CHAPTER 2 – CONTENTS OF THE GITA SUMMARIZED

S – In this Chapter, Krishna pacifies lamenting Arjuna by giving him the

knowledge of Brahma-vidya and speaks of the characteristics of one with
steady intelligence

V – In this Chapter, Krishna dispels the darkness of lamentation and illusion of

Arjuna through the discrimination between self and non-self and He speaks of
the characteristics of the liberated

B – In this Chapter, Krishna speaks of the knowledge pertaining to soul and the
process niskama-karmayoga to attain that knowledge

2.7
kärpaëya-doñopahata-svabhävaù
påcchämi tväà dharma-sammüòha-cetäù
yac chreyaù syän niçcitaà brühi tan me
çiñyas te 'haà çädhi mäà tväà prapannam
Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly
weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me.
Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.
(Note – Following are some of the excerpts from Acarya commentaries which caught my
attention. They are based on personal taste and they are by no means exhaustive. They could
be read after having completed studying Srila Prabhupada purports as an extra boost. P = Srila
Prabhupada, S = Srila Sridhar Swami, M = Sri Madhusudana Saraswati, V = Srila Vishvanath
Cakravarti Thakur, B = Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana and R = Sripada Ramanujacarya)
P: By nature's own way the complete system of material activities is a source of
perplexity for everyone (sammudha-cetah) . In every step there is perplexity, and
therefore it behooves one to approach a bona fide spiritual master (sisyasteham)
who can give one proper guidance (sadhi mam) for executing the purpose of life…
Who is the man in material perplexities? It is he who does not understand the
problems of life. (karpanya-dosa) … The kåpaëas, or miserly persons, waste their
time in being overly affectionate for family, society, country, etc., in the material
conception of life. (karpanya-dosa) … He wants to stop friendly talks. Talks
between the master and the disciple are serious, and now Arjuna wants to talk very
seriously before the recognized spiritual master. (sisyasteham)
S: Miserliness means thinking that – how can I live by killing them? And
dosa here refers to destruction of family – My svabhava of bravery is
being defeated by these two. Sammudha-cetah means that I am not able
to conclude whether giving up the war and accepting begging is dharma or
adharma for a ksatriya.

M: Who is qualified to accept knowledge or vidya? One who is convinced

about the faults of material world, thus has become completely disgusted
or indifferent to world, and one who has surrendered to guru with rules
and regulations is qualified to receive knowledge. Krpana is one who
cannot tolerate even a little loss of money, so one who is engrossed in
bodily concept of life and thus thinks that in this life these are only my
relatives and I cannot live without them – this is karpanya-dosa. Dharma-
sammudha means I am confused because of not being able to see
conclusive statements from sastra – whether my dharma is to kill them or
protect them? Whether my dharma is to protect the earth or go to
forest? Thus tell me what is sreya – sreya means that which is aikantika
(the fruit of the sadhana is guaranteed) and atyantika (once obtained,
that fruit is permanent) – like taking a medicine may not qualify as sreya
because even after taking medicine, disease might stay and even if
disease is cured, there is no guarantee that it will not relapse – also, in
karma, there is no guarantee of going to svarga due to presence of
obstacles, and if one goes to svarga, he has to come back.

V: Karpanya means giving up once natural bravery. “Why should I guide

you, if you are going to counter my statements with your scholarship?”
“No, I am not going to oppose You unnecessarily. I am Your student now.”

B: This demonstrates the conclusion of Srutis – tad vijnanartham sa

gurumeva abhigacchet (one should approach bona fide spiritual master to
know the absolute truth) and acaryavan puruso veda (one who has spiritual
master knows the truth) etc. Karpanya – one who leaves this world
without knowing the truth. साधनोत्तरम ् अवश्यंभाववत्वं ऐकान्तिकत्वम ्, भूिस्य
अववनाशित्वम ् आत्यन्तिकत्वम ् |

R: Arjuna is taking shelter of lotus feet of Krishna with utter humility.

(tvam prapannam)
 2.11
çré-bhagavän uväca
açocyän anvaçocas tvaà
prajïä-vädäàç ca bhäñase
gatäsün agatäsüàç ca
nänuçocanti paëòitäù

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: While speaking learned words, you are
mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living
nor for the dead.
P: The Lord said, "You are talking like a learned man, but you do not know that
one who is learned (panditah) —one who knows what is body and what is soul—
does not lament (na anusocanti) for any stage of the body, neither in the living
(agatasun) nor in the dead condition. (gatasun)"

S: This kind of lamentation happens because of non-discrimination of

body and soul. Panditah means the discriminate ones.

