Chapter - 2 Sankhya Yoga -

                          We are now going to start with Chapter 2 in Bhagavad Gita. Arjuna who is filled with compassion has dropped his weapon in the war-field. He is ready to get killed by sons of Dhritharashtra. Here starts the Guru-Sishya Bhava , between Krishna and Arjuna.

                   Chapter two is known as SAmkhya yoga. The name seems familiar as we know,  Samkhya yoga is one of the Shad-darshanas of Indian Philosophy. It was founded by saga Kapila and expounded by Ishvara Krishna. Samkhya philosophy deals with Souls and Prakriti. Prakriti is one – Souls are numerous. Prakriti is  divisible – Souls are indivisible; Prakriti is divided into tattva-s, which inturn combines to produce the world and its objects. According to Samkhya Philosophy creation is the manifestation of Prakriti. We will see how this doctrine is hidden in the second chapter of Bhagavad Gita too.

In this chapter Krishna teaches us many things : What is an Atma; what is the difference between atma and body; How to do our duties without thinking of success or failures; How we should face our failures; How we shall learn from our failures and many more important aspects.

 This is a humble attempt to understand the subtle meanings of the great book, in a simple language.

 

 

Chapter 1 Verse - 47

 

Verse 47 :

सञ्जय उवाच |
एवमुक्त्वार्जुन: सङ्ख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत् |
विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानस: || 47||

Transliteration:

evamuktvArjunaH sankhye rathopastha upAvishat.

Visrujya sasharaM cApaM shokasaMvignamAnasaH..47..

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Word by word meaning

सञ्जय उवाच – Sanjaya said

एवम् – thus; उक्त्वा – (having)told;अर्जुन: - Arjuna; सङ्ख्ये – in the war-field; रथ – (of the ) chariot; उपस्थ – in the chair उपाविशत् – sat;विसृज्य – dropped; सशरं – (along with) arrow;चापं – bow; शोक-संविग्न – immersed in anxiety; मानस: - mind.

Meaning:

Sanjaya said ,

Having told thus, in the war-field, Arjuna whose mind was filled with anxiety, sat on the chair in his chariot, dropping his bow and arrow.

Significance:

This verse should be the answer for Dhritharashtra ‘s curiosity to know what happened next. Arjuna , who succumbed to the attachments, has now dropped his weapons and sat in his chariot. This is totally an unexpected behaviour from such a valourous person.

Arjuna did not know how to react to this situation. For him , now Lord Krishna shows the right path with his words in the upcoming chapters.

Chapter 1 Verse - 46

 

Verse 46 :

यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणय: |
धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत् || 46||

Transliteration:

yadi mAmapratIkAramashastram shastrapAnayaH.

dhArtarAShtrA raNe hanyustanme kshemataram bhavet..46..

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Word by word meaning

यदि -  if; माम् – me; अप्रतीकारम – unresisting; शस्त्रं – weapon; शस्त्र - पाणय:- who holds weapons; धार्तराष्ट्रा: -  sons of Dhritarashtra; रणे – in the war-field; हन्यु: - (even if they) kill; तत् – it; मे– for me; क्षेमतरं – (will be) the best;भवेत् – will be.

Meaning:

It will be better for me, if the sons of Dhritarashtra – who are armed; kill me – who is unarmed, in the battle field.

Significance:

Arjuna , whose mind is deluded with the attachment to his people , who are in both the sides of the army, is now in a state of mind that – he is ready to drop his weapons in the war-field. He is ready to get killed by the sons of Dhritharashtra . This is an attitude of a common man ; while we face hurdles, we tend to leave a deed half-way, though it may cause trouble to us. If we have a proper person to guide us, their motivating words will be our mental booster. Not everyone is blessed with a person like that, that is why the Lord has given us the Bhagavad – Gita. It serves as a Guru for each and every person in all the situations.

Chapter 1 Verse - 45

 

Verse 45 :

अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम् |
यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यता: || 45||

Transliteration:

Aho bata mahatpApaM kartum vyavsitA vayam.

yadrAjyasukhalobhena hantuM svajanamudyatAH..45..

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Word by word meaning

अहो – बत – Alas , horrible; महत्पापं – great sins; कर्तुं – about to do;व्यवसिता – about to commit ; वयम् – we; यत् – which;राज्य – kingdom; सुख – pleasure; लोभेन – by greediness; हन्तुं – to kill; स्वजनम् – our own people; उद्यताः – intend.

