Chapter 2 Sankhya Yoga Summary and slides

Click here for Lecture Video of Chater 2 Part 1

Click here for Lecture Video of Chapter 2 Part 2

Contributed By Dr T Hegde

The solution to this problem of Samsara is Moksha by Self-knowledge

•Krishna has two objectives:

-The immediate objective is to get Arjuna to fight the war

-The main objective is to solve Arjuna’s more fundamental problem, Samsara Bandhanam

-The solution to this problem is Self-knowledge

•They are not incidental, but inherent and universal

• Krishna applies a three-pronged approach to achieve his objective: philosophical, ethical and practical

Four Stages to attain Self-Knowledge

Stage 1 – Discovery of the problem of samsara.

We then try to change the external conditions.

Stage 2 – Discovery of helplessness, Karpanya Avastha

Stage 3 – Surrender or Sharanagathi

requires humility

Stage 4 – the Actual Pursuit of Spiritual Knowledge

ARJUNA’S LONGING TO GET OUT OF SAMSARA

Yudha Palayanam indicates a desire to get out of samara & an attempt to solve the issue himself.

Arjuna is suggesting taking Sannyasa here (Escapist Sannyasa). This results in 2 Sins

•1. SVADHARMA PARITYAGAHA - Pratyavaya Papam,

•2. PARADHARMA PARIGRAHA - Not allowed in Sastram

kārpaṇyadoṣopahatasvabhāvaḥ pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharmasaṁmūḍhacetāḥ

yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me śiṣyaste ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam 2.7

ARJUNA’S HELPLESSNESS - KARPANYAM & SURRENDER - SARANAGATI

Contributed by Dr Sunder

Contains four main parts

1. Karpanya Avasta of Arjuna and Sharanagathi - Arjuna accepts his problem of helplessness

2. Jnana Yoga/ Atma Jnana Yoga

3. Karma Yoga

4. Jivan Mukti

ARJUNA’S HELPLESSNESS - KARPANYAM & SURRENDER - SARANAGATI

kārpaṇyadoṣopahatasvabhāvaḥ pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharmasaṁmūḍhacetāḥ

yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me śiṣyaste ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam 2.7

•Upakrama sankshepa and Upasamhaara sankshepa

•It is a tradition in Indian scriptures to start with the essence

•11th verse 2nd chapter 66th verse of the 18th chapter

Contributed By Chetana

śrībhagavān uvāca: aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñāvādāṁś ca bhāṣase gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nā ’nuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ 2.11

• gatasun agatasun cha – wise people do not grieve for the living nor do they grieve for the dead

• asochyan anvasocha ha – you are grieving for those people who do not deserve any grief

• pragnya vadamscha bhashase - so don’t speak like a wise person when you are not one

• na anusochanthi panditaha – means the wise people (pandita) do not grieve ( sochanthi )

This verse is the essence of Gita

1. Self ignorance is the cause of all the problems

2. Self-knowledge is the only solution

3. Atma ajnanam samsara karanam

4. Atma Jnanam moksha karanam

Krishna takes a 3 step remedy for Arjuna’s samsara –

1. Philosophical or adhyatmika approach - verses 12-25

2. Ethical or dharmic approach - verses 31-33

3. Worldly or laukika approach - verses 34-37

Ātmā is Changeless (nirvikāraḥ)

dēhinō'smin yathā dēhē kaumāraṃ yauvanaṃ jarā |

tathā dēhāntaraprāptirdhīrastatra na muhyati || 2.13 ||

Just as the Self which is in this body (goes through) boyhood, youth and old age, so also (It goes through) the attainment of another body also. A wise man does not worry over such a thing.

Important aspects of the Atma

1. Atma is Aprameya the Subject

2. Atma is Nitya, eternal

3. Atma in Nirvikara, it is changeless

4. Atma is Sarvagatha, all-pervading

5. Atma is Akarta, does not do any action

6. Atma is Abhogta, so does not reap any results

7. Atma is Sathya

mātrāsparśāstu kauntēya śītōṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ |

āgamāpāyinō'nityāstāṃstitikṣasva bhārata || 2.14 ||

14. Oh Arjuna! Sense organs and objects which cause cold, heat, pleasure and pain are subject to arrival and departure. They are impermanent. Oh Arjuna! Endure them.

nāsatō vidyatē bhāvō nābhāvō vidyatē sataḥ|

ubhayōrapi dṛṣṭō'ntastvanayōstattvadarśibhiḥ|| 2.16 ||

Ātmā is Real Sathyaand Independently Existent. Svatantraḥ

Atma as Satyam

Contributed By Dr Sachin

nā ’sato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ

ubhayor api dṛṣṭo ’ntas tv anayos tattvadarśibhiḥ 2.16

Incidental nature >Borrowed nature

•The Sun >The Moon

•Permanent > Imparmanent

The Clay > The Pot

•Asatah bhavah na vidhyate Satah abhavah na vidhyate

Abhavah nonexistence is not there for satah the natural existence.

This the difference between ubhayoh both the satyam and mithyam by the TatvaDarshhabhi the wise men-Asatah bhavah na vidhyate Satah abhavah na vidhyate

•Abhavah nonexistence is not there for satah the natural existence.

•This the difference between ubhayoh both the satyam and mithyam by the TatvaDarshhabhi the wise men

Atma as Nirvikara

Contributed By Dr Komal Prasad

na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin

nā ’yaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ

ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ’yaṁ purāṇo

na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre 2.20

Six modifications

1. Existence= ASTI= # ayam na bhutva

2. Birth= JAYATE= # na jayate; ajo

3. Growth= VARDHATE= # purano

4. Change= VIPARINAMATE= # na hanyate

5. Decay= APAKSHIYATE= # sasvato

6. Death= VINASYATI= # na mriyate; na abhavita; nitya

ATMA

1. Eternal= Nityaha

2. Reality= Sathyaha

3. All pervading= Sarvagathaha

4. Never an object; ever the subject= Aprameya

5. Not the doer; not the enjoyer= Akarta; Abhokta

6. Does not change= Nirvikara

nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ |

na cainaṁ klēdayantyāpō na śōṣayati mārutaḥ || 2.23 ||

23. Weapons do not cut this. Fire does not burn this. Water does not wet this. Air also does not dry this.

svadharmamapi cāvēkṣya na vikampitumarhasi |

dharmyāddhi yuddhācchrēyō'nyat kṣatriyasya na vidyatē || 2.31 ||

Moreover, considering your own duty also, you should not waiver. Because, for a warrior nothing else is greater than a righteous war.

akīrtiṃ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti tē'vyayām |

sambhāvitasya cākīrtirmaraṇādatiricyatē || 2.34 ||

Moreover, people will impute permanent infamy to you. For a person who has been honoured, infamy is worse than death..

avācyavādāṃśca bahūn vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ|

nindantastava sāmarthyaṃ tatō duḥkhataraṃ nu kim || 2.36 ||

Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-IdamPuurnnaat-Purnnam-Udacyate

PuurnnasyaPuurnnam-AadaayaPuurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||

Om ShaantihShaantihShaantih ||