M: Panditas, who are contemplative and knowers of self, do not lament for
bodies which are superimposed to be relatives. “If they are dead, where
will they stay or where will they go? If they are alive how can they live
without their friends?” In perfect stage, such illusion does not occur
only, in practice stage, even if illusion appears, one knows that it is
illusion. Once one realizes that it is just a rope and not a snake, the
effect of fear and trembling also goes away. And even in jaundice, when
tongue tastes the sugar to be bitter, still one does not judge it to be
bitter because one knows for certain that sugar is sweet.

V: Your so-called lamentation for relatives is due to illusion and your so-
called discrimination regarding not killing relatives is based on foolishness
only. One who is intelligent does not lament either for gross body (gata-
asun) or for subtle body (agat-asun). The object of lamentation can
neither be soul because it is nitya.

B: One who knows the nature of body and soul does not lament for gross
body because it is perishable, nor for subtle body because prior to
liberation, it is imperishable, nor for the soul which is free from six
 transformations and is eternal. This lamentation is befitting ordinary
fools and not you.

R: You do not know the nature of body, nor do you know the nature of
atma which is nitya, nor do you know the process to realize atma that is
your dharma of fighting without desire for enjoying the result (prajna-
vadan ca bhasase) Soul has neither birth nor death so it cannot be object
for lamentation, body is dull and subjected to change – its birth and
death is natural so body is also not an object for lamentation. (na
anusocanti)

2.13
dehino 'smin yathä dehe
kaumäraà yauvanaà jarä
tathä dehäntara-präptir
dhéras tatra na muhyati
As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old
age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered
by such a change.
P: Any man who has perfect knowledge of the constitution of the individual soul,
the Supersoul, and nature—both material and spiritual—is called a dhéra, or a
most sober man. Such a man is never deluded by the change of bodies.

S: Just as the transformation seen in going from childhood to youth etc

(kaumaram yauvanam jara) pertains to sthula body only and not to the soul
(since even after the previous stage is destroyed and new stage is
obtained, one thinks “I am that same person”) Similarly, when one gives up
one body and takes another body, it pertains to linga deha only and soul is
not destroyed – this can be reasoned because right after the birth, an
offspring shows tendency to drink breast milk due to previous life’s
impressions.

V: Arjuna might say – But due to the relation with the soul, even body
becomes object of affection and due to relation with the body, relatives
like son or brother becomes object of affection and due to their relation,
their sons etc become object of affection. So when they are killed,
lamentation will be inevitable. To answer that Krishna says – dehinosmin –
 meaning that just like you don’t lament for change from one’s dear
childhood to one’s youth related to one’s self, similarly one does not
lament for the change of one’s dear body itself. “But by destruction of
youth and obtaining old age, one does lament” “That is alright, but one
gets happiness also by destruction of childhood and obtaining youth. So
Bhisma and Drona are going to give up old bodies to get new ones. So be
happy for them.”

B: “Alright, the soul of Bhisma etc is eternal but the destruction of their
bodies will cause lamentation only.” “No, just like destruction of previous
stage within same body does not cause lamentation, similarly obtaining of
entirely new body should not cause lamentation – like Yayati receiving
youth after old age.” Dhira means one who knows nature of body, nature
of soul and nature of karma.

R: Just like one does not lament for the changes within the same body
transforming form childhood to youth etc knowing that the soul is fixed
and the soul is not lost during this transformation, similarly an intelligent
person (dhira) does not lament when the soul takes up another body.
What is one’s duty in this case then? – only this – although atma is nitya,
still due to anadi karma they have accepted bodies suitable to their
karma, so to be liberated from those bodies, with those bodies only they
have to perform scriptural duties suitable to their varna without desiring
to enjoy the results. During this performance, inevitably the objects of
senses will create happiness and distress through heat and cold. One
needs to tolerate them till one completes one’s prescribed duty.

2.14
mäträ-sparçäs tu kaunteya
çétoñëa-sukha-duùkha-däù
ägamäpäyino 'nityäs
täàs titikñasva bhärata
O son of Kunté, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their
disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and
summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must
learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.
P: One has to execute his duty in spite of climatic inconveniences… One has to
follow the prescribed rules and regulations of religious principles in order to rise
up to the platform of knowledge, because by knowledge and devotion only can one
liberate himself from the clutches of mäyä.

