Summary:

Chapter 2, Verse 1: Sanjaya describes Arjuna's distressed state to Dhritarashtra, setting the scene for Krishna's response. This verse highlights the emotional turmoil Arjuna is experiencing, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. Verse essence: Arjuna is overwhelmed with grief and tears, prompting Krishna to speak.

Chapter 2, Verses 2-3: Krishna challenges Arjuna's despair, urging him to regain composure and face his duty. This unexpected response from Krishna serves to shake Arjuna out of his emotional state and push him towards deeper introspection. Krishna's words highlight the importance of fulfilling one's duty, even in difficult circumstances. Verse essence: Krishna criticizes Arjuna's weakness, urging him to overcome his despair and fulfill his duty.

Chapter 2, Verses 4-5: Arjuna justifies his reluctance to fight, citing respect for elders and the sin of killing them. This response demonstrates a common trap of philosophizing to mask insecurities. Arjuna's arguments, while seemingly noble, reveal his inner conflict and inability to see the larger picture. Verse essence: Arjuna rationalizes his unwillingness to fight by invoking respect for elders and the sin of killing them.

Chapter 2, Verses 6-7: Arjuna admits confusion about his duty and asks Krishna for guidance, establishing a guru-student relationship. This marks a crucial turning point in the dialogue, as Arjuna recognizes his limitations and seeks Krishna's wisdom. It reflects the seeker's journey from confusion to seeking true knowledge and fulfillment beyond artha, kama, and dharma. Verse essence: Arjuna acknowledges his confusion and submits himself as Krishna's student, seeking guidance for ultimate good.

CHAPTER 2: Sāṅkya-Yogaḥ (Topic of Knowledge)

OVERVIEW:

Biggest chapter of Bhagavad Gita where Krishna gives whole teaching. And subsequent chapters zoom in what was said in CH2.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 1

तम् तथा कृपया आविष्टम् अश्रु-पूर्ण-आकुल-ईक्षणम् । विषीदन्तम् इदम् वाक्यम् उवाच मधुसूदनः ॥
tam tathā kṛpayā āviṣṭam aśru-pūrṇa-ākula-īkṣaṇam । viṣīdantam idam vākyam uvāca madhusūdanaḥ ॥
Sañjaya said: To him—who was thus sad and overwhelmed by compassion, whose eyes were filled with tears and showed distress—Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa) spoke these words.

• Sanjay is recounting to Dhritarashtra, as Arjuna is sitting down overwhelmed, distressed and tears. And to this Arjuna, Krishna spoke.
• Krishna begins probing Arjuna to begin asking fundamental questions. So Krishna shakes Arjuna a little.
• NEXT VERSE: Krishna’s response to Arjuna’s disposition…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 2-3

श्रीभगवान् उवाच । कुतः त्वा कश्मलम् इदम् विषमे समुपस्थितम् । अनार्य-जुष्टम् अस्वर्ग्यम् अकीर्तिकरम् अर्जुन ॥ २-२॥ 
śrībhagavān uvāca । kutaḥ tvā kaśmalam idam viṣame samupasthitam । anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam akīrtikaram arjuna ॥ 2-2॥ 
Śrī Bhagavān said: Arjuna! In such crisis from where has this despair come upon you? It is unbecoming of an upright man and does not add to (your) fame. Nor does it lead you to heaven.

क्लैब्यम् मा स्म गमः पार्थ न एतत् त्वयि उपपद्यते । क्षुद्रम् हृदय-दौर्बल्यम् त्यक्त्वा उत्तिष्ठ परन्तप ॥ २-३॥
klaibyam mā sma gamaḥ pārtha na etat tvayi upapadyate । kṣudram hṛdaya-daurbalyam tyaktvā uttiṣṭha parantapa ॥ 2-3॥
Pārtha (Arjuna)! Do not yield to unmanliness. This does not befit you. The scorcher of enemies! Give up this lowly weakness of heart and get up.