Meaning:

Alas, Horrible indeed that we intend to commit the great sin of killing our won people , due to our greediness for the kingdom and the pleasures by it .

Significance:

Arjuna , who was agitated by the sight of his own friends and relatives , analysed the results of this terrible war. He even takes the ownership for the results that may occur by this war.Here in this verse, he says they are about to commit a great sin , and the reason is their greediness to attain the kingdom. He does not seem to realise that the anxiety is caused due to his attachents and sentiments.

Chapter1 Verse - 44

 

Verse 44 :

उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन |
नरकेऽनियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम || 44||

Transliteration:

utsanna kuladharmAnAm manuShyAnAm janArdana.

Narake.aniyatam vAso bhavatItyanushushruma..44..

Click here to listen to the verse

Word by word meaning

उत्सन्न – destroyed; कुल-धर्माणां – family traditions; मनुष्याणां -  of those people; जनार्दन -  O Janardhana; नरके – in hell; अनियतं -  indefinite; वासः -  dwell; भवति -  be; इति -  thus; अनुशुश्रुम -  have heard;

Meaning:

We have heard that the people whose family traditions are destroyed will dwell in hell for indefinite period.

Significance:

In the next couple of verses, arjuna’s ‘Moha’ is indicated. This war is due to the greediness of Duryodhana and Dhritharashtra. Arjuna here conveys, the people who destroy the race and its traditions, will dwell in hell , will suffer indefinitely; and he is not ready to be a part of this sin. Delusion of Arjuna here makes him think that if he is not a part of this war, he might not be a part of the destruction and sin.

Chapter1 Verse - 43

 

Verse 43 :

दोषैरेतै: कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकै: |

उत्साद्यन्ते जातिधर्मा: कुलधर्माश्च शाश्वता: || 43||

Transliteration:

doshairetaiH kulaghnAnAM varNasankarakArakaiH.

utsAdyante jAtidharmAH kuladharmAshca shAshvatAH..43..

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Word-by-word Meaning:

दोषैः – by faults;एतैः – these;कुलघ्नानां – for the destroyers of the race; वर्ण-सङ्कर- contamination of the tribe;कारकै: - causing; उत्साद्यन्ते – ruined; जातिधर्मा: - family traditions; कुल धर्माः – traditions of the race;च​- and; शाश्वता: - eternal.

Meaning:

These faults of the destroyers of the race, which causes contamination of tribe/character, leads to the destruction of family duties and traditions of the race.

Significance:

Destruction of the tribe and their values  eventually leads to the destruction of the traditions that was followed for a very long time and also the family duties. Thus both the social and family welfare activities are destroyed. Arjuna thus here says that, people who are responsible of this destruction too will suffer a lot, and thus the decision not to fight is the wisest.

Chapter1 Verse 42

 

Verse 42

सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च |

पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रिया: || 42||

Transliteration:

Sankaro narakAyaiva kulaghnAnAM kulasya ca .

Patanti pitaro hiyeSha luptapindodakakriyAH..42..

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Word-by-word meaning:

सङ्करो – contamination; नरकायैव – only for trouble; कुलघ्नानां – for those who destroy the race;कुलस्य – (of)the family;च – and; पतन्ति- fall; पितरो – ancestors; ह्येषां – indeed their; पिण्ड-उदक-क्रियाः – sacrificial offerings;

Meaning:

The contamination of the tribe results in trouble for the family and for those who destroy the race too. Due to the absence of the sacrificial offerings even their ancestors fall from grace.

Significance:

The varnas are four based on the four levels of human activity: pursuit of knowledge, pursuit of selfless action, pursuit of selfish action and pursuit of ignorance.The contamination of these varnas / tribe pushes the people in the society to hell. Heaven and hell are nothing but the manifestation of our mind. When there is no happiness around us the place we live and our life is the hell in which we dwell in. Talking of ancestors, Arjuna here remembers the ancestors who built the Kuru Dynasty. Remembering ancestors and sacrificial offerings to them are considered very important in Hindu Tradition. Ancestors/pitris plane is said to be on the other side of the moon. Indian astronomical texts too talk of the plane of the pitris. 

Chapter1 Verse - 41

 

Verse 41 :

अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रिय: |

स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय जायते वर्णसङ्कर: || 41||

Transliteration:

adharmAbhibhavAtkrishNa praduShyanti kulastriyaH

strIShu duShTAsu vArShNeya jAyate varNasamkaraH..41..