S: “I am not lamenting for them; I am lamenting for myself that I will

feel the misery of their separation” “Well, the contact with sense objects
will cause happiness and distress. They will come and go. Since they are
unsteady, it is only proper to tolerate them and not become overwhelmed
by them.”

M: The contact of senses is different from you and the happiness or

distress caused by them are anitya means aniyata (of unfixed nature)
that is the cold that caused distress at one time causes happiness at
some other time. You just tolerate the happiness distress in terms of
sense perception in the form of union or separation with Bhisma thinking
that these sense perceptions have nothing to do with me.

V: Arjuna might say – “True, but I am indiscriminate and my mind is only

trouble maker who gives me misery by unnecessarily being taken over by
grief and illusion.” Krishna replies – “Not only your one mind, but all of the
tendencies of your mind in the form of senses of touch etc cause one to
experience respective sense object and create trouble. They are unfixed
and unsteady so just tolerate them. That is only prescribed religion of
scriptures. Nobody gives up bathing in month of Magha just because it is
cold out there. In the due course of time, dharma will only remove all
unwanted troubles (anarthas). Similarly, you tolerate happiness that
arises at birth of relatives or gain of money and distress that arise at
death of relatives or loss of money. Do not give up your duty based on
that calculation, because not following one’s prescribed duty, in due
course of time, will create great troubles for oneself.”

B: The experience of misery caused in fighting with Bhisma etc is

temporary, and since such fighting endorses dharma you need to tolerate
the miseries involved in it. After performing prescribed duty, one gets
knowledge which gives liberation, then one is not bound by prescribed
duty anymore. But without attaining perfection of knowledge, giving up
prescribed duty will create havoc. You are Kaunteya and Bharata, so being
pure by both lineages, it is not suitable for you to fall away from dharma.

R: With patience, tolerate it till you finish your prescribed duty. They
always come and go, but once karma is destroyed even that will stop.
 2.40
nehäbhikrama-näço 'sti
pratyaväyo na vidyate
sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya
träyate mahato bhayät
In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can
protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.
P: Any work begun on the material plane has to be completed, otherwise the whole
attempt becomes a failure. But any work begun in Kåñëa consciousness has a
permanent effect, even though not finished… "What profiteth a man if he gain the
whole world yet suffer the loss of his eternal soul?" … At least one is sure to have a
chance in the next life of being born again as a human being, either in the family of
a great cultured brähmaëa or in a rich aristocratic family that will give one a
further chance for elevation…

S: Will the obstacles not stop the fruits from appearing? Will there not
be sin due to fault in chanting etc? No, because of doing karma as worship
to God, there is no question of obstacle or faults. It is not like kamya-
karma that become fruitless due to little fault.

M: Whatever dharma one does according to his capacity as a worship to

God for his purification, protects him from samsara by generating the
satisfaction of God. सववपापप्रसक्तोवप ध्यायन ् ननशमषम ् अच्यि
ु म ् | भय
ू स ् िपस्वी
भवनि पङ्ककपावनपावनः ||

V: Yoga is of two types – sravana-kirtanadi bhakti and bhagavadarpita-

niskama-karma. First one is beyond three modes and second one is
sattvika. First one is the process to attain the sweetness of lotus feet of
Krsna. This verse applies to bhakti only – no loss no obstacle unlike karma-
yoga. Then may be there is no fruit if bhakti is not performed
completely? No, even a little bhakti of a beginner is not destroyed
because that which is transcendental cannot be destroyed – न हि
अङ्गोपक्रमे ध्वंसो मद्धमवस्योद्धवाण्ववप | मया व्यवशसिः सम्यङ् ननगण
ुव त्वादनाशिषः ||

B: Niskama karma-yoga when performed according to capacity, will surely

bear fruit of jnana-nishtha and there is no obstacle or loss here.

R: Even if the niskama-karmayoga is started but not completed or is

broken, still it will not be fruitless. Even a little bit of its practice will
 save one from the fear of samsara. Later on affirmed by Krishna that he
will not be lost either in this life or the next. Other laukika and vaidika
activities if broken cannot bear fruits and there is fault that ensues.

