Chapter 2: Saankhya Yoga
The Yoga of Knowledge
Part of the Bhagavad Geetha — Complete Commentary by Guruji M. Mohan Sundar
Sanjaya said, “Arjuna having totally overcome by compassion for the inimical relatives sat silently with tears in the eyes. Then Krushna seeing Arjuna in this way spoke to him thus”.
Lord Krushna said, ” Hey Arjuna, in this hour of beginning of the war, why have you been taken away by infatuation ? This is not the way great warriors behave in the war field. This type of behaviour neither gives you heaven nor name and fame in this world “. Krushna continued, “Arjuna do not give way to the weakness of your heart and become incompetent. Give up this weakness of your heart and get up and fight the war “. Arjuna further asked, ” Krushna, how can I fight against my worshipable Gurus Bheeshma and Dronachaarya ? “. Krushna, it is better to live on alms than killing the great gurus and enjoying the sensual pleasures of this blood-stained Kingdom won by us. I am confused whether to fight this war or not ? I do not know, whether we conquer our enemies or our enemies conquer us. We would not like to kill our cousins. Unfortunately, they are standing here as our enemies. Arjuna continued, ” In this confused state of my wisdom, Krushna, tell me which is the best course of action for me at this hour. Now I have surrendered to YOU as your disciple. Tell me, what is the right course of action for me now ? “. My grief is drying up my senses, I feel that even if the Kingdom is won from the enemies, I do not think that I would be happy and peaceful.
Sanjaya said, “Arjuna having said all these thoughts of his mind to Lord Krushna, declared emphatically that he would not fight the war. Saying so, he became silent “. In the midst of two armies, Lord Krushna with a pleasant smile said to Arjuna in the following way.
Lord Krushna said, ” Arjuna, you speak like a wise man. Wise men do not grieve for those who should not be grieved for or for those presently living “.
Note: Implying that those who are destined to die in the war as per their destiny will die anyway, and those who are destined to survive will survive. This being the cosmic WILL, whom is he grieving for ? Whether for those who are going to die or for those who are going to live after the war. It is Nature’s law that whichever living being (including human beings) takes birth shall die after their prescribed period of lifetime. The wise are aware of this play of nature very well and they do not unduly grieve over it, and they maintain their Equanimity of mind relatively. At any time, in the time scale neither I ceased to exist nor you ceased to exist. As a matter of fact, even all these warriors existed in the past and, we and they are all going to be there in the future also.
Note: Here, Lord Krushna is talking about existence of every Individualized Consciousness from the time it has manifested, until the time it is withdrawn into the Supreme Being. Even the TIME is also withdrawn at the end of one cosmic timescale i.e. after completion of allotted age of a particular creation in the Multiverse and multi dimensional Universe. Just as childhood, youth and old age are natural to all the souls (Individual Beings) which have doned the physical body, casting the old and doning new bodies is also natural. Therefore, the courageous people will not be deluded by this attachment to the body (implying rebirth of the soul is inevitable). The five senses are the cause for one to experience heat or cold, happiness or sorrows and this phenomena is natural. Therefore, it is inevitable to go through them with an Equanimity State of Mind. Therefore, Arjuna be courageous enough to endure them. Arjuna, one who develops a Neutral State of Mind towards happiness and sorrows, ups and downs of life will not be disturbed by this phenomenon and such a person is entitled to be liberated from the senses and reach the SUPREME CONSCIOUSNESS/ SUPREME BEING for eternity (Attain Moksha).
Note: It is necessary for a human being through his wisdom to develop Equanimity State of Mind towards happiness and sorrows and not to get attached to them. Such a person is entitled to evolve to reach the Supreme Being which is beyond the creation i.e. Time and Space, and free himself from the cycle of births and deaths. Such a state is known as “Moksha”, which means dissolving one’s ego (Individuality) into the Supreme Being/ Universal Consciousness and becoming THAT ( just as a river infusing into the sea) with no more Individuality (Moksha is the goal to be attained in Sanathana Dharma and not any spiritual powers or the transient hell or heaven planes of existence which are within the creation at different finer levels). That which is NOT true has no real existence (transient), and that which is TRUE shall never die or cease to exist. The philosophers know this truth. Arjuna, know the truth that, the ONE which is pervading in the entire visible creation and beyond is Eternal, Everlasting and IT is Indestructible.