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Word-by-word Meaning:

अधर्म- unrighteouness;अभि -भवात् – will be prevalent;कृष्ण – Krishna; प्रदुष्यन्ति – deteriorate; कुलस्त्रिय: - women in the race; स्त्रीषु – among women; दुष्टासु – deteriorate; वार्ष्णेय – Varshneya; जायते – arises; वर्ण- of tribe;सङ्कर: - contamination

Meaning:

O Krishna, the prevalence of unrighteouness will deteriorate the condition of women in the society. O VArshneya deterioration of women gives rise to contamination of tribe.

Significance:

The land where unrighteousness prevails, there the condition of women deteriorates. Women were held in high positions during Vedic times. It is said यत्र नार्यास्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवाः ‘ God resides where women are respected ‘. The upbringing of the better-next generation is totally in the hands of the women of that society. When they are targeted it indicates the destruction of the whole race and traditions. This is evident even in the modern days , on how women were targeted and treated when foreigners invaded our Bharat.

Varna -  This word ‘varna’ popularly translated as caste has many other primary meanings like character , nature , tribe , quality , praise, species , beauty . We here take the meaning of this word as tribe / character / nature . Each tribe has its own uniqueness, which they wish to be passed on to the next generation. When the tribe lack elders to show them the right path and guide them , they may not follow their own traditions and may be forced to move away and take up some other practices. 

Chapter1 Verse - 40

 

Verse 40:

कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्मा: सनातना: |

धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत || 40||

Transliteration:

Kulakshaye praNashyanti kuladharmAH sanAtAnAH.

Dharmae naSTe kulaM krtsnamadharmo.abhibhavatyuta..40..

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Word-by-word meaning:

कुलक्षये – by the destruction of the race; प्रणश्यन्ति – are destroyed; कुलधर्मा: -  traditions of the race; सनातना: -  immemorial; धर्मे – (of)traditions; नष्टे - by the destruction (of) ;कुलं – the race; कृत्स्नम् – complete; अधर्मः – unrighteous; अभिभवत्युत​ -  overcome;

Meaning:

With the decline of the race, the traditions are destroyed. With the destruction of the traditions, it will be difficult to overcome the unrighteousness.

Significance:

Traditions of the race : Following are told as the reasons on why people are afraid or why people do not go in the path of Adharma - *Fear of God * Words of Shastras * fear of losing the family practices * Rules of Government * Fear of losing health and wealth. Among these the first two depends on one’s belief. Some may not believe in God and Shastras. The rules of the government should be the protect the people , but unfortunately people who are in power may not abide by righteousness.  The main reason why people stay away from unrighteous deeds is due to the loss of physical strength and wealth.

                                  The practices that was carried by the people in that race, which were auspicious, with certain rules which guides them with good principles are termed as the traditions of a race.  When a generation is destroyed in a particular race, the upcoming generation will be devoid of elders who will pass on the values to them. When the kids are unaware of their own practices and values, they may behave like the horses which has no control.

Chapter1 Verse - 39

 

Verse – 39

कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभि: पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम् |

कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन || 39||

Transliteration:

kathaM na gyeyamasmAbhiH pApAdasmAnnivartitum .

kulakshayakritam doShaM prapashyadbhir..39..

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Word-by-word meaning :

कथं – how;न – not; ज्ञेयम् – we know; अस्माभिः -  by us; पापात् – from sin;अस्मान् – to us;निवर्तितुम् – to turn back;कुल-क्षय-कृतं -  (the deed) that lead to the destruction of the race;दोषं – fault; प्रपश्यद्भिः – who foresee; जनार्दन​- Janardhana;

Meaning:

O Janardhana , how can we, who could foresee (the results) by the destruction of the race, refrain from doing this sin.

Significance:

Destruction of the family members, leads to the destruction of the family tradition and rituals. When the values and traditions are destroyed, unrighteousness predominates and the members who survive after the war will suffer the degradation. Lack of family members leads to the destruction of the foundation of society.

Chapter1 Verse - 38

 

Verse – 38:

यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतस: |

कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम् || 38||

Transliteration:

Yadyepe na pashyanti lobhopahatacetasaH .

Kukshayakritam doSham mitradrohe ca pAtakam..38..

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Word-by-word meaning:

यदि – even if ;अपि – also; एते – these(people); न – did not; पश्यन्ति  - see; लोभ – greed; उपहत – overpowered; चेतसः – thoughts; कुलक्षय - कृतं –  deeds for the destruction of the race; दोषं – mistake; मित्रद्रोहे – (than) treachery to friends; च – and; पातकम् – sin .