2.41
vyavasäyätmikä buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-çäkhä hy anantäç ca
buddhayo 'vyavasäyinäm
Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child
of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branched.
P: A strong faith that by Kåñëa consciousness one will be elevated to the highest
perfection of life is called vyavasäyätmikä intelligence… Faith means unflinching
trust in something sublime… Service in Kåñëa consciousness is, however, best
practiced under the able guidance of a spiritual master who is a bona fide
representative of Kåñëa, who knows the nature of the student and who can guide
him to act in Kåñëa consciousness. As such, to be well versed in Kåñëa
consciousness one has to act firmly and obey the representative of Kåñëa, and one
should accept the instruction of the bona fide spiritual master as one's mission in
life…

S: In karma-yoga which is a worship of God, one pointed determination of

intelligence that “by bhakti toward paramesvara only I shall definitely
cross over”. Those who are averse to worship of God, their intelligence is
many-fold due to unlimited material desires.

V: Among all intelligence, the intelligence in relation to bhakti yoga is only

topmost. Only in Bhakti-yoga can the intelligence be one pointed. The
kirtan-smarana-paricarana etc bhakti that has been ordained by my guru
is only my process, my goal, my life, my desirable, my duty, which I cannot
give up at any stage. Apart from that, I do not desire anything even in my
dreams, may I be happy or miserable, may I be delivered from samsara or
not, I have nothing to lose – this is the determined intelligence that is
possible only in pure non-duplicitous bhakti. In karma, there are
unlimited desires and in jnana, the process keeps on changing – So in both,
intelligence cannot be one-pointed.
 B: The difference between kamya karma and niskama karma-yoga is
mentioned here. One pointed intelligence that by niskama karma in the
form of worship of God, I shall surely experience knowledge and the
nature of my soul.

R: intelligence of the liberationists is one pointed in scriptural duties.

That intelligence is convinced about exact nature of soul. In kamya karma,
the practitioner is expected to simply know the existence of the soul
apart from body but there is no definite understanding of exact nature
of soul because even without such definite knowledge, it is possible to
desire for svarga, do sadhana to go to svarga and experience svarga etc.
Because scriptures have one purpose (to liberate the soul) therefore even
though he may be engaged in many duties, the intelligence is one. So all
the scriptural karma that is nitya and naimittika must be performed with
desire for liberation alone and kamya karma should be performed
according to capacity and suitable to one’s varna ashrama and by clubbing
them with nitya-naimittika karma.

२.४५ त्वं िु ननस्त्रैगुण्यो भव = इदानीं सत्त्व प्रचुरस्त्वं िदे व वधवय | अप्राप्तस्य प्रानप्तः
योगः प्राप्तस्य परररक्षणम ् क्षेमः | श्री रामानुज

2.47
karmaëy evädhikäras te
mä phaleñu kadäcana
mä karma-phala-hetur bhür
mä te saìgo 'stv akarmaëi
You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of
action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be
attached to not doing your duty.
P: Everyone has his proprietary right in regard to prescribed duties, but should act
without attachment to the result; such disinterested obligatory duties doubtlessly
lead one to the path of liberation…
 S: “Then all the fruits of action I will get by simply worshipping God, why
bother about karma or prescribed duty?” To remove such doubt, Krsna
says – you, who are desiring tattva-jnana, have right (adhikara) to
perform karma, you should not have desire (adhikara) for fruit. “But when
you perform karma, automatically there will be fruit, just like when you
eat, your hunger is appeased.” Krsna answers this doubt by saying – do not
do karma with the motive for fruit – when you desire a fruit, you shall get
the fruit, but if you perform karma without desiring fruit, there will not
be any (karmic) fruit. Do not even give up karma itself by thinking that
fruit will bind me.

M: Because your heart is unclean and thus not fit for arising of spiritual
knowledge, you have eligibility for karma only which shall purify your
heart – you should think – this should be done by me – but before, during
or after the karma, you should not think that I should enjoy the result. If
you perform karma without desire and as an offering to God, it will
generate (karmic) fruit.

V: Just like I am following your order by becoming you charioteer

similarly you stay within my order.

B: The niskama karma shall manifest the jnana-nishtha within like branch
manifests the grain.

R: This is only the duty of one in sattva guna and desiring liberation.
Nitya, naimittika and kamya karma with desire for fruits shall cause
bondage but doing them without desire and as a worship to Me shall cause
liberation.

