Bhagavad Geeta Chapter 2 Verses 41 – 50

SANKHYA YOGA

Sanjaya recounts the condition of Arjuna, who was agitated due to delusion of attachment, fear and confusion.

Lord Krishna rebukes Arjuna for his dejection and diffidence, and urges him to fight the war of righteousness. After failing to convince Sri Krishna through his seemingly wise thoughts, Arjuna realizes his helplessness and surrenders himself completely to the Lord, seeking His guidance to get over the conflicts existing in his mind.

Lord Krishna takes pity on Arjuna and proceeds to enlighten Arjuna by various means, offering profound knowledge and practical techniques.

41.
Vyavasaayaatmikaa buddhir ekeha kurunandana;
Bahushaakhaa hyanantaashcha buddhayo’vyavasaayinaam.

41.
Here, Oh joy of the Kurus, there is a single one-pointed determination! Many-branched and endless are the thoughts of the irresolute.

42.
Yaam imaam pushpitaam vaacham pravadantyavipashchitah;
Vedavaadarataah paartha naanyad asteeti vaadinah.

42.
Flowery speech is uttered by the unwise, who take pleasure in the eulogising words of the Vedas, Oh Arjuna, saying: “There is nothing else!”

43.
Kaamaatmaanah swargaparaa janmakarmaphalapradaam;
Kriyaavisheshabahulaam bhogaishwaryagatim prati.

43.
Full of desires, having heaven as their goal, they utter speech which promises birth as the reward of one’s actions, and prescribe various specific actions for the attainment of pleasure and power.

44.
Bhogaishwarya prasaktaanaam tayaapahritachetasaam;
Vyavasaayaatmikaa buddhih samaadhau na vidheeyate.

44.
For those who are much attached to pleasure and to power, whose minds are drawn away by such teaching, that determinate faculty is not manifest that is steadily bent on meditation and Samadhi (the state of Superconsciousness).

45.
Traigunyavishayaa vedaa nistraigunyo bhavaarjuna;
Nirdwandwo nityasatwastho niryogakshema aatmavaan.

45.
The Vedas deal with the three attributes (of Nature); be thou above these three attributes, Oh Arjuna! Free yourself from the pairs of opposites and ever remain in the quality of Sattwa (goodness), freed from the thought of acquisition and preservation, and be established in the Self.

Commentary: Guna means attribute or quality. It is substance as well as quality. Nature is made up of three Gunas—Sattwa (purity, light, harmony), Rajas (passion, restlessness, motion), and Tamas (inertia, darkness). The pairs of opposites are pleasure and pain, heat and cold, gain and loss, victory and defeat, honour and dishonour, praise and censure.

46.
Yaavaanartha udapaane sarvatah samplutodake;
Taavaan sarveshu vedeshu braahmanasya vijaanatah.

46.
To the Brahmana who has known the Self, all the Vedas are of as much use as is a reservoir of water in a place where there is a flood.

47.
Karmanyevaadhikaaraste maa phaleshu kadaachana;
Maa karmaphalahetur bhoor maa te sango’stwakarmani.

47.
Your right is to work only, but never with its fruits; let not the fruits of actions be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.

48.
Yogasthah kuru karmaani sangam tyaktwaa dhananjaya;
Siddhyasiddhyoh samo bhootwaa samatwam yoga uchyate.

48.
Perform action, Oh Arjuna, being steadfast in Yoga, abandoning attachment and balanced in success and failure! Evenness of mind is called Yoga.

49.
Doorena hyavaram karma buddhiyogaad dhananjaya; Buddhau sharanamanwiccha kripanaah phalahetavah.

49.
Far lower than the Yoga of wisdom is action, Oh Arjuna! Seek thou refuge in wisdom; wretched are they whose motive is the fruit.

50.Buddhiyukto jahaateeha ubhe sukrita dushkrite;
Tasmaad yogaaya yujyaswa yogah karmasu kaushalam.

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