Meaning:

Even when these people whose mind is overpowered with greediness and these people do not see any fault in their deed, that leads to the destruction of the race and treachery to friends.

Significance:

Lobha – Greediness, is a result of the association of the sense organs with the materialistic things. There arises wish to attain a thing, which when attained results in greediness. Greediness gives pleasure and pain. There is a proverb in Sanskrit “ अतितृष्णा विनाशाय​ - Greediness leads to destruction” Arjuna blames the Kauravas for the forth-coming destruction.

Chapter1 Verse - 37

 

Verse - 37
तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान् |

स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिन: स्याम माधव ॥ ३७॥

Transliteration:

tasmAnnArhA vayaM hantuM dhArtharAshTrAnsvabAndhavAn.

svajanaM hi kathaM hatvA sukhinaH syAma mAdhava..37..

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Word-by-word meaning:

तस्मान् – Therefore; नार्हा – not fit;वयं – we; हन्तुं – to kill;धार्तराष्ट्रान् – sons of Dhritharashtra; स्व – my own; बान्धवान् – relatives;

स्वजनं -my people; हि – itself;कथं – how; हत्वा – on killing; सुखिन: - happy; स्याम – (we will) be; माधव – mAdhava

Meaning:

O Madhava, it is thus not fit for us to kill the sons of Dhritharashtra. How we will be happy by killing our own relatives.

Significance:

Madhava Arjuna addresses Lord Krishna as Madhava – who is the controller of wealth, to indicate that he does not wish to enjoy the wealth by killing his own relatives. This attitude of Arjuna, to take ownership for his actions is the main cause of his grief.

Chapter1 Verse - 36

 

Sloka 36:

 निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्न: का प्रीतिस्याज्जनार्दन |

पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिन: || 36 ||

Transliteration:

Nihatya dhArtarASTrAnnaH kA prItisyajjanArdana.

pApamevAshrayedasmAnhatvaitAnAtatAyinaH ..36..

            Click here to listen the verse

Word-by-word meaning:

निहत्य – Having killed ; धार्तराष्ट्रान् – the sons of Dhritharashtra; न: - का – what; प्रीति: - happiness; स्यात् – will be there: जनार्दन – Janardhana; पापम- sin; एव – only;आश्रयेत् – will be upon us; अस्मान् – for us;हत्वा – by killing; एतान् – these;आततायिन: - aggressive people;

Meaning

O Janardhana , what happiness will we attain from killing these sons of Dhritharashtra ? We will end up in piling up sins by killing these aggressive people.

Significance

Arjuna, who has faced so many battles, won over so many enemies, is now talking of the sins that will acquired by him on killing his relatives in this battle !!!! The word आततायिन:  occurs in Samhitas , with the meaning of aggressors. Six types of Aggressors are listed , those can be slayed - * One who administers poison * One who commits arson * One who attacks with deadly weapons *One who steals ones wealth * One who usurps another’s property * One who kidnaps another’s wife. We also have a statement in Manu Samhita “ आततायिनं अयन्तं हन्यात् – Slay the aggressors without any hesitation”. Here on using the this word, Arjuna’s confused mental state is reflected. He knows they are fit to be slayed but he couldn’t win over his feelings to face them in the battle.

JanArdhana :  A name of Lord Vishnu, One who is worshipped by the people. Janardhana means ‘Supreme abode and the Protector of all living beings’. JanArdhana means – Exciting or Agitating. Janardhana is the male-offspring of mahAsarasvatI. JanArdhana means ‘Protector of the world from negative forces’.

Chapter1 Verse - 35

 

Verse - 35
एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन |

 

अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतो: किं नु महीकृते  ॥ ३५॥

Transliteration:

EthAnna hantumicchAmi ghnato.api madhusUdana.

apitrailokyarAjyasya hetoH kim nu mahIkrte ..35..

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Word by word meaning

एतान्न – these (people); हन्तुम् – to kill; इच्छामि – I don’t wish; घ्नतः – killed; अपि – also; मधुसूदन – Madhusudana; अपि – also; त्रैलोक्य – three-worlds; राज्यस्य – kingdom;s;हेतो: - pretext; किम् – what; नु महीकृते – for this Earth;

Meaning:

O MadhusUdhana, I don’t wish to kill these people even when I am killed( in the pretext of attaining the kingdom).

Significance:

Even for ruling the whole world Arjuna is now not ready to fight with the sons of Dhritharashtra. Arjuna addresses Krishna as MadhusUdhana – as the slayer of the demon Madhu , to indicate only demons are to be destroyed and not relatives and friends.

