Bhagvad Gita - Chapter: 2 Sankhya Yogah

Sankhya Yogah - If you are killed, you will attain heaven; if you win, you will enjoy the earth. Therefore, arise, O son of Kunti, and fight with determination.

हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् |
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चय: ||37||

If you are killed, you will attain heaven; if you win, you will enjoy the earth. Therefore, arise, O son of Kunti, and fight with determination.

Svargam: Heaven or paradise.
Bhoksyase: You will enjoy.
Mahim: Earth or land.

Krishna assures Arjuna that regardless of the outcome—victory or defeat—he will benefit. If he dies, he will attain heaven, and if he wins, he will enjoy the earth. Either way, he gains something valuable. This argument is designed to remove Arjuna’s fear of failure and encourage him to embrace the battle with full determination.

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Sankhya Yogah - Treating pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat alike, engage in battle for the sake of duty. By doing so, you will not incur sin.

सुखदु:खे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ |
ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि ||38||

Treating pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat alike, engage in battle for the sake of duty. By doing so, you will not incur sin.

Sama: Equanimity or balance.
Krtva: Having done.
Yujyasva: Engage or take part in.

Krishna advises Arjuna to approach the battle without attachment to success or failure, gain or loss, pleasure or pain. Such an attitude, focused on performing one’s duty without concern for the outcome, will lead to liberation from sin. This teaching introduces the concept of Nishkama Karma, or action without desire for results.

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एषा तेऽभिहिता साङ्ख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां शृणु |
बुद्ध्या युक्तो यया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि ||39||

I have described the knowledge of Sankhya; now listen to the knowledge of Yoga, which frees one from the bondage of actions.

Sankhya: Analytical knowledge.
Yoga: Path of selfless action.
Bandham: Bondage.

Krishna explains that the knowledge imparted thus far is based on Sankhya philosophy (analytical understanding), but now he will speak about Karma Yoga (the path of action). By understanding and applying this wisdom, one can free oneself from the bondage of actions. This serves as a bridge between theoretical knowledge and practical application.

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नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते |
स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ||40||

In this path, no effort is wasted, and no gain is ever reversed. Even a little practice protects one from great fear.

Abhikrama: Effort or endeavor.
Trayate: Protects or saves.
Bhaya: Fear or anxiety.

Krishna reassures Arjuna that no effort on this path goes to waste. Even a small amount of practice protects one from great fear and ensures spiritual progress. This teaching is meant to encourage perseverance, as the benefits of spiritual practice accumulate over time, offering protection and guidance on the journey of self-realization.

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व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन |
बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम् ||41||

Those who are resolute have a single focus, but the minds of the irresolute are many-branched and endless.

Vyavasayatmika: Resolute or determined.
Buddhih: Intelligence or wisdom.
Bahusakha: Many-branched.

Krishna highlights that those who are resolute have a single-pointed focus on spiritual goals, while those who lack determination have a mind distracted by many desires. This contrast emphasizes the importance of concentration and inner clarity, advocating for Arjuna to cultivate unwavering focus in order to attain true understanding and wisdom.

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Sankhya Yogah - People with limited understanding are attracted to the flowery words of the Vedas, advocating various rituals and desiring the pleasures of heaven.

यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चित: |
वेदवादरता: पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिन: ||42||

People with limited understanding are attracted to the flowery words of the Vedas, advocating various rituals and desiring the pleasures of heaven.

Pushpitam: Flowery or pleasing.
Vedavada: Vedic arguments.
Ratah: Attached or interested.

Krishna criticizes those who are overly attached to the flowery words of the Vedas, which focus on rituals aimed at achieving pleasure and power. Such people are misled by superficial interpretations, losing sight of the true essence of spiritual wisdom. This teaching warns against being entangled in material desires disguised as spirituality.

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Sankhya Yogah - Such people are full of desires, attached to wealth and enjoyment. Their minds are captivated by these desires and they cannot understand the higher truths.

कामात्मान: स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् |
क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ||43||

Such people are full of desires, attached to wealth and enjoyment. Their minds are captivated by these desires and they cannot understand the higher truths.

Kamatmanah: Full of desires.
Svarga-para: Aimed at heaven.
Janma-phala-pradam: Resulting in birth.

Krishna elaborates on how such individuals are driven by desires for heaven and the fruits of their actions, leading them to indulge in elaborate rituals. Their attachment to sensory pleasures and wealth distracts them from true self-realization. This verse serves as a critique of superficial religiosity that prioritizes rituals over spiritual growth.

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