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Bhagavad Geeta · Krishna

Chapter 2

सांख्ययोग

Transcendental Knowledge

Verses

  1. Verse 1

    sañjaya uvāca taṃ tathā kṛpayā'viṣṭamaśrupūrṇākulekṣaṇam| viṣīdantamidaṃ vākyamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ||2.1||

    Meaning

    Sanjaya then told how the Lord Shri Krishna, seeing Arjuna overwhelmed with compassion, his eyes dimmed with flowing tears and full of despondency, consoled him:

  2. Verse 2

    śrī bhagavānuvāca kutastvā kaśmalamidaṃ viṣame samupasthitam| anāryajuṣṭamasvargyamakīrtikaramarjuna||2.2||

    Meaning

    The Lord said: My beloved friend! Why yield to this weakness, on the eve of battle, which does no credit to those who call themselves Aryans and only brings them infamy, barring them from the gates of heaven?

  3. Verse 3

    klaibyaṃ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitattvayyupapadyate| kṣudraṃ hṛdayadaurbalyaṃ tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa||2.3||

    Meaning

    O Arjuna! Why give way to unmanliness? O thou, who art the terror of thy enemies! Shake off such shameful effeminacy and make ready to act!

  4. Verse 4

    arjuna uvāca kathaṃ bhīṣmamahaṃ saṃkhye droṇaṃ ca madhusūdana| iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāvarisūdana||2.4||

    Meaning

    Arjuna argued: My Lord! How can I, when the battle rages, send an arrow through Bheeshma and Drona, whom I should revere?

  5. Verse 5

    gurūnahatvā hi mahānubhāvān śreyo bhoktuṃ bhaikṣyamapīha loke| hatvārthakāmāṃstu gurūnihaiva bhuñjīya bhogān rudhirapradigdhān||2.5||

    Meaning

    Rather, I would be content with a beggar's crust than to kill these teachers of mine, these precious noble souls! To slay these masters who are my benefactors would be to stain the sweetness of life's pleasures with their blood.

  6. Verse 6

    na caitadvidmaḥ kataranno garīyo yadvā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ| yāneva hatvā na jijīviṣāma ste'vasthitāḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ||2.6||

    Meaning

    Nor can I say whether it would be better for them to conquer me or for me to conquer them, since I would no longer care to live if I killed these sons of Dhritarashtra, who are now preparing for battle.

  7. Verse 7

    kārpaṇyadoṣopahatasvabhāvaḥ pṛcchāmi tvāṃ dharmasaṃmūḍhacetāḥ| yacchreyaḥ syānniścitaṃ brūhi tanme śiṣyaste'haṃ śādhi māṃ tvāṃ prapannam||2.7||

    Meaning

    My heart is oppressed with pity, and my mind is confused as to what my duty is. Therefore, my Lord, tell me what is best for my spiritual welfare, for I am Your disciple. Please direct me, I pray.

  8. Verse 8

    na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyā dyacchokamucchoṣaṇamindriyāṇām| avāpya bhūmāvasapatnamṛddham rājyaṃ surāṇāmapi cādhipatyam||2.8||

    Meaning

    For even if I were to attain the monarchy of the visible world, or the sovereignty over the invisible world, it would not drive away the anguish that is now paralyzing my senses.

  9. Verse 9

    sañjaya uvāca evamuktvā hṛṣīkeśaṃ guḍākeśaḥ parantapa| na yotsya iti govindamuktvā tūṣṇīṃ babhūva ha||2.9||

    Meaning

    Sanjaya continued: "Arjuna, the conqueror of all enemies, then told the Lord of All-Hearts that he would not fight, and became silent, O King!

  10. Verse 10

    tamuvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ prahasanniva bhārata| senayorubhayormadhye viṣīdantamidaṃ vacaḥ||2.10||

    Meaning

    Thereupon, the Lord, with a gracious smile, addressed him who was so much depressed in the midst of the two armies.

  11. Verse 11

    śrī bhagavānuvāca aśocyānanvaśocastvaṃ prajñāvādāṃśca bhāṣase| gatāsūnagatāsūṃśca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ||2.11||

    Meaning

    Lord Shri Krishna said: Why grieve for those for whom no grief is due, yet professing wisdom? The wise grieve neither for the dead nor the living.

  12. Verse 12

    na tvevāhaṃ jātu nāsaṃ na tvaṃ neme janādhipāḥ| na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve vayamataḥ param||2.12||

    Meaning

    There was never a time when I was not, nor you, nor these princes were not; there will never be a time when we shall cease to exist.

