Krishna tries to remove the grief in Arjuna’s mind by pointing out that such a behavior is not suiting a brave kshatriya warrior like him and so on. However, Arjuna puts forward counter arguments supporting his decision to withdraw from the war. Finally, when Arjuna concedes that he is confused about the Dharma he should adhere to and request Krishna to advise him on that, Krishna starts the core portion of the Gita advice:
– (Chapter 2; Verses 1-10)
The wisdom of Gita starts from 11th verse in the second chapter:
Aatma, the true Self in each of us, has never been non-existent, or will ever cease to exist. At the time of death, this dehi just transmigrate into another body. Do not grieve about that. Only the body perishes, not the Aatma. The Aatma is never born nor dead. No one can kill, injure or impact it any manner.
That which is real (sat) has ever non-existent or will ever be. That which is unreal (asat) will ever exist as well. The true Jnjaani is the one who distinguish the eternal reality from unreal.
All living and non-living beings in the universe take form from the unmanifested Akshara and returns to that. What is there to grieve about such a natural and inevitable progress of beings?
As a kshatriya, fighting such a just war is your Dharma. Deviating from that Dharma is a sin. Leaving aside the thoughts about success or failure, gaining or losing etc, fight the war as a matter of your Dharma.
– (Chapter 2; Verses 11-38)
So far, I have told the Samkhya approach based on the distinction of eternal vs transient and real vs unreal. Now here from me the Yoga approach of imbibing that wisdom while performing your Karma (actions/duties).
The ignorant ones perform and propagate various rituals and actions aiming at gains such as heaven, or superior future births. Such minds never become focused. Those goals represent the worldly aspects built on the three Gunas – Satva, Rajas and Tamas. The goal should be to raise beyond those three gunas and be steadfast on the eternal, unchanging Aatma.
You have right only on your actions, not on their results or outcomes. Be free from the attachment of you being the cause behind those actions. At the same time, it should not lead to indifference toward performing those actions too. Yoga is the unwavering stance with your own duties, with a clear detachment from the results of those actions. Such proficiency in action is Yoga! Such a Yogi raises beyond all sufferings.
To Arjuna’s query about the attributes of such a Yogi with stead-fast awareness (Sthhitha prajnja), Krishna says:
One who is devoid of selfish desires, content with self-realization, whose mind in unwavering when faced with suffering, fear, anger, happiness or sorrow, who remains unattached always and one who has achieved complete control over the senses, is such a Yogi.
Our senses are strong enough to cause wavering of the mind and generate desire/craving towards sensory objects and pleasures, which in turn leads to anger. Such anger can cloud one’s intellect leading to self-destruction.
But the one who is able to control the senses and move among the sensory objects in an unattached manner, gains permanent happiness and peace. And one who attains such a state and manage to be steadfast in the Aatma at the time of death, gains liberation.
– (Chapter 2; Verses 39-72)
The reference to Samkhya here is to the approach of discretionary and discriminatory understanding between eternal vs transient and real vs unreal, Self vs the body and so on. And Yoga to the approach of imbibing such a knowledge into performance of one’s duties efficiently, while being steadfast on the true Self and the fundamental reality behind the universe. It can be seen through further examination that this doesn’t have a direct reference to the ancient Indian Vedic schools titled Samkhya and Yoga.
Through this chapter, Krishna is advising Arjuna to perform his duty of efficiently fighting the war, steadfast on the realization that the fundamental reality, the Self of himself, the warriors around as well as all beings in the universe is eternal, is different from their transient bodies and cannot be killed or destroyed.
This chapter contains the fundamental guidance sufficient to eradicate the delusion that had overtaken Arjuna and to bring him back into war-preparedness. That is the same guidance required for anyone who is deluded and starting to retract or deviate from own duties at any stage of life. That must be the reason behind the increased prominence this particular chapter of Gita has earned over others.
The rest of the chapters are triggered by the questions and clarifications raised by Arjuna, on his way back from the delusion and gloom.