Chapter1 Verse - 34

 

Verse – 34

आचार्या: पितर: पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहा: |

मातुला: श्वशुरा: पौत्रा: श्याला: सम्बन्धिनस्तथा ॥३४॥

Transliteration:

AcAryAH pitaraH putrastathaiva ca pitAmahAH .

mAtulAH svashurAH pautrAH syAlAH sambandhinastathA ..34..

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Word by word meaning

आचार्या: - Teachers; पितर: - fathers; पुत्राः – sons; तथा – also; एव – only; च – and; पितामहा: - grand-fathers;मातुला: - uncles; श्वशुरा: - father-in-laws; पौत्रा: - grand-sons; श्याला: - brothers-in-law; सम्बन्धिन: - kinsmen; तथा - then॥

Meaning :

(Here are ) Teachers, fathers, sons,grand-fathers,uncles,father-in-laws, grand-sons, brother-in-laws, kinsmen ( staking their lives)

Significance:

Arjuna, on having a sight of the innumerous warriors in both the sides of the armies. Again in this verse, Arjuna lists the relatives who has taken both the sides , staking their lives and wealth. He repeats this again , as he does not want to attack any of his relatives. His repetition indicates that , he is in need of a solution favouring his present mindset , from Krishna.

Chapter1 Verse - 33

 

Verse - 33

येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगा: सुखानि च |

त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च || 33||

Transliteration:

yeShAmarthe kA~NkShitaM no rAjyaM bhogAH sukhAni ca .

ta ime.avasthitA yuddhe prANAmstyaktvA dhanAni ca..33..

            Click here to listen to the verse

Word-by-word meaning:

येषामर्थे – For whom;काङ्क्षितं – we wish;नो – by us; राज्यं – kingdom; भोगा: - luxuries; सुखानि – happiness; च – and; त – they; इमे – these; अवस्थिता-  arrayed; युद्धे – in the battle; प्राणान् – lives; त्यक्त्वा – sacrificed; धनानि – money; च – and;

Meaning:

I do not wish victory or the luxuries of kingdom or the happiness of attaining the kingdom or living a life itself , if for whose sake we seek these are arrayed in the war, and ready to give up their life and wealth .

Significance:

When personal feelings is mixed with the war instincts, it results in confusion. Such is the state of Arjuna now. He is confused with the place he stands , the persons he sees and the act he is ordained to do. He is in  a place where he has to wage a war against his own grandfather, his own guru , his own friends and relatives. A person earns money and luxuries , not only for himself , but also for the people around him, for his next generation , to keep the aged people in his family comfortable. But here he sees no such reason to attain the kingdom, as he very well know that after the war most of his relatives will be slayed, irrespective of which side they take in the war.

Thus he says to Lord Krishna that he sees no reason to wage the war and attain the kingdom , as there will be no people to share and enjoy the happiness.

Chapter1 Verse 32

 

Verse - 32

न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च |

किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा || 32||

Transliteration

A kAnkshe vijayam Krishna na ca rAjyaM sukhani ca.

Kim no rajyena govinda kim bhogairjIvitena vA..32.

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Word-by-word meaning:

न – not; काङ्क्षे – wish; विजयं – victory;कृष्ण – Krishna;न – not;च- and; राज्यं – kingdom; सुखानि – happiness;च – not;किं – what;नो-for us; राज्येन – with kingdom;गोविन्द – Govinda;किं – what;भोगै:- with the luxury; र्जीवितेन वा – should we exist;

Meaning:

O Krishna, I don’t wish victory, I don’t wish enjoy the pleasure of having the kingdom; O Govinda, will I experience the happiness  by attaining the kingdom (after killing all my relatives)?

Significance:

Govinda : Govinda, is another name of Lord Krishna. Govinda means – one who is fond of cows (Go- Cow); Govinda means - One who gives pleasure to the senses or one who directs the senses (Go- Senses); Govinda means – One who is the protector of the Earth (Go -earth); Govinda means – one who is known by Vedic words; Govinda means – one who is all pervading; Lord Krishna got this name ‘Govinda’ as he lifted the Govardhana mountain to protect the people and cattle.

                                      In this verse, Arjuna addresses Krishna as ‘Govinda’ to indicate that, he is confused , Lord Krishna who is the Lord of senses should direct his senses in the right path. Arjuna in this verse, sees no good in the after effect of the war. He says he wont be able to enjoy the pleasures after attaining the kingdom by killing his kith and kin.