• Krishna gives totally different response then one would expect. On surface, Arjuna seems like evolved human being for thinking about society and not wishing to kill, Krishna says, “What is this weakness. Get up, compose yourself and do what you have to do”.  
  • Is this appropriate response from Krishna? Yes, because:
    1. Arjuna is a warrior, and needs to see thing as they are. Instead Arjuna is viewing world through emotional trauma.
    2. Furthermore, Arjuna already knew about mass destruction before war took place. And during the climax of the situation (where negotiations have failed and took years for this point), he yields.
    3. Further, a hero, or an appropriate person for the job, faces the challenge confronting, rather then walking out on it.
• So far, Krishna is poking Arjuna so he begins asking bigger questions.
• SUMMARY: Get up, regain your composure, as this doesn’t befit you. Least Arjuna expected is Krishna’s empathy.
• NEXT VERSE: Arjuna replies to Krishna by reiterating his reason for not fighting, but also shows a common trap of philosophizing…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 4-5

अर्जुन उवाच । कथम् भीष्मम् अहम् सङ्ख्ये द्रोणम् च मधुसूदन । इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजा-अर्हौ अरि-सूदन ॥ २-४॥
arjuna uvāca | katham bhīṣmam aham saṅkhye droṇam ca madhusūdana । iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjā-arhau ari-sūdana ॥ 2-4॥
Arjuna said: Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa)! The destroyer of foes! How will I, in this battle, fight with arrows against Bhīṣma and Droṇa, who are worthy of my worship?

गुरून् अहत्वा हि महानुभावान् । श्रेयः भोक्तुम् भैक्ष्यम् अपि इह लोके । हत्वा अर्थ-कामान् तु गुरून् इह एव । भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिर-प्रदिग्धान् ॥ २-५॥
gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān | śreyaḥ bhoktum bhaikṣyam api iha loke । hatvā artha-kāmān tu gurūn iha eva | bhuñjīya bhogān rudhira-pradigdhān ॥ 2-5॥
It would be better indeed to eat food collected from others here in this world than to kill these most revered teachers. If I kill them, the pleasures I would experience in this world will be stained with (their) blood.

• Arjuna explains his whole position. He says…
  1. Saying he loves grandfarther (Bhisma) and teacher (Drona) I have reverence and respect for them.
  2. Takes it at larger level: gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān śreyo bhoktuṁ bhaikṣyam apīha loke:
     • We deceive ourselves putting our situation in a philosophical context, but it’s a deception. Arjuna says, “I’ve heard in shastra that guru is most exalted. And killing guru, has highest papa, who has given you kills and maturity. Therefore I’d rather live, collecting food from people’s homes”.  Therefore, “I’m not running away, my refraining from fighting is not an act of cowardness, but recognizing the enormity of my action, it’s coming from maturity”.
     • Who is guru? Gukāraḥ andhakāraḥ vai, rukāraḥ nivartikaḥ : Person who removes ignorance of realities previously unavailable to you.
       • Gukāraḥ andhakāraḥ vai: “Gu” stands for darkness or ignorance.
       • Rukāraḥ nivartikaḥ: “Ru” stands for the one who repels/removes.
• How do we camouflage our ineffective/ignorant thinking with philosophizing? 
  • We don’t want to admit our insecurities, so we philosophize to retain the image of our wise-self.
  • Philosophizing is a common phenomena that makes us sound intellectual and mature. It keeps deeper issues unaddressed. Whereas Arjuna doesn’t stop at philosophizing, he continues by asking Krishna for some guidance. And this leads to Krishna’s teaching.  If Arjuna was totally convinced with his argument, he wouldn’t have asked Krishna.
  • Examples:
    1. Family: Mother is worried her son not getting married. Her real feeling is, “He has to get married, it’s good for him”. But she camouflage, “Society is changing. Not everyone has to conform”. IF this is what you really think, wonderful. But what if there’s a real you who wants son to get married. Thus disconnect between feeler and speaker.
    2. Relationship: “My partner doesn't love me anymore” > Philosophizes: “Like anything, love comes and goes!”.
    3. Friend: Envious of friend's success. > Philosophizes: “It's ok, envy encourages me to do better.”
    4. Studies: One doesn’t do good in studies, then philosophizes, “This isn’t relevant to me. Why explain it. Just be it! Or you can’t explain Brahman; it’s beyond the mind”.
• NEXT VERSES: We’ll see what kind of questions Arjuna asks Krishna.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 6-7

