O Arjuna, action is far inferior to the Yoga of wisdom. Seek refuge in wisdom. Those driven by results are pitiable.
Krishna advocates for the superiority of wisdom over mere ritualistic actions. He urges Arjuna to seek refuge in this wisdom, as those motivated by results are miserly in their understanding. This teaching shifts the focus from outward rituals to the inner wisdom and intention behind one’s actions, emphasizing the need for conscious awareness.
One who is united with wisdom gives up the fruits of both good and bad deeds. Therefore, be steadfast in the practice of Yoga.
Krishna explains that one who is united with wisdom renounces both good and bad results of actions, thereby becoming free from the cycle of karma. Such a person achieves perfection in action, known as Karma Yoga. This teaching encourages detachment from outcomes and emphasizes the importance of purity of intention in all endeavors.
The wise, endowed with wisdom, abandon the fruits of action and, freed from the cycle of birth, attain a state beyond all suffering.
Those who act with wisdom, renouncing the fruits of their actions, are freed from the bonds of karma and attain the state of liberation. Krishna highlights that wisdom leads to the end of the cycle of birth and death. This teaching motivates Arjuna to act selflessly, aiming for spiritual freedom rather than worldly gains.
When your mind crosses the illusion of dualities, you will develop dispassion for all that you have heard and will hear.
When Arjuna’s mind crosses the mire of delusion, he will develop dispassion towards what he has heard and will hear. Krishna indicates that true wisdom will help Arjuna see beyond the dualities of life, allowing him to be unmoved by praise or criticism. This state of detachment is essential for attaining inner peace and self-realization.
When your mind remains unshaken amidst conflicting teachings and is firmly established in the self, you will attain the state of Yoga.
Krishna advises that when Arjuna’s mind is no longer confused by conflicting teachings and is firmly established in meditation, he will achieve Yoga. This state of unwavering concentration on the self is essential for true spiritual awakening, helping Arjuna overcome his confusion and understand his true nature.
Arjuna asks Krishna how a person with steady wisdom speaks, sits, and walks, desiring to understand the characteristics of a steadfast person.
Arjuna asks Krishna to describe the characteristics of a person whose wisdom is steady and who is absorbed in self-realization. He seeks to know how such a person speaks, sits, and moves, indicating his desire to understand the external and internal qualities of an enlightened being, which would serve as a model for his own behavior.
Krishna explains that when one completely gives up all desires of the mind and is content in the self, then one is said to be of steady wisdom.
Krishna explains that when one gives up all desires of the mind and is content in the self alone, such a person is said to be of steady wisdom. This teaching introduces the idea that true happiness and satisfaction come from within, not from external objects. It encourages Arjuna to seek contentment in his own self rather than in worldly pursuits.