The first chapter of the Bhagavad Geeta is the Introduction (upodghata adhyaya). It prepares the ground by presenting the sorrow and delusion of Arjuna. It tells us what prompts Arjuna to seek the highest wisdom.
Prince Arjuna was convinced that he shouldn’t be fighting the war. But as he was stating his reasons logically, he also became quite confused. So, he surrendered to Shri Krishna and listened to the entire second chapter.
The second chapter of the Bhagavad Geeta is the summary (vastusangraha adhyaya) of the entire text in prospect.
In the second chapter, Shri Krishna provides a description of
- the knowledge of the Self (atma-jnana)
- how to perform actions (karma yoga)
- a person of wisdom (shithaprajna)
While mentioning that everyone has to do their duties in the spirit of karma yoga, Shri Krishna glorifies a person of steady wisdom. He declares that being in the state of Self-abidance is the noblest. At this point, Arjuna is confused. He is unable to understand why Shri Krishna is pushing him toward action when the path of contemplation is nobler.
The third chapter clears Arjuna’s doubts. Shri Krishna explains karma yoga and its purpose in detail.
Chapter 3, Verse 1
अर्जुन उवाच
ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन ।
तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव ॥३.१॥arjuna uvāca
jyāyasī cetkarmaṇaste matā buddhirjanārdana,
tatkiṁ karmaṇi ghore māṁ niyojayasi keśava. (3.1)3.1. Arjuna said:
If, by you, knowledge is considered to be superior to action O Janardhana, then why do you ask me to engage in this terrible action O Keshava?
When we hear a chain of arguments/thoughts on a subject we know, thoughts interact. If we do not have full knowledge of the subject, doubts come up in our minds.
In the first chapter, Arjuna is almost convinced that he should not be fighting the war. Yet, he was also confused. Hence he surrendered to Shri Krishna and requested his guidance. In the second chapter, Shri Krishna explains karma yoga. He also lists out descriptively the qualities of the man of steady wisdom. He indicates that one has to perform actions with a feeling of surrendering and without expecting any results. But he states that the noblest is to retire and contemplate.
Arjuna is now confused. Arjuna did not want to fight the war. He wanted to go into the forest to retire and meditate. He wonders why Shri Krishna did not encourage him earlier. To clarify his doubts, Arjuna asks Shri Krishna why he was being encouraged to do this terrible action (engage in the war) if he considers that contemplation is superior to action. Arjuna doesn’t seem to have understood chapter 2 in the right context. He still sees fighting in the war to be a terrible action.
Chapter 3, Verse 2
व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे ।
तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् ॥३.२॥vyāmiśreṇeva vākyena buddhiṁ mohayasīva me
tadekaṁ vada niścitya yena śreyo’hamāpnuyām. (3.2)3.2. By your ambiguous Speech, my intellect is confused. Please tell me decisively the one way by which I may attain the highest good.
Arjuna expresses his confusion to Shri Krishna because he mentioned the path of contemplation and the path of karma yoga. He requests Shri Krishna to tell him firmly and decisively which path to follow to achieve the highest good.
Krishna now starts answering these questions in detail.
Chapter 3, Verse 3
श्रीभगवानुवाच
लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ ।
ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ॥३.३॥śribhagavānuvāca
loke’smindvividhā niṣṭhā purā proktā mayānagha,
jñānayogena sāṅkhyānāṁ karmayogena yoginām. (3.3)3.3. O sinless one, in this world, there are two paths as explained previously by Me: the path of knowledge, for those inclined toward contemplation, and the path of action for those inclined toward action.
A university has different branches to serve various students. These branches cater to students based on their inclinations or interests. Similarly, there are two paths to Self-Realization to serve all kinds of people. Every individual thinks and feels a different way. If there is just one path, everyone can’t benefit.
One who has a pure mind (sattvic) which is free from raga (likes), dvesha (dislikes), kama (lust/craving), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (delusion), mada (pride), and matsarya (jealousy) has an alert intellect. For such a person the path of Knowledge is prescribed. For a person who is restless and dynamic in action (rajasic), the path of action is prescribed to purify the mind.
Karma yoga is the first step in the spiritual path to purify the mind and develop the fourfold qualities (sadhana-chatushtaya). These qualities are necessary to study, reflect and contemplate.
Chapter 3, Verse 4
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते ।
न च सन्न्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ॥३.४॥na karmaṇāmanārambhānnaiṣkarmyaṁ puruṣo’śnute,
na ca sannyasanādeva siddhiṁ samadhigacchati. (4)3.4. One cannot reach a state of ‘actionlessness’ by merely abstaining from work, nor can one attain ‘perfection’ by mere renunciation.
It is impossible to define the God state of consciousness. It is beyond the comprehension of the mind and intellect. It may be explained by negating all that it is not.
‘Vasanaless’ (vasanas are unmanifest tendencies) is that state. Vasanas manifest at the intellectual level as desires. ‘Desirelessness’ is that state. Desires manifest as thought agitations in the mind. ‘Thoughtlessness’ is that state. Thoughts in the mind result in selfish actions. ‘Actionlessness’ is that state.
Arjuna misunderstood. He thought he could retire into the forest and sit in meditation to be in the ‘actionlessness’ state. It is not possible. Only when vasanas are burnt, there will be no desires and thought agitations which result in selfish actions.
No one can attain the state of perfection by running away from action. Through action performed with the right attitude (by the practice of karma yoga), the inner equipment is purified for the seeker to walk the path of knowledge for self-unfoldment.
Chapter 3, Verse 5
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् ।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥३.५॥na hi kaścitkṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛt,
kāryate hyavaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ. (3.5)3.5. There is no one who can remain without action even for a moment. Everyone is compelled to act helplessly by the qualities born of material nature.
Our vasanas will compel us to act helplessly under the influence of the three gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas). We can’t stay inactive even for a single moment. Life is nothing but activity (physical, mental, physiological activity). It is not possible to be alive and not act. If a person is not active physically, the person’s energy will be drained in thoughts. So how do we conserve all this energy without wasting it to evolve and grow? That is what Bhagavad Geeta teaches us. That is the practice of karma yoga.
Bluishmuse 