न च एतत् विद्मः कतरत् नः गरीयः । यत् वा जयेम यदि वा नः जयेयुः । यान् एव हत्वा न जिजीविषामः । ते अवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः ॥ २-६॥
na ca etat vidmaḥ katarat naḥ garīyaḥ | yat vā jayema yadi vā naḥ jayeyuḥ । yān eva hatvā na jijīviṣāmaḥ | te avasthitāḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ ॥ 2-6॥
And, we do not know which of the two will be better for us—that we should conquer them or that they should conquer us. The sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, after slaying whom we will indeed not like to live, stand facing us (to be killed).

कार्पण्य-दोष-उपहत-स्वभावः । पृच्छामि त्वाम् धर्म-सम्मूढ-चेताः । यत् श्रेयः स्यात् निश्चितम् ब्रूहि तत् मे । शिष्यः ते अहम् शाधि माम् त्वाम् प्रपन्नम् ॥ २-७॥
kārpaṇya-doṣa-upahata-svabhāvaḥ | pṛcchāmi tvām dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ । yat śreyaḥ syāt niścitam brūhi tat me | śiṣyaḥ te aham śādhi mām tvām prapannam ॥ 2-7॥
Overcome by faint-heartedness, confused about my duty, I ask you: Please tell me that which is truly better for me. I am your student. Please teach me, who has taken refuge in you.

