BHAGAVAD GEETA: 69 - Swami Advayananda.

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BHAGAVAD GEETA 
Chapter - 2
Discourse – 2 (72 Slogas)
“Yoga of the SUPREME SELF”
Sri Veda Vyasaji

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Monday 22, Apr 2024 07:30.
2.10   THE PRESCRIPTION FOR ARJUNA 
(Slogas 45-48,   4 No.) 
Post - 69.

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2.10   THE PRESCRIPTION FOR ARJUNA: 

(Slogas 45-48,   4 No.) 

HAVING PRESENTED TO Arjuna both Sankhya Yoga and a full breakdown on Karma, 

both Karma Yoga as well as Kamya Karma, the Lord now prescribes a path that is tailor

made for Arjuna. The path selected for him lies in between Sankhya Yoga and Kamya Karma. 

Sankhya Yoga is yet beyond his reach and he has passed the stage for Kamya Karma. Arjuna 

is thus a ripe candidate to begin the spiritual path with Karma Yoga. He has a long way to 

go, but at least he has qualified himself for it by realizing the futility of worldly power, 

possessions and pleasure. 

In the next 4 slogas, from 45 to 48, Sri Krishna gives Arjuna precise instructions on 

how to follow the path of Karma Yoga. Instructions are given to equip Arjuna for all the 

rigours of the path. Towards the end the Lord summarises the path of Karma Yoga in two 

practices. These two principles encompass the whole science of Karma Yoga.

 

The prescription is unique for each individual, but since Arjuna is a typical example of 

spiritual seekers who are ready to begin the path, these instructions apply to most seekers 

in the early, purificatory phase of their spiritual lives. 

Slogam - 45:An Overview of the Path Ahead:

1 

Traigunya-vishayaah vedaah = The Vedas deal with the Three Gunas or attributes; 

2 

nistraigunyah bhava, Arjuna; = O Arjuna, be you above these  three attributes. 

3 

nirdvandvah, =  Free yourself from the pairs of opposites;

nitya-sattwasthah, =  ever remain in Sattwa or goodness,  

4 

niryogakshemah, =  free yourself from all anxieties  of  preservation; and 

aatmavaan.  = get established in the Self. 

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The overview of the Path for Arjuna is chalked out in this verse. He is given the main 

phases that he will be passing through. Four stages of growth are identified along this path: 

A. The Higher Knowledge in the Vedas

 1

 The true import of the Vedas is now given, as opposed to its mis-quoting in slogam 2.42.

 The Vedas are a vast ocean of knowledge. Vedic study is prescribed for one as the first 

stage of growth. The portion that is going to be relevant henceforth to Arjuna is the Jnana 

Kanda. He does not need the Karma and Upasana Kanda which speak of goals that are still in 

the mundane realm. He has achieved them already. Now he has to aim beyond them. 

Yoga of the Supreme Self | Discourse 2: 

The Jnana Kanda speaks of the differentiation of the Real and the Unreal. The three 

Gunas or qualities of nature – Tamas, Rajas and Sattwa – are the starting point for the whole 

body of knowledge of Creation or the not-Self. This is where Para Vidya begins. 

The three Gunas are the basic building blocks of nature. All the five elements are 

made up of these three qualities in innumerable combinations. From them are produced the 

gross and the subtle creation. Sattwa is purity, Rajas is restlessness and Tamas is lethargy or 

inertia. More will be said in Chapter 14, 17 and 18 about these Gunas of nature.

 

B. Conscious Progress Through the Gunas:

 2

 Nistraigunyah: “beyond the three Gunas”. Lord Krishna is giving Arjuna an 

overview of the path that he is going to tread.  The plan of the Jnana Kanda is to make us 

evolve initially from Tamas to Rajas, then from Rajas to Sattwa, and finally to go beyond 

even Sattwa. The Vedas make provision for the training of man at all these levels. 

All people are catered for in the Vedas; no one is left out of God’s plan. The Tamasic

 people who have many desires are taught by the Karma Kanda how to go about satisfying 

their desires in an organized manner without violating righteousness. Similarly, the Rajasic

 people who have very restless minds, are taught by the Upasana Kanda to narrow their 

minds to the Deity they worship. They are trained to make their minds more focused. The 

Sattwic person who has developed purity is taught by the Jnana Kanda to grasp the 

knowledge about the deeper truths of life. 

 

The aim of the Vedas is to take us upward.  However, if we do not take Her help, 

then the worlds attained are determined by our Guna as follows: 

i) Tamas, pushes one towards Nishidha Karma or forbidden actions; it leads one to 

the lower worlds, one or the other of the seven ‘hells’. 

ii) Rajas, drives one towards Kamya Karma or desire-prompted actions; it leads one 

to the intermediate heavenly worlds, from earth to Pitruloka. 

iii) Sattwa, makes one stick to Nitya Karmas or one’s ordained duties in life; it leads 

one to the higher heavens from Swargaloka to Brahmaloka, the highest. 

C. Remaining in Sattwa Guna:

 3

 Nirdvandvah: “free from the pairs of opposites”. The way to attain the third stage 

is to train oneself to be free from the opposites, especially likes and dislikes. This is called 

Raga and Dwesha. If one can remain evenly poised in the midst of the opposites, it is a sign 

that one is established in Sattwa Guna.  

Arjuna is being instructed that he will at first have to strive to get established in 

Sattwa. The Karma Yoga will help him to do that. It will work out most of his Karma and 

purify him so that he can face the pairs of opposites with equipoise. 

D. Abiding in the Self:

4

 Nir-Yogakshema: “free from anxieties of survival (acquisition and preservation)”. 

The fourth stage is to establish oneself in the contemplation of the Self for increasing 

periods of time, until one gets permanently established in It. 

To achieve this, one is asked to surrender completely to the Lord and leave all 

personal concerns to Him. The seeker develops sufficiently to place his full trust in the Lord 

to take over the care of all his needs (Yoga-Kshema). With his mind thus freed from external 

anxieties, he can spend all his time remaining in God-remembrance or Self-abidance. 

*****

Next

Slogam - 46: “Drink What you Need, and Leave the Rest” 

Continued

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