Srimad Bhagavat Gita chapter 2 verse 54

Chapter 2 verse 54

“Arjuna said: What, O Keshava, is the description of him who has steady wisdom and who is merged in the super conscious state? How does one of steady wisdom speak, how does he sit, how does he walk?

Again, Arjuna asks the characteristics of “Stitha Prajna”- Sanskrit term for someone who is firmly existing in stillness of mind or wisdom. Arjuna is asking for an “Idiot’s guide to a realized being”. “Upa” in Sanskrit is a very important word which means “near”. Upasana, Upanishad, Upanayana. Arjuna has been very near Lord Krishna and has been working with him a number of years of his life. In fact, he has already been told about what a sthita prajna is in the previous 40+ slokas but he is asking the question again. Krishna has infinite patience and compassion to still be calm and explain to Arjuna what does it take to be a stitha prajna! We will find out soon?

Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary chapter 2 verse 53

Chapter 2 verse 53

“When your intellect, though perplexed by what you have heard, shall stand immovable and steady in the Self, you shall attain Self-Realization”

About10 years ago, I was told not to worry about learning the Gita in the Sanskrit version if you didn’t know Sanskrit already. It was great advice for me at my spiritual journey state. I am using as I have indicated earlier, Swami Chinmayananda’s transliteration into English but recently I have also made it a practice to at least read the sloka in Sanskrit. Today the English translation doesn’t do justice to the Sanskrit words in my opinion. Krishna uses the word that if “Buddhi” is steady, then you reach the state of “Yog” which is union of body, mind, Intellect at the least and Soul if you take it further. When Swami Chinmayananda uses the words Self realization, he is probably going all the way to integration with the Soul from an union of Body, Mind and Intellect. The debate of these 2 states in my mind would have been lost if I hadn’t read the Sanskrit verse and reflect on it. As well, Self is being used inter changeably with Buddhi which I believe is Intellect. It is time for some reflection here but these choice of words probably exhibits the receiver’s state of consciousness.

Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary Chapter 2 verse 52

Chapter 2 verse 52

“When your intellect crosses the mire of delusion, you shall attain to indifference as to what has been heard and what is yet to be heard”

Krishna describes the state of living constantly in the meditation of the Self which goes beyond the body, mind, Intellect and beyond Sattva, Rajas and Tamo gunas. The external environment- people and material things don’t affect the person anymore. This state makes the person indifferent to what people would say or do. Not because they don’t care, their empathy and compassion are at such high levels that they completely understand the other person’s perspectives and don’t get affected by pair of opposites as mentioned in prior slokas. The delusion mentioned here is that we are one’s body, mind and intellect. We are not and it has to be an experiential reality. For now, let’s fake it to make it!

Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary chapter 2 verse 51

Chapter 2 verse 51

“The wise, possessed of knowledge, having abandoned the fruits of their actions and freed from the fetters of birth, go to the state which is beyond all evil.”

Possessing the knowledge of the Self and acting with evenness of mind in Yoga leads one to act without expecting a particular result and is not enamored or clamoring for results. When this state of mind and existence is attained, whatever action we do is done with no attachment and hence there are no consequences different from laws of karma and nature. No additional tendencies called otherwise as Vasanas accumulate due to these desire less actions. This is the essence of Karma yoga but summarized here in this Sloka. I believe Krishna will cover this topic again in chapter 3. I am not reading ahead but going from memory of the past! Not a good thing is it?

Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary chapter 2 verse 49-50

Chapter 2 verse 49-50

“Far lower than the yoga of wisdom is action, O Dhananjaya, Seek thou refuge in wisdom; wretched are they whose motivation is the fruit.

Endowed with the wisdom of ‘evenness of mind’, one casts off in this life both good deeds and evil deeds; therefore, devote oneself to yoga. ‘Skill in action is yoga’”

Krishna gives another perspective on yoga besides being stillness of mind. He says having a still mind without getting motivated by just the fruit of the action, makes oneself so skilled in action that they are able to discard both good and evil deeds in this life and realize their self. This ability to act without expecting the fruits of the action in a stress free manner is called Yoga- “highly skilled action”. I listened to a very interesting Guru called Sri M yesterday and he mentioned about how over the ages the vedantins have discarded the importance of yoga calling it a distraction but it is important to combine the concepts of Advaita and Yoga to lead a fulfilling life. This translates to residing in the self but focusing on action with expecting a particular result and optimizing energy levels by bring body, mind and soul in union.- Yogaha Karmasu Kausalam!

Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary chapter 2 verse 48

Chapter 2 verse 48

“Perform action O Dhananjaya, abandoning attachment, being steadfast in yoga, and balanced in success and failure. Evenness of mind is called yoga”

I was just wondering that Krishna introduced the word Yoga a few slokas before this in verse 40 and now he has given a very simple definition of Yoga, Evenness of mind is called Yoga. Yoga has also been defined as dexterity in action-coming together of body, mind and intellect towards an action and hence evenness of mind as well. My guruji has also said that all actions, feelings and thoughts are our own responsibility. There is a tendency to shy away from action when one becomes disoriented due to extreme sadness or loss of enthusiasm for work. Krishna has urged us and Arjuna to wake up from that slumber and action without attachment to a particular result with a steady mind not worried about success or failure of that action. I am so proud of the legacy of our history, scriptures and lineage that we have been able to preserve this ultimate knowledge, try imbibing it and pass it on to next generation.

Srimad Bhagavat Gita commentary chapter 2 verse 47

Chapter 2 verse 47

“Thy right is to work only, but never to its fruits; let the fruit of action be not your motive, nor let thy attachment be to inaction”

This is the most famous Sloka of the entire Bhagavat Gita in recent times. I have never approached this Sloka after having read the 1^st 46 Slokas and entire 1^st chapter. Having done that now, the sloka makes complete in itself as a great crescendo of all the teachings thus far from Krishna. The wrong interpretation of the Vedas would lead one to believe that one needs to seek pleasures and lordship in this world. Krishna is imploring one’s right only to stress less action focused on job at hand without expecting “a particular” result. All actions will have result. The clinging to a particular result or expectation is the cause of all grief. Corollary of this Sloka is that he is also asking one not to attachment oneself to “inaction”. Sometimes I have wondered if walking away from challenges is the best option and now Krishna is clearly asking us NOT to walk away from action. One can walk away from desires but not focused action without expecting a particular result. If there was ever one Sloka to imbibe all our lives, this one would be it. However I have realized that every word of Krishna is important to listen and follow!