• NO-WIN SITUATION: Now Arjuna admits he’s not sure what’s the right thing to do, whether he walks out and be killed, or Pandavas kills them and wins the war, which too will bring despair. This is called finding self in a no-win situation. Usually if this happens, I’ll win, if don’t get it, I’m a loser. But Arjuna in both ways sees self as loser.
• ADMITS DOESN’T KNOW HIS DUTY: This is the first time Arjuna admits to himself that he’s confused, saying: dharma sammudha ceta; My mind is confused with right course of action; about my duty.
  • Avoids over-confidence trap: After having analyzed the problem, he recognizes there’s still a confusion. What often happens is people are overconfident about their ability to handle a situation; whereas Arjuna being smart and discerning; he still admits he doesn’t know.
  • Just like 2 kinds of people come to class (stated by Dayananda):
    • First type: People who are searching for answers and recognize what they know isn’t sufficient for fulfillment and wants wisdom of Gita ushered in. Open mind. Easy to penetrate.
    • Second type: Come to class also with confusion, but it’s camouflaged with arrogance. “How is Bhagavad Gita relevant today – it’s old!”.  They’re much harder to penetrate. Not able to acknowledge one needs help and is dismissive about subjective matter one knows little about.
• START OF GURU-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP: Thus Arjuna declares in V7, “śiṣyaḥ te aham śādhi mām tvām prapannam”; statement that changes Arjuna’s relationship to Krishna. In childhood the Pandavas always looked up to Krishna, but no one declared, “I am your student”.
  • It opens up space for Guru-Sishya-Parampara, which is nature of samvada (jalpa: chit-chat. Vitanda: One person speaks, another opposes everything. Vada: Productive dialogue. Samvada: Someone has mastery over a subject and you go to him or her for specific purpose of learning from).
  • Prayer to invoke the GURU-STUDENT relationship:
    • saha na vavatu saha nau bhunaktu…: May we both be nourished by the knowledge. EG: Test of your knowledge is when you talk about your knowledge and people will ask you; you need to respond wisely.
    • Saha viryan karavavahai: For learning to be productive, both have to make an effort by engaging.
    • Tejasvi navadhitam astu: May the right words come out, and create right meaning in my head.
    • Ma vidvishavahai: May there be no obstructions. 3 Kinds.
      1. Adhyatmika: You’re distracted. Preoccupied so you’re not listening with full attention.
      2. Adhibhautika: obstruction created by environment around; EG: construction noise preventing you from study.
      3. Adhidaivika: Even if environment is conducive, you don’t have 100% say how class will go. Need grace. Some classes are flat, others are alive. This is due to dynamic of class.
• TWO QUESTIONS START THE TEACHING FROM KRISHNA: Arjuna says two things to Krishna that starts the teaching:
  1. SITUATIONAL QUESTION: dharma sammudha ceta (Uncertain of my duty): What should I do in this specific situation? Situational problem.
  2. FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: yat śreyah syāt niścitam brūhi tat me (Tell me definitively, what is ultimately good/best for me?): Because I find myself in no-win situation, no matter what I do, I won’t be successful, tell me what is best for me? Teach me the knowledge that’ll help take me out of this overwhelmed state and find purpose/meaning in my life.
     • Arjuna isn’t a Nihilist: no longer interested in life, because understood can’t get true happiness in this world no matter what, or detach yourself from material world, as it has nothing for you here.
     • Arjuna is a Spiritual seeker.  Generally what people go by is 3 pursuits:
       1. Artha: We grow up and see people engaging in activities that’ll make them secure. EG: Good education, good job, starting business, good family.
       2. Kama: We don’t only want to feel secure, but enjoy life. EG: Go to music event, holiday, they’re always thinking of new ways to add pleasure to your life. EG: Spas weren’t there 50 years ago. Have to conform with latest fashion trends, how to act cool, know names of wines, as others but into Kama. Many pressures people buy into. And they create complexes, for example “He went to France, I went to local forest”.
       3. Dharma: Some people say security and pleasure is important, but I can’t step on other people to have it. Has sensitivity and discernment.
     • One more pursuit: Moksha: Person who recognizes limitations of Artha/kama/dharma to bring final fulfillment. EG: Arjuna was a prince, and didn’t lack security, pleasures and dharma, but still troubled. Similarly, everyone comes to same point of Arjuna, seeking freedom or moksha (root: munch: to be free), even though won’t use words like “freedom”. In other words, you don’t want security, pleasures, righteousness for it’s sake, but for your own freedom.
       • Therefore, Arjuna’s question indicates his recognition that Artha/kama/dharma can’t give him the final freedom/fulfillment, and he wants an answer what will give freedom.
• REMINDER: Desire for moksha doesn’t negate purpose of Artha/kama/dharma. While they can’t give final fulfillment, they are recognized as means to an end. EG:
  1. No Artha (money) > concerned about survival > knowledge can't settle within an anxious mind.
  2. Kama: gives emotional health.
  3. Dharma: My wellbeing is connected to others wellbeing; I can’t afford to hurt others because doing so in some way negatively affects me emotionally. However 99% think that life ends with being a good person.
     • 3 potential traps of being excessively ethical and turning it as ultimate end of life:
       1. CLOSED MINDED: Has potential of arrogance, thinking you don’t need extra education; as one is already a good human being. EG: Yuddhisthir thought he was following dharma, but was off track.
       2. UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS: Also person who thinks they’re very dharmic, can become judgmental looking down on others who don’t have same standards. Makes you unapproachable.
       3. COMPLAINING: I’m very dharmic, but life hasn’t compensated me for being righteous, while others are cutting corners and ahead. This person is unfulfilled, as feel you’re not compensated enough.
• NEXT VERSE: Arjuna reiterates he can’t figure it out on his own…

Keywords:  

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Course was based on Neema Majmudar's Bhagavad Gita & Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya) home study course.

Recorded 30 June, 2024