  13. Verse 13

    dehino'sminyathā dehe kaumāraṃ yauvanaṃ jarā| tathā dehāntaraprāptirdhīrastatra na muhyati||2.13||

    Meaning

    As the soul experiences infancy, youth, and old age in this body, so finally it passes into another; the wise have no delusion about this.

  14. Verse 14

    mātrāsparśāstu kaunteya śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ| āgamāpāyino'nityāstāṃstitikṣasva bhārata||2.14||

    Meaning

    Those external relations that bring cold and heat, pain and happiness come and go; they are not permanent. Endure them bravely, O Prince!

  15. Verse 15

    yaṃ hi na vyathayantyete puruṣaṃ puruṣarṣabha| samaduḥkhasukhaṃ dhīraṃ so'mṛtatvāya kalpate||2.15||

    Meaning

    The hero whose soul is unmoved by circumstances, who accepts pleasure and pain with equanimity, is only fit for immortality.

  16. Verse 16

    nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ| ubhayorapi dṛṣṭo'ntastvanayostattvadarśibhiḥ||2.16||

    Meaning

    That which is not shall never be; that which is shall never cease to be. These truths are self-evident to the wise.

  17. Verse 17

    avināśi tu tadviddhi yena sarvamidaṃ tatam| vināśamavyayasyāsya na kaścit kartumarhati||2.17||

    Meaning

    The Spirit, which pervades all that is seen, is imperishable. Nothing can destroy it.

  18. Verse 18

    antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ| anāśino'prameyasya tasmādyudhyasva bhārata||2.18||

    Meaning

    The material bodies that this Eternal, Indestructible, and Immeasurable Spirit inhabits are all finite; therefore, fight, O valiant man!

  19. Verse 19

    ya enaṃ vetti hantāraṃ yaścainaṃ manyate hatam| ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṃ hanti na hanyate||2.19||

    Meaning

    He who thinks that the Spirit kills, and he who thinks of it as killed, are both ignorant. The Spirit neither kills nor is it killed.

  20. Verse 20

    na jāyate mriyate vā kadāci nnāyaṃ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ| ajo nityaḥ śāśvato'yaṃ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre||2.20||

    Meaning

    It was not born; it will never die, nor, once having been, can it cease to exist. Unborn, eternal, ever-enduring, yet most ancient, the spirit does not die when the body is dead.

  21. Verse 21

    vedāvināśinaṃ nityaṃ ya enamajamavyayam| kathaṃ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṃ ghātayati hanti kam||2.21||

    Meaning

    He who knows the Spirit to be indestructible, immortal, unborn, and always the same, how should he kill or cause to be killed?

  22. Verse 22

    vāsāṃsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya navāni gṛhṇāti naro'parāṇi| tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇā nyanyāni saṃyāti navāni dehī||2.22||

    Meaning

    As a man discards his threadbare robes and puts on new ones, so the Spirit throws off its worn-out bodies and takes on fresh ones.

  23. Verse 23

    nainaṃ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṃ dahati pāvakaḥ| na cainaṃ kledayantyāpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ||2.23||

    Meaning

    Weapons cannot cleave it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot drench it, and wind cannot dry it.

  24. Verse 24

    acchedyo'yamadāhyo'yamakledyo'śoṣya eva ca| nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuracalo'yaṃ sanātanaḥ||2.24||

    Meaning

    It is impenetrable; it cannot be drowned, scorched, or dried. It is eternal, all-pervasive, unchanging, immovable, and most ancient.

  25. Verse 25

    avyakto'yamacintyo'yamavikāryo'yamucyate| tasmādevaṃ viditvainaṃ nānuśocitumarhasi||2.25||

    Meaning

    It is named the Unmanifest, the Unthinkable, and the immutable. Therefore, knowing the Spirit as such, you have no cause to grieve.

  26. Verse 26

    atha cainaṃ nityajātaṃ nityaṃ vā manyase mṛtam| tathāpi tvaṃ mahābāho naivaṃ śocitumarhasi||2.26||

    Meaning

    Even if thou thinkest of it as constantly being born and constantly dying, O Mighty Man, thou still hast no cause to grieve.

  27. Verse 27

    jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyurdhruvaṃ janma mṛtasya ca| tasmādaparihārye'rthe na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi||2.27||

    Meaning

    For death is certain for that which is born, just as birth is certain for that which is dead. Therefore, do not grieve for what is inevitable.

