṃ kūrmō'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ । indriyāṇīndriyārthēbhyaḥ tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ॥58॥

When, like the tortoise which withdraws all its limbs on all sides, he withdraws his senses from the sense-objects, then his wisdom becomes steady.

viṣayā vinivartantē nirāhārasya dēhinaḥ । rasavarjaṃ rasō'pyasya paraṃ dṛṣṭvā nivartatē ॥59॥

The objects of the senses turn away from the abstinent man, leaving the longing behind; but his longing also turns away upon seeing the Supreme.

yatatō hyapi kauntēya puruṣasya vipaśchitaḥ । indriyāṇi pramāthīni haranti prasabhaṃ manaḥ ॥60॥

The turbulent senses, O Arjuna, can violently carry away the mind of a wise person, even though they are striving to control them.

tāni sarvāṇi saṃyamya yukta āsīta matparaḥ । vaśē hi yasyēndriyāṇi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ॥61॥

Having restrained them all, he should sit steadfast, intent on Me; his wisdom is steady whose senses are under control.

dhyāyatō viṣayānpuṃsaḥ saṅgastēṣūpajāyatē । saṅgātsañjāyatē kāmaḥ kāmātkrōdhō'bhijāyatē ॥62॥

When one thinks of objects, attachment to them arises; from attachment, desire is born; from desire, anger arises.

krōdhādbhavati sammōhaḥ sammōhātsmṛtivibhramaḥ । smṛtibhraṃśāt buddhināśaḥ buddhināśātpraṇaśyati ॥63॥

Anger leads to delusion, which causes loss of memory; this, in turn, leads to the destruction of discrimination, resulting in destruction.

rāgadvēṣaviyuktaistu viṣayānindriyaiścharan । ātmavaśyairvidhēyātmā prasādamadhigachChati ॥64॥

But the self-controlled man, moving among objects with the senses restrained and free from attraction and repulsion, attains peace.

prasādē sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyōpajāyatē । prasannachētasō hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhatē ॥65॥

In that peace, all pains are destroyed; for the intellect of the tranquil-minded soon becomes steady.

nā'sti buddhirayuktasya na chāyuktasya bhāvanā । na chābhāvayataḥ śāntiḥ aśāntasya kutaḥ sukham ॥66॥

There is no knowledge of the Self for the unsteady, and no meditation is possible for the unsteady, and no peace for the unmeditative, and how can there be happiness for one who has no peace?

indriyāṇāṃ hi charatāṃ yanmanō'nuvidhīyatē । tadasya harati prajñāṃ vāyurnāvamivāmbhasi ॥67॥

For the mind, which follows in the wake of the wandering senses, carries away his discrimination, as the wind carries away a boat on the waters.

tasmādyasya mahābāhō nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ । indriyāṇīndriyārthēbhyaḥ tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ॥68॥

Therefore, O mighty-armed Arjuna, his knowledge is steady whose senses are completely restrained from sense objects.

yā niśā sarvabhūtānāṃ tasyāṃ jāgarti saṃyamī । yasyāṃ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśā paśyatō munēḥ ॥69॥

That which is night to all beings, in that the self-controlled man is awake; when all beings are awake, that is night for the sage who sees.

āpūryamāṇamachalapratiṣṭhaṃ samudramāpaḥ praviśanti yadvat । tadvatkāmā yaṃ praviśanti sarvē sa śāntimāpnōti na kāmakāmī ॥70॥

He attains peace into whom all desires enter, just as waters enter the ocean which, filled from all sides, remains unmoved; but not the man who is full of desires.

vihāya kāmānyaḥ sarvān pumāṃścharati nisspṛhaḥ । nirmamō nirahaṅkāraḥ sa śāntimadhigachChati ॥71॥

That person attains peace who, abandoning all desires, moves about without longing, without the sense of ownership, and without egoism.

ēṣā brāhmī sthitiḥ pārtha naināṃ prāpya vimuhyati । sthitvā'syāmantakālē'pi brahmanirvāṇamṛchChati ॥72॥

O son of Pritha, this is the eternal state, the Brahmic seat. Attaining this, one is not deluded. Being established in it, one attains oneness with Brahman even at the end of life.

॥ ōṃ tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsu upaniṣatsu brahmavidyāyāṃ yōgaśāstrē śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṃvādē sāṅkhyayōgō nāma dvitīyō'dhyāyaḥ ॥

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