Bhagavad Gita Summary - Chapter 2

Sankhya Yog (pertaining to knowledge)

In summary, Bhagavad Gita chapter 2, Shri Krishna gives the knowledge to Arjun. Arjun refuses to fight on seeing his relatives in the opposite army and denounces the sinful act of killing. On hearing this and seeing Arjun crying, God Kaal enters in to the body of Shri Krishna.

It is vital to understand here that from Chapter 2 onwards, the knowledge of Bhagavad Gita has been given by a God named ‘Kaal‘. His other name is ‘Brahm‘. In other religions this Kaal is also known as ‘Devil’ or ‘Satan’. 

God Kaal knew that Shri Krishna being a ‘Satoguni’ (one who is endowed with the quality of love, affection etc) God will commend Arjun at this point and would be indeed very happy on his decision not to fight. Shri Krishan had already tried numerous times to strike a deal between the Kauravas and the Pandavas to avert the tragedy of a war. So fearing this, God Kaal possessed the body of Shri Krishna and then gave his sermons to Arjun so as to cause the carnage of Mahabharata. 

Summary Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 1-3 – seeing a sad and crying Arjun God Kaal says, your cowardly behaviour is neither going to take you to heaven nor will bring you fame, and nor is the act of great men. Therefore, Oh Arjun, don’t be a eunuch, give up inertness and get ready for the battle.

In Verse 4-6, Arjun is saying that Lord, instead of commtitting sin by killing our respected elders brothers, and relatives, we consider it better to eat begged food and we will incur sin by enjoying this kingdom stained with their blood. And you never know who will die and who will live.

In Verse 7-9, Arjun says, “I am your disciple and am in your refuge. My mind has stopped working. Advise me whatever is in my interest. 

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 10-16, Kaal says, O Arjun! learned people do not worry about death. It is not that you, all these soldiers, and I were never there before or will never be. Therefore, gather the courage to bear sorrow-joys and we all are in the cycle of life-death.

Verse 17 – Kaal God says that Arjun we all (you, I, and all living beings) are in the cycle of life-death. In reality, consider only that God (some other Supreme God) as immortal.Nobody can destroy that God.

Verse 18 – body, made up of five elements, is perishable. The eternal God is said to be imperishable and proofless i.e. a common devotee cannot comprehend that He is said to be always living with the soul of a living being. Therefore, Oh Bharatvanshi Arjun! Fight.

The essence of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 19-21 is that the omnipresent Supreme God lives with the soul just as smell is present somewhere in the air. Air and smell have an inseparable relationship. When smell moves from one place to another, at that time air is always with it. Similarly, regard air as the Supreme God and smell as the soul and consider fragrance as a good soul and foul smell as an evil soul. The Supreme God takes them into new bodies according to their deeds and still is with them. Like, Sun appears to be with everyone. Even when far, every living being is affected by the formless (invisible) effect of the sun. Likewise, the Supreme God, sitting in ‘Satlok’ (eternal place), protects all living beings.

In Verse 22-23, the state of the soul has been described the like a human changes clothes, a soul changes bodies. This soul cannot be slayed with weapons, neither can fire burn it, nor can water make it wet.

In Verse 24-25, again the grandeur of that Supreme God has been described. It has been said that God is incombustible, insoluble and undoubtedly, cannot be dried, and this God is eternal, omnipresent, unchanging, and is immemorial. This God does not have a body made up of five elements or which is visible with naked eyes, is inconceivable, and is also called flawless. Therefore, Oh Arjun! Because this God lives in an inseparable form with the soul, the soul is indestructible. So you should not grieve.

Summary Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 26-30, it is said that the soul does not die even when the body is lost (death), because God lives with it in invisible form. Like, after casting off worn-out clothes, new clothes are worn, consider this body as same. A soul can neither be cut, nor put on fire, nor can be drowned in water, nor can air make it dry, it is immortal. This God, lives as an overseer form with this soul, and is unflawed (perfect). If we consider a soul to be constantly dying and taking birth, even then we should not become sad. Because after casting off worn-out clothes, it acquires new clothes; therefore, do not grieve. One, who has been born, will certainly die and who dies, will certainly take birth. You, I and all these living beings were there earlier also and will be there in future as well. Then why worry?

Description of Worship of Supreme God – Bhagavad Gita Summary | Chapter 2

Summary Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 46-53, it is said that in reality, forgetting about sin and virtues, get engrossed in the worship of Supreme God. Among actions, it is wise to do yog (bhakti). Therefore, get engrossed in yog (worship of Supreme God). Wise devotees, even abandoning the fruits of actions, become liberated from the bondage of birth. When you will become free from attachment, you will attain the same vairagya (freedom from worldly desires). When your mind, instead of being confused from the knowledge of various types of conflicting scriptures, will become focussed on one Tatvagyan (true knowledge), then you will become a yogi (bhakt/devotee). Like, one’s mind itself gets distracted from a small pond after obtaining a bigger pond (reservoir of water). Similarly, after becoming aware of the the Supreme God, the mind gets distracted from the smaller gods: Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, gods-goddesses, Mother Durga, Kaal (Brahm) and ParBrahm. And after doing worship of Supreme God, one attains His Anami (Anamay) supreme (param) state i.e. goes to Anami lok which is even beyond Satlok. One becomes completely liberated from the cycle of bith-death. Therefore, you become a bhakt (devotee) of Supreme God. Then you will be a yogi i.e. a right bhakt.

In Verse 54, Arjun asks, ‘what are the characteristics of a bhakt who has a steadfast mind in Supreme God? How does he speak, walk or sit etc?

Summary Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 55-68,

Kaal answers that when a bhakt (yogi), free from desires, is contented with destiny, at that time he has a steadfast mind. He considers sorrow & joy to be same and is free from love & hatred. He has subdued the senses.

Desires arise from bad thoughts. Then, from anger arises bewilderment, from bewilderment arises foolishness, and then because of destruction of knowledge, mind becomes corrupt, after which decline is certain. A ‘Tattavgyani’ (knower of the truth) who is endowed with yog, he, even while performing the scripture-based act of worship, is not overpowered by the senses. Soon, his mind becomes steady and all his miseries end.

How can a person be happy until he is free from desires? Senses overpower the mind like a boat in water is overpowered by the wind i.e. he whose senses are under control, know his mind to be stable.

It is written in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 69-72 that two types of persons try to remain awake at night.

• One, lover of sensual pleasures (overpowered by lust and a thief or one who wants to collect lot of money), engrossed in evil habits remains awake. For him, it is not night; it is like a day.
• The second type of person who remains awake is a lover of God. He made full use of that night.

Like, all the rivers automatically fall into a sea; similarly, the two types of persons automatically go to hell and heaven on the basis of their bad and good deeds. One who has become aware of the truth about God (Parmatam tattav), he has become free from sensual enjoyments and remains balanced in joys-sorrows and gain-loss.

Like the rivers even after falling into the sea do not disturb the sea. That person, free from all desires, free from affection and pride, attains peace. A devotee, who becoming free from the evil habits of sensual enjoyments, represses senses by overcoming mind, puts an end to lust, anger, passion, greed, pride and does not become unsteady even at the time of death, only that person can achieve Nirvan Brahm (Purna Parmatma, Purna Brahm). Otherwise, because of being incompetent can not attain Supreme God.

Read all verses of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2