Bhagwad Gita - Post 40

Dear All,

The Second Chapter is pre-eminently important because the whole of the teaching is on Sankhya and yoga, whose basic principles have been explained during the past few days. 

It is a complete teaching on the highest way of spiritual living, wherein there is a rapprochement of the world, God, and the individual at the same time. 

It is a rooting of one’s consciousness in the total envisagement of values. “Therefore, O Arjuna, this knowledge that has been communicated to you up to this time is enough for you to get established in that Brahman. 

Once you are established in this, you will never have any mental confusion afterwards. Everything will be perspicacious; everything will be clear. You will see all things as if in a mirror.” 

Verse 1 and 2 

Arjuna Uvaacha:

Jyaayasee chet karmanaste

mataa buddhir janaardana;

Tat kim karmani ghore

maam niyojayasi keshava.

Arjuna said:

If it be thought by Thee that knowledge is superior to action, O Krishna, why then, O Kesava, dost Thou ask me to engage in this terrible action?

Vyaamishreneva vaakyena

buddhim mohayaseeva me;

Tadekam vada nishchitya

yena shreyo’ham aapnuyaam.

With these apparently perplexing words Thou confusest, as it were, my understanding; therefore, tell me that one way for certain by which I may attain bliss.

So, Arjuna is asking the Lord, “Sometimes You say Sankhya, sometimes You say yoga, sometimes You say, ‘do this’, sometimes You say, ‘do that’; You are confusing my mind.” 

Lord Krishna states in chapter two, verse 31 that - There is no greater good fortune for a kshatriya warrior than to engage in a war for righteousness. So, the superiority of actions has also being praised by Him. 

Due to the praising of both jnana yoga and karma yoga in a seemingly equal manner some conflict arises in Arjuna's mind and he became confused. 

But still he is clear enough to understand that the Lord being compassionate is never really perplexing to His devotees; but it may appear so because of a lack of clarity.

So Arjuna can perceive he is being seemingly bewildered and this is the underlying meaning of the verse. 

Actually, there was no confusion in what Sri Krishna said, but it had not entered the mind of Arjuna—as perhaps it has not entered the minds of many of us also. It cannot be remembered always. 

Now Sri Krishna takes up the question of the relation between Sankhya and yoga, about which enough has been said in the Second Chapter. 

After having heard all this, a question that usually arises in the minds of common people also arose in the mind of Arjuna. 

It has been mentioned again and again that all our activities have to be based on the knowledge of the Sankhya. 

But are they two different paths, or are they internally related to each other?

Lord Krishna takes over and explains in the next upcoming verses, to clear the doubt expressed in the above question.

Love.