Note: Here, Lord Krushna emphatically says that the Supreme Being/ Universal Consciousness/ GOD is pervading in every aspect of the visible creation as a core aspect. Therefore, this Supreme Being is Imperishable, Eternal and Everlasting. Arjuna, now you know that, all visible bodies you are seeing as your enemies in this war-field are perishable except their Consciousness (souls). Therefore, get up and fight. He who thinks that he is killing the soul, and he who thinks that his soul is being killed, both are ignorant. The soul cannot kill nor can get killed, for it is indestructible (implying that the soul is eternal and immortal). Killing can only be done by killing the body and not the Consciousness (Soul).
Note: Here, it is important to understand that some people talk about Spirit possessing another person, and sometime declaring that it wants to kill the possessed person. Here we have to understand that the spirit which has possessed, though in its core, it is also an Individual Consciousness but it is in its finer form as spirit due to its Karma with a revengeful attitude. Therefore, we can safely assume that, this spirit which is possessing the person can only kill the possessed person’s body but not his soul ( his Individual Consciousness which is eternal). Therefore it is not the soul killing another soul. The soul has no birth or death, nor was it born once upon a time and now continued to exist. It has no beginning or end. Even when the physical body donned by it dies, the soul never dies (indestructible). It is Eternal.
Note: The Individual Consciousness is a part and parcel of the Eternal, Everlasting Universal Consciousness which has no birth or death at any time. Therefore, the Individual Consciousness (Aatma or Soul) being a part of THAT Eternal Consciousness which has no beginning and end can only reach THAT Supreme Being through its Right Spiritual Saadhana [i.e., Spiritual Evolution is the return journey of the soul (Individual Consciousness) to its origin (Universal Consciousness)]. Arjuna, he who knows that Aatma (soul or Individual Consciousness) is indestructible, eternal, and everlasting, how can it kill the soul of another person?
Note: So here, Lord Krushna is explaining that the Individual Consciousness (Aatma/Soul) which is eternal and everlasting cannot kill another person’s soul except killing the physical body, through its own donned body. Just as a person disposes off his old clothes and wears new clothes, in the same way the Soul (the Individual Consciousness which is bound by the Karma of innumerable births is known as Jeevaathma) sheds the old body and takes on new body to continue its journey of evolution. The soul (Individual Consciousness) cannot be cut by any type of weapons, fire cannot burn it to ashes, water cannot soak it to dissolve it and the wind cannot dry it/ extinguish it. Therefore the soul is Eternal and Everlasting and it is not proper to grieve over it when a person is dead.
Note: In this stanza, Krushna makes it very clear that the Consciousness is beyond any layers of matter, including any type of frequencies. This implies that Consciousness is not a matter, either gross or finer, because it is a part of the Universal Consciousness (Cosmic Soul). Further Krushna says that the soul is eternal and indestructible in its quality. It is beyond everything and anything, only being aware of ITSELF. One who knows all about the Consciousnesses will never grieve over physical death and he should not grieve anymore over his death or that of his enemies. If you are of the opinion that the Soul (Individual Consciousness) takes birth and dies again and again, even then it is improper for you to grieve in the light of knowledge given by ME.
Note: Here, Krushna implies that, the soul even though does not have birth and death, except transmigrating from one body to another, the above said opinion of Arjuna, still if he has any miss-placed opinion, then also it is not proper to grieve over that eternal and ever existing soul which is a part and parcel of the Universal Soul. Death is certain to all those who are born, and rebirth is inevitable to all those who are dead. When this is an Inevitable Phenomena, it is better not to grieve on this.
Note: Unless the soul disseminates into that Immortal Soul/ Universal Consciousness by attaining Moksha, rebirth and death cycle is inevitable. All the living beings are invisible before birth and they become invisible after death, so they are visible only between life and death. Therefore, it is unnecessary to worry about this natural phenomenon. Some great people experience the soul as a wonder, some other great people describe it as a wonder, some other hear this phenomenon as a wonder. Despite, some who hear all these truths will continue to remain ignorant. The Universal Soul (GOD) is there as Individual Souls in all the living beings. Is it possible to grieve over all those living beings physically dying at their own time?
