BHAGAVAD GEETA: 48 - Swami Advayanandaji.

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BHAGAVAD GEETA 

Chapter - 2

Discourse – 2 (72 Slogas)

“Yoga of the SUPREME SELF”

Sri Veda Vyasaji

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Sunday, 31 Dec 2023 06:50.

2.6 STANDPOINT OF THE LAYMAN

(Slogas 26-30, 5 No.)

Post - 48.

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2.6 STANDPOINT OF THE LAYMAN

(Slogas 26-30, 5 No.)

SRI KRISHNA NOW SAYS to Arjuna: “Look, I will not force Vedanta onto you. Look at 

this whole thing from an ordinary layman’s angle. He sees the reality of birth and death. It is 

only too real for him. Even then there is no need for you to grieve.”

It does not mean that Sri Krishna’s belief has changed. This viewpoint is only taken 

up for the sake of argument. Sri Krishna’s viewpoint will always remain what we have just 

heard. This is for those to whom direct perception is regarded as the proof of truth, i.e. from 

the point of view of the common man. 

What we learn from this section is that the Lord encompasses both, the absolute 

realm as well as the relative realm. No point of view is insignificant to Him.

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Slogam - 26: The Vyavaharic Point of View

1 Atha cha enam nityajaatam = But even if (the Self is) taken as constantly born,

2 nityam vaa manyase mritam; = or you consider It to be as constantly dying –

3 tathaa api tvam, Mahaabaaho = even then, O mighty-armed, you

4 na evam shochitum arhasi. = have no reason to grieve.

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1-2 

The main thrust of the argument from the common man’s standpoint is:

“Death is inevitable. We experience it in life. How can we ignore it? Whether we 

agree with it or not, it is how God has made us. How does it help us to see it from the 

Absolute standpoint? That goes over our head. We can’t see it in our lives. What can You tell 

us that we can understand at our level?”

The Lord hears this, and is sympathetic towards such a view. He hears it coming even 

through the mind of his disciple, Arjuna, let alone from the rank materialists.

3-4 

To them, the Lord has – believe it or not – the very same message!

“Yes, I can see that you are too caught up in your body and mind to be able to accept 

what I have just said. You cannot help thinking this way – that the body is real and it has to 

go through birth and death, perhaps many cycles of them if you accept reincarnation of the 

soul. But still, you have no reason to grieve.” 

And the Lord proceeds in the next four slogas to explain why . . .

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Next

Slogam -  27: The Inevitability of Death

To be continued

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