- Sankhya Yoga : The path of knowledge
- This Chapter is when Krishna speaks! (2.2)
- Gita Updesh starts with 2.11
This chapter is said to be like the contents of Gita summarised. Or an index to the rest. Note all that is said here is repeated in the following chapters.
- First Krishna talks about soul & body and how atma is forever & body a temporary abode and the famous lines that atma cannot be killed, cut, dried, burnt, touched and so on that it is constant and everlasting. Body is born, hence must die.
- An illustration to explain.....Water!!! We know states of water : liquid, solid & vapour. We know forms: lakes, rivers, snow, ice, clouds, steam. And most of us can relate to the water cycle as well. Now a river has a start and end and so does the cloud or lake. And maybe one can define the begining and end of rain as well. But can someone say where the water cycle begins? or where water started??? does it start with the ocean or ends there? Any form or state, its still water really. Same for the soul.
- Second he tries to explain that warriors don't step back from war & he should fight as that is his duty as warrior. He will be ill famed to walk away from war.
- Third, introduces KaramYoga, selfless action, doing things for others benefit
- Fourth he mentions about Sthir Pragya , the wise man who is always in equanimity
- In this chapter its explains about the sense organs ability to distract & our ability to control them.
- The famous shloka 2.47 teaches us that inaction is not possible. And our ability and control is only to act and not beyond that. The key teaching being focus on effort.
- The beautiful merging of the river to the ocean without causing any change in the ocean is compared to the equanomous person not disturbed by others is mentioned in 2.70
- 72 shlokas
- 11-30 : about you are a soul not body (25 : soul is incomprehensible)
- 31-37 : reminding Arjuna about his duty as a warrior
- 42 - 46 : about Vedas , self less action
- 47 : Right to action and no right or control or attachment to fruits
- 55 - 72 : characteristics of a God realised person (58 : example of tortoise, for withdrawal of senses)
- Krishna tries to explain & convince Arjun in many ways
- duty to fight
- giving up will make him infamous
- then explains he will not kill anyone as souls are imperishable
- self less action for others
Summary in poetry
Pity, you are meek and weak
Who fears future is so bleak
Know your might and the grace
A great warrior of your race
I am really torn asunder
My Lord, here I surrender
You know what is best and right
Guide me through this dark night
Hear me say the Truth in brief
Abandon indeed all that grief
Differ how they Body and Soul
Know this reality as a whole
Prescribed duties you fulfil
With single focus, if you will
Mind not the results in every age
It will lead to mere bondage
With senses controlled, wise men say
It is all but a Divine Play
Pleasure and pain life may bring
Glories of Lord they always sing
Two main evils desire and anger
Enlightened know how to conquer
They lead their lives, quiet and peaceful
A stories related to the message
The famous story about shooting the eye of the bird teaches us about being focused is relevant to this chapter. (For those who do not know, an Archery teachers asks his students to shoot the eye of the bird. Then he asks each one what you see. One saw the bird on the branch. Another saw that as well as the tree & clouds and so on. The perfect student only saw the eye of the bird...the target!) With focus on target, single mindedness & full attention, one achieves the goal. While at archery lesson ...be in teh moment..listen to teacher and focus on target
Another story is about THE PREGNANT DEER - a beautiful story about focus on action & faith in God !
In a forest, a pregnant deer is about to give birth.
She finds a remote grass field near a strong-flowing river.
This seems a safe place.
Suddenly labour pains begin.
At the same moment, dark clouds gather around above & lightning starts a forest fire.
She looks to her left & sees a hunter with his bow extended pointing at her.
To her right, she spots a hungry lion approaching her.
What can the pregnant deer do?
She is in labour!
What will happen?
Will the deer survive?
Will she give birth to a fawn?
Will the fawn survive?
Or will everything be burnt by the forest fire?
Will she perish to the hunters' arrow?
Will she die a horrible death at the hands of the hungry lion approaching her?
She is constrained by the fire on the one side & the flowing river on the other & boxed in by her natural predators.
What does she do?
She focuses on giving birth to a new life.
The sequence of events that follows are:
- Lightning strikes & blinds the hunter.
- He releases the arrow which zips past the deer & strikes the hungry lion.
- It starts to rain heavily, & the forest fire is slowly doused by the rain.
- The deer gives birth to a healthy fawn.
In our life too, there are moments of choice when we are confronted on αll sides with negative thoughts and possibilities.
Some thoughts are so powerful that they overcome us & overwhelm us.
Maybe we can learn from the deer.
The rest was not in her hands & any action or reaction that changed her focus would have likely resulted in death or disaster.
The priority and duty of the deer, in that given moment, was simply to give birth to a baby.
Ask yourself,
Where is your focus?
Where is your faith and hope?
In the midst of any storm, do keep it on God always.
He will never ever disappoint you. NEVER.
Related posts on this blog
Related posts on this blog
- Action and its fruit
- Right & duty
- FEAR
- The popular Fruits of action Shloka (47 chapter 2)
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