Note: Lord Krushna is implying that HE as the Supreme Being is present in all the living beings and the bodies of the living beings die at their stipulated time. Therefore, it is not possible to grieve over all those dying beings, and in other words their Individual Consciousness which is part of the Universal Consciousness is immortal and it transmigrates into new bodies, be it human beings or animals. As a person of warrior clan, it is your duty to wage war in order to uphold righteousness in the society. There is no greater blessing to you than doing your allotted duty.
Note: Krushna is advising Arjuna that, it is his duty as a warrior, having born in a warrior clan to put down the unrighteousness and uphold righteousness. Therefore, his fear of killing unrighteous blood relations who are in the opposite camp is unfounded. It is an opportunity for a warrior to fight such a war for upholding the righteousness, and the doors of heaven are open to such great warriors.
Note: It is the duty of a great warrior (in this case prince Arjuna is one of the greatest warriors in the world). He is duty bound to fight a war against unrighteous enemies and save his people from the misrule of the unrighteous enemies. Arjuna, if you do not fight this righteous war, you will be failing in your duty. By doing so, not only you will suffer from loss of fame but also incur sin (For not doing one’s allotted and accepted duty/ omission of duty).
Note: Here, Lord Krushna used the word Swadharma which applies to every human being. Whatever the duty, be it social or spiritual duty supposed to be done by a person and if he fails to do his duty, then he incurs karma because of omission of duty. This type of behaviour generally results in a person losing his graceful image. Your ill reputation will remain for a long time and for a man of great reputation, it is worse than death. Those who have held you in great esteem will start looking down on you as if you have run away from the battlefield due to fear of war. Your enemies will start condemning your ability to fight war and talk very ill of you. There cannot be anything more humiliating and painful than that. If you get killed in this war, you will reach heavenly abode and if you win the war you will be ruling the Kingdom establishing righteousness. Therefore Arjuna, get up and be determined to fight this war. Arjuna, have EQUANIMITY of mind and intellect towards success or failure, gain or loss and happiness or sorrows. If you wage this war with this Equanimity State of Mind and Intellect, you will definitely not incur any sin.
Note: One will not be caught in the bondage of Karma i.e., action and reaction phenomenon that binds an entity into the creation, and makes him to take birth again and again. Here in this case Arjuna would suffer from omission of doing duty which itself will bind him in karma. Arjuna, so far I have counselled you intellectually. Now listen to ME with regard to doing ACTION without attachment of desires towards it (Selfless Action / Karma Yoga). By performing this type of Action, you will be freed from the bondage of action and reaction phenomena i.e. Karma (free from the bondage of committing sin and accumulating bad Karma).
Note: Bhagavad-Gita is a practical spiritual philosophy mainly focussing on the RIGHT ACTION (purity of action) which does not result in REACTION (binding the action doer in the law of karma). The entire counselling of Arjuna by Lord Krushna is to remove the fear of Arjuna that he was doing wrong action by killing his own kith and kin for the sake of fulfilling his and his brother’s desire to get back their rightful share in the Kingdom. He was overcome by the sense of guilt, compassion, and confusion whether to fight the war or not. Therefore, it became necessary for Lord Krushna to teach the secret of RIGHT ACTION to Arjuna to dispel his apprehension. In the coming stanzas time and again there is reference to doing action without desire or free from desires. It is usually interpreted that actions have to be done without any desires whatsoever. If so, the actions done without any purpose become direction less and meaningless. A worker after doing his work honestly, expecting his salary cannot be termed as action with desire. Unless he gets his salary he cannot fulfil his duties towards his family and himself. Action done rightly for the fulfillment of livelihood cannot be termed as action with desire. Similarly, a businessman rightly doing his business and expecting profits to fulfill his requirements and that of his family, cannot be said as action with desire. In the above two aspects as examples, the only thing for consideration is whether there is RIGHT action or purity of action in earning their livelihood (to avoid reaction from the law of karma). Lord Krushna’s philosophy of Right Action means actions done to fulfill righteous desires or to fulfill the righteous duties that are allotted or accepted i.e., fulfillment of desires in accordance with Dharma (righteousness). Action done to putdown unrighteousness is also Right action. This is the theme of the counseling given to Arjuna