  28. Verse 28

    avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata| avyaktanidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā||2.28||

    Meaning

    The end and beginning of beings are unknown; we only see the intervening formations. So, what is there to grieve about?

  29. Verse 29

    āścaryavatpaśyati kaścidena māścaryavadvadati tathaiva cānyaḥ| āścaryavaccainamanyaḥ śṛṇoti śrutvāpyenaṃ veda na caiva kaścit||2.29||

    Meaning

    One hears of the Spirit with surprise, another thinks it marvelous, the third listens without comprehending. Thus, though many are told about it, scarcely is there one who knows it.

  30. Verse 30

    dehī nityamavadhyo'yaṃ dehe sarvasya bhārata| tasmātsarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi||2.30||

    Meaning

    Do not be anxious about these armies; the spirit in man is imperishable.

  31. Verse 31

    svadharmamapi cāvekṣya na vikampitumarhasi| dharmyāddhi yuddhāchreyo'nyatkṣatriyasya na vidyate||2.31||

    Meaning

    You must look at your duty. Nothing can be more welcome to a soldier than a righteous war. Therefore, wavering in this resolve is unworthy, O Arjuna!

  32. Verse 32

    yadṛcchayā copapannaṃ svargadvāramapāvṛtam| sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha labhante yuddhamīdṛśam||2.32||

    Meaning

    Blessed are the soldiers who find their opportunity; this opportunity has opened for thee the gates of heaven.

  33. Verse 33

    atha caittvamimaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi| tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpamavāpsyasi||2.33||

    Meaning

    Refuse to fight in this righteous cause, and you will be a traitor, losing fame, incurring only sin.

  34. Verse 34

    akīrtiṃ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te'vyayām| saṃbhāvitasya cākīrtirmaraṇādatiricyate||2.34||

    Meaning

    Men will talk forever of thy disgrace; and to the noble, dishonor is worse than death.

  35. Verse 35

    bhayādraṇāduparataṃ maṃsyante tvāṃ mahārathāḥ| yeṣāṃ ca tvaṃ bahumato bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam||2.35||

    Meaning

    Great generals will think that you have fled from the battlefield out of cowardice; though once honored, you will seem despicable.

  36. Verse 36

    avācyavādāṃśca bahūn vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ| nindantastava sāmarthyaṃ tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim||2.36||

    Meaning

    Your enemies will spread scandal and mock your courage. Is there anything more humiliating?

  37. Verse 37

    hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṃ jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm| tasmāduttiṣṭha kaunteya yuddhāya kṛtaniścayaḥ||2.37||

    Meaning

    If you are killed, you will attain Heaven; if you are victorious, you will enjoy the kingdom of earth. Therefore, arise, O Son of Kunti, and fight!

  38. Verse 38

    sukhaduḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau| tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṃ pāpamavāpsyasi||2.38||

    Meaning

    Look upon pleasure and pain, victory and defeat, with an equal eye. Be prepared for the combat, and you will commit no sin.

  39. Verse 39

    eṣā te'bhihitā sāṃkhye buddhiryoge tvimāṃ śṛṇu| buddhyāyukto yayā pārtha karmabandhaṃ prahāsyasi||2.39||

    Meaning

    I have told you the philosophy of knowledge. Now, listen, and I will explain the philosophy of action, by means of which, O Arjuna, you will break through the bondage of all action.

  40. Verse 40

    nehābhikramanāśo'sti pratyavāyo na vidyate| svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt||2.40||

    Meaning

    On this path, endeavour is never wasted nor repressed. Even a little practice of it protects one from great danger.

  41. Verse 41

    vyavasāyātmikā buddhirekeha kurunandana| bahuśākhā hyanantāśca buddhayo'vyavasāyinām||2.41||

    Meaning

    By its means, the straying intellect becomes steadied in contemplating one object only; whereas the minds of the irresolute stray into innumerable bypaths.

  42. Verse 42

    yāmimāṃ puṣpitāṃ vācaṃ pravadantyavipaścitaḥ| vedavādaratāḥ pārtha nānyadastīti vādinaḥ||2.42||

    Meaning

    Only the ignorant speak in figurative language; it is they who extol the letter of the scriptures, saying, "There is nothing deeper than this."

  43. Verse 43

    kāmātmānaḥ svargaparā janmakarmaphalapradām| kriyāviśeṣabahulāṃ bhogaiśvaryagatiṃ prati||2.43||

    Meaning

    Consulting only their own desires, they construct their own heaven, devising arduous and complex rites to secure their own pleasure and power; and the only result is rebirth.