2.56
duùkheñv anudvigna-manäù
sukheñu vigata-spåhaù
véta-räga-bhaya-krodhaù
sthita-dhér munir ucyate
One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there
is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady
mind.
P: The sthita-dhér muni is always in Kåñëa consciousness … he accepts all miseries
as the mercy of the Lord, thinking himself only worthy of more trouble due to his
past misdeeds; and he sees that his miseries, by the grace of the Lord, are
minimized to the lowest… when he is happy he gives credit to the Lord, thinking
himself unworthy of the happiness; he realizes that it is due only to the Lord's
grace that he is in such a comfortable condition and able to render better service to
the Lord. And, for the service of the Lord, he is always daring and active... he is not
at all angry even when his attempts are unsuccessful.

S: On obtaining misery, his mind is undisturbed. He is free from all

affinity.

M: His activities are different than the dull-headed. When duhkha arises
which is a type of tendency of mind and a transformation of raja in the
form of giving pain that is caused by prarabdha-papa-karma, one is not
disturbed thinking that I cannot overcome this misery. When miseries
arise, the indiscriminate (fool) thinks that “Oh I am sinful, fie upon me,
who will remove my miseries?” – this is a repentance which is a form of
illusion which is type of tendency resulting from tama or ignorance. If
such tendency arises during the time of sinning, then it prohibits one
from sinning and thus is fruitful but if such tendency arises at the time
of suffering the reaction, it is useless because it is impossible to remove
the effect (sinful reaction) when the cause (sin) is present. Discriminate
does not think “Why am I suffering”, when he (clearly) knows the
existence of cause behind it. Prarabdha karma can only give you duhkha
but it cannot give you the consequent illusion. “Well, may he also get
illusioned due to some other karma.” No, because sthita-prajna person has
knowledge that destroys ignorance which is the cause of illusion, he does
not feel udvega at the arrival of duhkha.

Similarly, he does not feel any interest when the sukha arises which is a
type of tendency of mind that is a transformation of sattva in the form
of affection which is caused by prarabdha-punya-karma. He does not
think that may this happiness continue because he knows that without the
cause, the effect cannot arise. Anticipating continuation of happiness is
also illusion that is a tendency of mind in tama. Or he does not become
elated (another tendency of mind in tamo-guna) thinking that “Oh, I am so
happy and fortunate, who is as happy as me in the three worlds, by what
means shall this happiness be unhindered?”

Similarly, sthita-prajna is free from raga (absorption), bhaya (fear) and

krodha (anger) – he is not absorbed in objects of sense gratification
 through tendency of mind in the form of interest or pleasure in sense
object. He does not become fearful when the causes that destroy his
objects of attachment when he is incapable countering those causes nor
does he become angry when he is capable of countering those causes.

V: In distress of happiness, he thinks that this I must undergo being a

result of my prarabdha karma and thus he is not disturbed or elated. He
is free from attachment, fear and anger - Just like Jada-Bharata was
fearless and without anger when the dacoits tried to kill him in front of
the goddess.

B: When objects of sense gratification are taken away – he does not

become miserable saying I am so weak, how can you religious people take
away my objects? Or he does not become angry saying I am so strong,
how can you insignificant fellows take away my objects?

R: (Starting from prajahati yada kaman which is highest stage of jnana-

nishtha, 4 stages are explained. This is a stage just before perfection of
previously described stage) Parting away from dear objects etc is
instruments of duhkha – sthita-prajna does not become unhappy when
such causes arise. He does not become happy when dear objects are
obtained (vigata-sprha) nor is he desirous of unobtained dear objects
(raga). He does not become fearful when he sees signs of parting away
from dear or attaining non-dear nor is his mind agitated (krodha).

2.59
viñayä vinivartante
nirähärasya dehinaù
rasa-varjaà raso 'py asya
paraà dåñövä nivartate
One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there
is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady
mind.
P: But one who has tasted the beauty of the Supreme Lord Kåñëa, in the course of
his advancement in Kåñëa consciousness, no longer has a taste for dead, material
things… When one is actually Kåñëa conscious, he automatically loses his taste for
pale things.
 S: How can “disinterest in sense objects” be a defining characteristic of
a sthita-prajna? Even dull objects (like pots etc.), those who are in
anxiety or those who are attached to fasting also seem to show
disinterest in sense objects. True, they may not be accepting the sense
objects but they being bodily conscious and ignorant, their desire for
sense gratification does not go away.