to fight the Mahabharata war (which is primarily for the purpose of putting down unrighteousness and for the fulfillment of righteous desires of Pandavas to get back their share of Kingdom which they were deprived-off by Duryodhana by deceit). Therefore, RIGHT ACTION means action done for the purpose of fulfillment of such desires which are in accordance with DHARMA either for the good of the individual, society or for the world. If Arjuna’s action of fighting the war has no purpose for him, then his actions become meaningless and direction less. Action done for the good and righteous purpose but with some greed behind it is an imperfect action. Like doing good for the sake of name, fame or even for earning the divine grace. Therefore, wherever and whenever references come in the future stanzas with regard to action without desire, simply means action without any greed, bad intention, deceit and unrighteousness behind it, and totally for righteous purpose. Action without desire should be further understood as or construed as action done in accordance with Dharma devoid of greed, anger, selfishness, arrogance (egoism), infatuation and jealous (six negative traits). Therefore, in this practical world one should try to do actions righteously as far as possible to reduce karmic load.
Shree Krushna continued, ” If you act with the Equanimity of Mind and Intellect, there will be no sowing of seed of sin, and instead you will not get the tainting of the results. This type of non-attached action is a righteous way of action which will prevent you from the clutches of cycle of births and deaths “.
Note: Any person doing action in the course of his duty without any attachment towards the results of such duty will not be bound by the principle of action and reaction phenomenon (Karma). And such a person will be freed from the cycle of births and deaths because he has not incurred Karma. This is one of the most important lessons to mankind, imparting how to do action in the worldly life without having attachment towards the results, because results depend upon various factors involved in it according to its circumstances and the quality of Action. Arjuna, the way of doing Karma yoga (action) as I explained (with equanimity of Mind and Intellect), definitely and spontaneously will result in absolute focus on the Action. On the other hand, those people who lack wisdom will have their focus varying (not one pointed) and thereby the mind will suffer from lack of focus on the Action they do. Those who do action for getting praise from others or for the glory, or for desiring/attaining of heavenly abode are foolishly thinking that there is nothing beyond that and such actions will result in rebirth-oriented phenomena (i.e., to revolve in the cycle of births and deaths). Those who are doing action with worldly interest of gaining wealth, name, fame and luxuries of this worldly life, such people will suffer from total lack of belief and focus on the existence of Supreme Being/Universal Consciousness/God. Arjuna, Vedas describe performance of such actions which are in the combination of Positive (Sathwa Guna), Semi-Positive (Rajo Guna) and Negative traits (Thamo Guna), and they are performed for deriving the pleasures, happiness and worldly wellbeing deriving from the grace of God forms with heaven as the goal. But you rise above these three traits (Gunas) and such pleasures and the dualities of happiness and sorrows, pains and pleasures, and only focus on the Eternal Supreme Being for your eternal well-being.
Note: AAAum is the primordial cosmic sound from which all the Vedic hymns manifest. “A” is the first letter among the Syllables. AAAum is also at the root of all the three traits from which all the living (divine, i.e. gods and goddesses, and also dark forces) and non-living creation emerge. The Vedas being sounds in their origin, deals only with the creation of all layers. The Individual Consciousness (Self) and the Supreme Being (Universal Consciousness) are beyond the Cosmic Sound AAAum (i.e., three traits) and they are in Absolute State of Tranquility (Supreme Peace, Bliss and Live Silence, i.e. beyond sound) and Supreme Bliss of ITS own. When one is established in his own consciousness (Self), he is freed from the influence of these three traits and his thinking will be in accordance with the WILL of the Supreme Being and not according to his mind tainted by the three traits. Therefore, Lord Krushna asks Arjuna to rise above the three traits putting an end to the influence of the mind (three traits), and follow the Cosmic WILL of the Supreme Being. Lord Krushna always held a flute in his hand symbolically indicating that, he was not only beyond creational sound AAAum and the Vedas thereon (three traits), but also in perfect control of the sound AAAum which is the root of the creation, along with all the living and non-living beings. When a reservoir is full and is overflowing, the smaller reservoir becomes less relevant. In the same way, one who attains the Universal Consciousness/ Supreme Being through Right Spiritual Practices, for him Vedas become less relevant.