  44. Verse 44

    bhogaiśvaryaprasaktānāṃ tayāpahṛtacetasām| vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate||2.44||

    Meaning

    While their minds are absorbed with thoughts of power and personal enjoyment, they cannot focus their discrimination on one point.

  45. Verse 45

    traiguṇyaviṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna| nirdvandvo nityasattvastho niryogakṣema ātmavān||2.45||

    Meaning

    The Vedic Scriptures tell of the three constituents of life—the Qualities. Rise above all of them, O Arjuna, above all the pairs of opposing sensations; be steadfast in truth, free from worldly anxieties, and centered in the Self.

  46. Verse 46

    yāvānartha udapāne sarvataḥ saṃplutodake| tāvānsarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ||2.46||

    Meaning

    As a man can drink water from any side of a full tank, so the skilled theologian can extract from any scripture that which will serve their purpose.

  47. Verse 47

    karmaṇyevādhikāraste mā phaleṣu kadācana| mā karmaphalaheturbhūrmā te saṅgo'stvakarmaṇi||2.47||

    Meaning

    But you have only the right to work, but none to the fruit of it. Let not the fruit of your action be your motive; nor be you enamored of inaction.

  48. Verse 48

    yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā dhanañjaya| siddhyasiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṃ yoga ucyate||2.48||

    Meaning

    Perform all your actions with your mind concentrated on the Divine, renouncing attachment and looking upon success and failure with an equal eye. Spirituality implies equanimity.

  49. Verse 49

    dūreṇa hyavaraṃ karma buddhiyogāddhanañjaya| buddhau śaraṇamanviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ||2.49||

    Meaning

    Physical action is far inferior to an intellect concentrated on the Divine. Therefore, have recourse to Pure Intelligence. It is only the small-minded who work for reward.

  50. Verse 50

    buddhiyukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛtaduṣkṛte| tasmādyogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam||2.50||

    Meaning

    When a person attains Pure Reason, they renounce in this world the results of both good and evil. Cling to Right Action. Spirituality is the true art of living.

  51. Verse 51

    karmajaṃ buddhiyuktā hi phalaṃ tyaktvā manīṣiṇaḥ| janmabandhavinirmuktāḥ padaṃ gacchantyanāmayam||2.51||

    Meaning

    The sages, guided by pure intellect, renounce the fruits of their actions; and, thus freed from the shackles of rebirth, they attain the highest bliss.

  52. Verse 52

    yadā te mohakalilaṃ buddhirvyatitariṣyati| tadā gantāsi nirvedaṃ śrotavyasya śrutasya ca||2.52||

    Meaning

    When your reason has crossed the entanglements of illusion, then you will become indifferent to both the philosophies you have heard and those you may yet hear.

  53. Verse 53

    śrutivipratipannā te yadā sthāsyati niścalā| samādhāvacalā buddhistadā yogamavāpsyasi||2.53||

    Meaning

    When the intellect, bewildered by the multiplicity of holy scriptures, stands unperturbed in blissful contemplation of the infinite, then you have attained spirituality.

  54. Verse 54

    arjuna uvāca sthitaprajñasya kā bhāṣā samādhisthasya keśava| sthitadhīḥ kiṃ prabhāṣeta kimāsīta vrajeta kim||2.54||

    Meaning

    Arjuna asked: My Lord! How can we recognize the saint who has attained Pure Intellect, who has reached this state of Bliss, and whose mind is steady? How does he talk, how does he live, and how does he act?

  55. Verse 55

    śrī bhagavānuvāca prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha manogatān| ātmanyevātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñastadocyate||2.55||

    Meaning

    Lord Shri Krishna replied: When a person has given up the desires of their heart and is content with the Self alone, they have surely reached the highest state.

  56. Verse 56

    duḥkheṣvanudvignamanāḥ sukheṣu vigataspṛhaḥ| vītarāgabhayakrodhaḥ sthitadhīrmunirucyate||2.56||

    Meaning

    The sage whose mind is unruffled in suffering, whose desire is not aroused by enjoyment, who is without attachment, anger, or fear—take him to be one who stands at a lofty level.

  57. Verse 57

    yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehastattatprāpya śubhāśubham| nābhinandati na dveṣṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā||2.57||

    Meaning

    He who, wherever he goes, is not attached to any person or place by ties of flesh; who accepts good and evil alike, neither welcoming the one nor shrinking from the other—take him to be one who is merged in the Infinite.