M: Ignorant persons’ desire for sense gratification persists even he

might be away from sense objects due to disease etc. But sthita-prajna
sees param meaning purusasrtha meaning he directly experiences – “I am
that” and his desire for petty happiness ceases. Because until one sees
paramatma properly his desire for sense gratification does not go away,
therefore one should endeavour greatly to steady one’s intelligence that
will show one the truth. This is the message here.

V: Param drstva means seeing Paramatma here (and not just atma). One
who sees atma is still a sadhaka and not the siddha (until he sees
paramatma).

B: Param here means the happiness of experiencing one’s self.

R: Here the rarity in obtaining jnana-nishtha and the process to attain

jnana-nishtha is mentioned. The desire for sense objects ceases when one
sees param that is the self or the soul which gives greater happiness than
the sense objects.

2.61
täni sarväëi saàyamya
yukta äséta mat-paraù
vaçe hi yasyendriyäëi
tasya prajïä pratiñöhitä
One who restrains his senses, keeping them under full control, and fixes his
consciousness upon Me, is known as a man of steady intelligence.
P: King Ambaréña fixed his mind on the lotus feet of Lord Kåñëa, engaged his
words in describing the abode of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the temple of the
Lord, his ears in hearing the pastimes of the Lord, his eyes in seeing the form of
the Lord, his body in touching the body of the devotee, his nostrils in smelling the
fragrance of the flowers offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, his tongue in tasting
the tulasé leaves offered to Him, his legs in traveling to the holy place where His
temple is situated, his head in offering obeisances unto the Lord, and his desires in
fulfilling the desires of the Lord. And all these qualifications made him fit to
become a mat-para devotee of the Lord… The senses can be completely controlled
only by the strength of devotional service to Kåñëa...

S: Answer to how does a sthita-prajna stay – He controls his sense and

engages in Me.

M: How can the strong mind and senses be controlled? By being mat-para
meaning being My exclusive one-pointed ekanta devotee – who knows that
I Vasudeva is only the best attainable object. Na Vasudeva-bhaktanam
asubham vidyate kvacit – there can be no inauspiciousness for devotees of
Vasudeva – Just like by taking shelter of powerful king, one can
automatically control the thieves and the thieves also come under his
control knowing that he has taken shelter under the king, similarly by
taking shelter of Bhagavan who is antaryami, by His influence, one can
control the nasty senses and senses also know that he is now under
shelter of Bhagavan come under his control. This is the great power of
bhagavad-bhakti.

V: Without Krishna bhakti there cannot be sense control. Those yogis who
try to steady their mind without Your bhakti become weary in their
attempts and feel dissatisfied in the heart. Therefore swan-like devotees
happily take shelter of Your lotus feet.

B: Even for those who have controlled senses do not seem to realize the
self then what is the remedy? One should fix them in Krishna – by the
power of bhakti only they will be easily able to obtain vision to see their
selves along with the control over all the senses.

R: When the mind is engaged in Me, all impurities are burnt and the mind
which is free from affinity of sense objects brings the senses in its
control and then the mind becomes capable of seeing the self.
 2.62-63
dhyäyato viñayän puàsaù
saìgas teñüpajäyate
saìgät saïjäyate kämaù
kämät krodho 'bhijäyate
krodhäd bhavati sammohaù
sammohät småti-vibhramaù
småti-bhraàçäd buddhi-näço
buddhi-näçät praëaçyati
While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them,
and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises. From anger, complete
delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is
bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the
material pool.
P: The senses require real engagements, and if they are not engaged in the
transcendental loving service of the Lord, they will certainly seek engagement in
the service of materialism... the only method to get out of this puzzle of material
existence is to become Kåñëa conscious… One who is not, therefore, in Kåñëa
consciousness, however powerful he may be in controlling the senses by artificial
repression, is sure ultimately to fail, for the slightest thought of sense pleasure will
agitate him to gratify his desires… By development of Kåñëa consciousness one can
know that everything has its use in the service of the Lord…For example, for an
impersonalist, the Lord, or the Absolute, being impersonal, cannot eat. Whereas an
impersonalist tries to avoid good eatables, a devotee knows that Kåñëa is the
supreme enjoyer and that He eats all that is offered to Him in devotion. So, after
offering good eatables to the Lord, the devotee takes the remnants, called
prasädam. Thus everything becomes spiritualized, and there is no danger of a
downfall.