Note: Right Spiritual Practices will gradually lead the practitioner to attain the Universal Consciousness or the Supreme Being and for such a person, when there is nothing more to attain, the Vedic practises which are meant for appeasing Gods and Goddesses for the well-being of oneself or for the well-being of the society will be of less relevance, because such a realized person who becomes aware of the operation of Karma of individuals or the collective Karma of the society or the world, will not interfere with the operation of Karma. Arjuna, you have got control over your actions (planning and execution) but not on the results of such actions. If you are more focussed on the results of your actions (anxious of the results), then actions will suffer from imperfection and in turn the results. At the same time do not develop the attitude of non-action (not doing your duty fearing the karma).
Note: In other words, one has got control on doing the action with application, dedication and discipline to the best of one’s ability, but not on the results of it. Arjuna, perform action having an EVEN (Neutral) State of Mind not worried about success or failure from such action. Developing this EVEN state of mind is called YOGA ( in other words establishing one’s mind and intellect in one’s own self/ consciousness and performing action). Actions done with the desires only for the sake of results are always of lesser order (imperfect action, because for the sake of the results one may take to deviant paths). Such actions bind the person who is doing the action in Karma (Action and Reaction phenomenon). Therefore, be intelligent enough to do action with the EVEN state of mind (Not worrying about success or failure). A person who does action with the EVEN state of mind will leave back the good and bad results of such actions in this world itself. He will be freed from the bondage of Karma. Therefore, you prefer to do action in this Yogic State of Mind (EVEN state). People of knowledge who do action with this EVEN state of mind will alone have the ability to renounce the fruits of their action and free themselves from the bondage of action (Karma) and attain the highest Spiritual State (Moksha).
Note: In the above two stanzas, Lord Krushna clearly explains that whoever develops an Equanimity state of Mind through Right Spiritual Practises like Right Meditation on the Supreme Being or by the way of Japa on the Supreme Being or through Manana and Shravana i.e., constantly remembering or repeating mentally a chosen Sanathan Divine Name of their choice while doing easy works which does not call for greater concentration. Those who perform their actions/ duties in this Equanimity state of mind, they develop the ability to renounce (give up) the good and bad results of such actions in this world itself, and they will be freed from the bondage of any actions that they have done in the worldly life. Such persons attain the Highest Spiritual Order i.e. Moksha, which is nothing but disseminating one’s self into the Supreme Being, just as a river joining the sea losing its individuality but becoming the sea itself which is ever there. Anytime when you rise above all infatuations towards the worldly life and also towards heavenly life, then you become a true renunciate. Arjuna when you are influenced by different aspects of life and yet your intellect is not swayed away by that, and if your intellect permanently rests in an unwavering state, then you attain Yoga i.e., alignment with the Supreme Being.
Note: One who is not swayed away by variety of activities of the world which are not true, then his intelligence is firmly fixed in Meditation and becomes stable without any deviations. Such a person attains Yoga which means a permanent alignment with the Supreme Being / Universal Consciousness/ GOD.
Arjuna asked, ” Hey Krushna, tell me the qualities of a person who has attained Equanimity state of mind with a non-oscillating intellect. How he speaks and behaves ? “. Krushna said, “Arjuna, he who at all times has renounced or extinguished all his desires (worldly and heavenly) such a person will find his happiness in his own pure consciousness (Soul) and he is called as “Stitha-Pragna” (whose mind and intellect have become non- wavery at all times because these are in union with his own consciousness). He who is established in absolute Equanimity of Mind will not be swayed away by happiness and sorrows, and has got rid of emotional attachments towards his people and free from fear, anger and hatred which are also extinguished, such a person is termed as Muni (A person of highest spiritual order). Anyone, who is friendly with everybody and not affected by the happenings of good and bad events, and who does not carry hatred and jealous towards anybody, such a person’s intellect becomes stable (established in the Equanimity State). Just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into itself and become mute to the world, similarly, a person who is established in the Equanimity state of Mind, even though he is living through his senses, yet he will not react with any attachments, emotions, likes and dislikes.