  58. Verse 58

    yadā saṃharate cāyaṃ kūrmo'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ| indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā||2.58||

    Meaning

    He who can withdraw his senses from the attraction of their objects, as the tortoise draws its limbs within its shell—take it that such a one has attained perfection.

  59. Verse 59

    viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ| rasavarjaṃ raso'pyasya paraṃ dṛṣṭvā nivartate||2.59||

    Meaning

    The objects of sense turn away from him who is abstinent. Even the taste for them is lost in him who has seen the Truth.

  60. Verse 60

    yatato hyapi kaunteya puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ| indriyāṇi pramāthīni haranti prasabhaṃ manaḥ||2.60||

    Meaning

    O Arjuna! The mind of one who is attempting to conquer it is forcibly carried away, in spite of their efforts, by their tumultuous senses.

  61. Verse 61

    tāni sarvāṇi saṃyamya yukta āsīta matparaḥ| vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā||2.61||

    Meaning

    Restraining them all, let him steadfastly meditate on Me; for whoever conquers their senses achieves perfection.

  62. Verse 62

    dhyāyato viṣayānpuṃsaḥ saṅgasteṣūpajāyate| saṅgāt saṃjāyate kāmaḥ kāmātkrodho'bhijāyate||2.62||

    Meaning

    When a person dwells on the objects of sense, they create an attraction for them; this attraction develops into desire, and desire breeds anger.

  63. Verse 63

    krodhādbhavati saṃmohaḥ saṃmohātsmṛtivibhramaḥ| smṛtibhraṃśād buddhināśo buddhināśātpraṇaśyati||2.63||

    Meaning

    Anger induces delusion; delusion leads to loss of memory; loss of memory results in the shattering of reason; and the destruction of reason leads to destruction.

  64. Verse 64

    rāgadveṣaviyuktaistu viṣayānindriyaiścaran| ātmavaśyairvidheyātmā prasādamadhigacchati||2.64||

    Meaning

    But the self-controlled soul, who moves among sense objects, free from attachment or repulsion, wins eternal peace.

  65. Verse 65

    prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate| prasannacetaso hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate||2.65||

    Meaning

    Having attained peace, he becomes free from misery; for when the mind gains peace, right discrimination follows.

  66. Verse 66

    nāsti buddhirayuktasya na cāyuktasya bhāvanā| na cābhāvayataḥ śāntiraśāntasya kutaḥ sukham||2.66||

    Meaning

    Right discrimination is not for him who cannot concentrate. Without concentration, there cannot be meditation; he who cannot meditate must not expect peace; and without peace, how can one expect happiness?

  67. Verse 67

    indriyāṇāṃ hi caratāṃ yanmano'nuvidhīyate| tadasya harati prajñāṃ vāyurnāvamivāmbhasi||2.67||

    Meaning

    As a ship at sea is tossed by the tempest, so the reason is carried away by the mind when preyed upon by straying senses.

  68. Verse 68

    tasmādyasya mahābāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ| indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā||2.68||

    Meaning

    Therefore, O Mighty-Armed One, he whose senses are detached from their objects—take it that his reason is purified.

  69. Verse 69

    yā niśā sarvabhūtānāṃ tasyāṃ jāgarti saṃyamī| yasyāṃ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśā paśyato muneḥ||2.69||

    Meaning

    The saint is awake when the world sleeps, and he disregards that for which the world lives.

  70. Verse 70

    āpūryamāṇamacalapratiṣṭhaṃ samudramāpaḥ praviśanti yadvat| tadvatkāmā yaṃ praviśanti sarve sa śāntimāpnoti na kāmakāmī||2.70||

    Meaning

    He attains peace into whom desires flow as rivers into the ocean, which, though brimming with water, remains ever the same; not he whom desires carry away.

  71. Verse 71

    vihāya kāmānyaḥ sarvānpumāṃścarati niḥspṛhaḥ| nirmamo nirahaṃkāraḥ sa śāṃtimadhigacchati||2.71||

    Meaning

    He attains peace who, giving up desire, moves through the world without aspiration, possessing nothing that he can call his own and is free from pride.

  72. Verse 72

    eṣā brāhmī sthitiḥ pārtha naināṃ prāpya vimuhyati| sthitvā'syāmantakāle'pi brahmanirvāṇamṛcchati||2.72||

    Meaning

    O Arjuna! This is the state of the Self, the Supreme Spirit, to which, if one attains, it shall never be taken away. Even at the time of leaving the body, one will remain firmly enthroned there and become one with the Eternal.

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