S: After describing faults in not controlling senses, now the faults of not
controlling the mind are mentioned. Sammoha means one lose
discrimination in what is to be done and what is not. Smrti-bhramsa means
bewilderment of memory about the instructions of scriptures and
acaryas. Then buddhi-nasa means losing consciousness like the trees.
Pranasyati means he becomes like dead.
 M: Pranasyati means one becomes ineligible for all purusartha (goals of
life). In general, such person is considered like dead only in the society.
Therefore with all efforts one should control the mind.

V: pranasyati means he falls in the deep well of material existence.

B: smrti vibhrama means he forgets that he was supposed to endeavour to

control his senses etc. pranasyati means he again becomes absorbed in
sense gratification and undergoes repeated birth and death as before. By
taking shelter of cupid, the mind becomes weak and the senses will
engage it in their respective objects. Thus one who desires to control his
mind must worship Me.

R: If one does not absorb his mind in me and tries to control his senses by
the power of his own endeavour must certainly fail. One who does not
absorb his mind in Me and controls his external senses, will inevitably do
meditation upon sense objects due to the presence of the impressions of
beginningless sinful activities. Kama means that stage where one cannot
remain without enjoying the sense object. Krodha means when the lust
object stops being present then one becomes angry over the people
around thinking that they have taken away my lust object.

2.66
nästi buddhir ayuktasya
na cäyuktasya bhävanä
na cäbhävayataù çäntir
açäntasya kutaù sukham
One who is not connected with the Supreme [in Kåñëa consciousness] can have neither
transcendental intelligence nor a steady mind, without which there is no possibility of
peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace?
P: if one is not in Kåñëa consciousness, there cannot be a final goal for the mind.
Disturbance is due to want of an ultimate goal… Kåñëa consciousness is a self-
manifested peaceful condition which can be achieved only in relationship with
Kåñëa…

S: For one who has not controlled his senses (ayuktasya), intelligence
(buddhi) regarding the self does not arise even by the instructions of
scriptures and acaryas. Thus he cannot meditate (bhavana) on self and
 without meditating on self, there cannot be any peace (santih) without
which there is no happiness of liberation (sukham)

M: buddhi regarding self knowledge does not arise in such a person (with
uncontrolled mind) which comes by hearing, meditating on Vedanta
aphorisms. Bhavana means nididhyasana (contemplation). Santih means
destruction of avidya that is caused by self realization.

V: bhavana means meditation on God.

B: santi means freedom from thirst for sense gratification.

R: If one is restless due to having desires of sense gratification, how can

he ever have eternal unlimited bliss? अिातिस्य ववषयस्पि
ृ ायुक्तस्य कुिो
ननत्यननरनिियसख
ु प्रानप्तः |

2.69
yä niçä sarva-bhütänäà
tasyäà jägarti saàyamé
yasyäà jägrati bhütäni
sä niçä paçyato muneù
What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time
of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.
P: Activities of the introspective sage, or thoughtful man, are night for persons
materially absorbed. Materialistic persons remain asleep in such a night due to
their ignorance of self-realization.…

S: But his characteristic of staying without seeing etc like a sleeping

person seems impossible. No, those who are covered by the night of
ignorance cannot see the self and those who see the self do not see the
world. Just like owls are blind in day and can see only at night, similarly
those who know brahman, even with open eyes, see only brahman and not
the sense objects. So the mentioned characteristic is not impossible.

M: the intelligence of self realization aham brahmasmi is the night for

ignorant because she does not illuminate anything for them but in that
brahma-vidya, the sthita-prajna stays awake free from the sleep of
ignorance. On the other hand, in that sleep of ignorance, for the ignorant
ones who remain as if awake meaning they deal in that dream, to them the
night does not illuminate the atma-tattva.

यस्य ववपरीिदिवनं िस्य न वस्िु दिवनं ववपरीि दिवनस्य वस्िु अदिवन जतयत्वाि ् |
यस्य च वस्िु दिवनं िस्य न ववपरीि दिवनं ववपरीि दिवन कारणस्य वस्िु अदिवनस्य
वस्िु दिवनेन बाधधित्वाि ् | One who sees the illusion cannot see the reality
and one who sees the reality cannot see the illusion.