Note: A person, through Right Spiritual Practices, if develop proper control over his senses, he would not be influenced by any sort of information fed to him. He would react only appropriately to the requirements of the situation and not with any emotions, because he is established in the Equanimity State of Mind. A person who turns away his senses from the worldly aspects, yet the interest in the worldly aspects has not fully disappeared, but if established in the Equanimity State of Mind having aligned with the Universal Consciousness / Supreme Being/ GOD, all the worldly interests just get extinguished in course of time. In other words, such a person will not be swayed away by any events of life (Good and Bad). When desires in any person (worldly desires) are not extinguished fully, even a good minded person who is trying to have control over his senses, his mind too will be swayed away by worldly affairs.
Note: Here Lord Krushna is explaining that, someone who is trying to take control of his senses to develop detachment towards the influence of worldly affairs, yet if his desires of all types are not extinguished fully, worldly information fed by the senses may disturb his mind. Therefore, the Spiritual Seeker should try to control his senses as far as possible, and with a calm state of mind, letting himself into Meditation with his heart and soul dedicated to ME. If his senses come under his control then his intellect and mind will become stable. One who thinks more about the worldly desires, his attachment towards worldly aspects increases. If such worldly desires are not fulfilled, he will become very angry with himself and circumstances. Anger leads to frustration. Frustration leads to disturbance in memory which in turn results in imbalance in the mental state causing loss of wisdom and the person ends up in mental ruin (which means Depression). A person of self-control who has raised above all emotions, will naturally have control over his senses and thereby he enjoys a pleasant state of mind. One who attains this pleasant state of mind will be freed from sorrows and his intelligence will be firmly aligned with the Supreme Being/ Universal Consciousness/ God. He who has not controlled his senses will be carried away by emotions. Loss of emotional stability will deprive him peace of mind. There is no happiness without peace of mind. Just as a boat is swayed away by waves because of wind, similarly, the mind which is operating through senses will be swayed away by the intelligence of a person causing loss of discretion. To whatever extent a person controlled his mind from the senses to that extent his intelligence will be stable. Whenever the world is awake, a yogi is in sleep (He remains in the transcendental state), and when the world is sleeping a yogi is fully awake in the Universal Consciousnesses. Such a person is known as a Muni.
Note: When the world is busy with activities, a Yogi keeps away from the unwanted activities of the world (except he does actions, which are necessary for the good of the world) and he spends his time in silence in isolation. When the whole world is sleeping which means, when all the activities of Nature are at minimum level, a yogi keeps himself awake and takes the opportunity to dive deep into his own consciousness (Soul/Aatma) through Meditation and connect himself to the Universal Consciousness (GOD). A person of that state is called Muni. Just as the static sea is undisturbed by the innumerable rivers joining it, a person established in the EVEN state of mind (Yoga) is not carried away by the influences of the worldly affairs and desires, and such a person will enjoy the Supreme peace. This is not attainable by a person plagued by desires.
Note: A person finds his Supreme happiness and peace in his own Self (Aatma/Consciousness) without getting disturbed from all the desires that may plague (Disturb) in the normal course of life, but all of them simply get extinguished, just as rivers from all directions pouring their water into the sea extinguishing themselves but the sea remains undisturbed. A person who has attained Supreme peace in his own self / consciousness will be free from likes and dislikes, free from ego and impartial in his attitude. Arjuna, who ever attains this above state, which I have described shall never fall victim to any infatuation. Even at the time of his death, his consciousness will remain connected to the Supreme Being for all times. HERE ENDS THE KNOWLEDGE OF SAANKHYA YOGA Those who are attached to the concept of formless aspect of the Supreme Being or God forget that the formless Supreme Being ITSELF has taken the form as the infinite creation. Therefore, form or formlessness of the Supreme Being is one and the same for the intelligent seeker of truth.