The crow cannot see at night and the owl cannot see during the day. So
what is night for a crow is a day for an owl and what is day for a crow is a
night for an owl.

V: There are two types of intelligence – dedicated to self and dedicated

to sense objects. The intelligence dedicated to self is a night for all living
entities because those who sleep at night do not know what happens
during night, thus all people do not know the object that is obtained in
the intelligence dedicated to self. But a sthita-prajna stays awake in that
night meaning he experiences the bliss of the self. However those who
stay awake during the intelligence dedicated to sense objects, experience
sense happiness, lamentation and illusion but a sense controlled is sleeping
in that intelligence meaning he does not experience any of lamentation
etc.

B: those who experience the self, go through the sense objects ordained
by prarabdha in a neutral way – just like a dancer balancing a stack of
pots on her head is so concentrated on balancing the pots that she does
not see other things although while seeing them – निवकीमध
ू घ
व टावधानतयायेन

R: One who has controlled his senses and is joyful in mind attains
perfection. Intelligence related to self is a night for sense gratifiers
meaning that she does not illuminate anything for them while in that
intelligence, a self-restrained stays awake meaning he sees his self. While
people in general are awake in the intelligence related to sense objects,
whereas that intelligence is like a night for self-realized meaning does
not illuminate sense objects for him.
 2.70
äpüryamäëam acala-pratiñöhaà
samudram äpaù praviçanti yadvat
tadvat kämä yaà praviçanti sarve
sa çäntim äpnoti na käma-kämé
A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires—that enter like rivers into
the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still—can alone achieve peace, and not
the man who strives to satisfy such desires.
P: As long as one has the material body, the demands of the body for sense
gratification will continue. The devotee, however, is not disturbed by such desires,
because of his fullness. A Kåñëa conscious man is not in need of anything, because
the Lord fulfills all his material necessities… That is the proof of a Kåñëa conscious
man—one who has lost all inclinations for material sense gratification, although
the desires are present. Because he remains satisfied in the transcendental loving
service of the Lord, he can remain steady, like the ocean, and therefore enjoy full
peace…

S: Ocean does not cross its boundaries even when rivers enter in it,
similarly an introspective sage does not become unrest by the sense
objects entering in him being brought by his prarabdha karma.

M: acala-pratishtham means ocean does not cross its boundaries or it

means ocean is the shelter of mountains (acala) like Mainaka etc
signifying its depth.

V: He is unagitated either by enjoying or not enjoying the sense objects.

He is sthita-prajna who attains knowledge (santi)

R: Whether river water enters or does not enter an ocean, the ocean
does not obtain anything special. Similarly, one who is satisfied in seeing
one’s self and does not become agitated whether sense objects are
perceived or not perceived attains peace.
 2.72
eñä brähmé sthitiù pärtha
nainäà präpya vimuhyati
sthitväsyäm anta-käle 'pi
brahma-nirväëam åcchati
That is the way of the spiritual and godly life, after attaining which a man is not
bewildered. If one is thus situated even at the hour of death, one can enter into the
kingdom of God.
P: One can attain Kåñëa consciousness or divine life at once, within a second—or
one may not attain such a state of life even after millions of births. It is only a
matter of understanding and accepting the fact… Actual life begins after the
completion of this material life… There is no difference between the kingdom of
God and the devotional service of the Lord. Since both of them are on the absolute
plane, to be engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord is to have
attained the spiritual kingdom…

S: Once one attains jnana-nishtha by worship of Paramesvara one does

not obtain samsara again. Even at time of death if one is situated in it,
one will get liberation then what to speak of someone practicing it since
one’s childhood. That Krsna is my shelter who delivered Arjuna from the
quick sand of lamentation with the instructions on sankhya and yoga.

M: Once ignorance is obstructed by knowledge, ignorance does not

relapse. Even if one stays in this consciousness at the time of death, one
will attain liberation then what to speak of one who directly takes to
sannyasa after the brahmacarya stage?

V: In this chapter karma and jnana are clearly described while bhakti is
described not so clearly.

B: Such brahmi stage gives one bhakti and thus he attains Brahman.
Niskama karma-yogi will become jnani by remembering Hari only,
otherwise there will be obstacles only.

R: This state is that of doing karma with detachment which leads to the
stage of eternal knowledge of self.