Commentary on the Bhagavadgita : 11.1 - Swami Krishnananda.

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Friday,  July 30, 2021. 7:32. PM.
Discourse 11: The Fifth Chapter Begins – Knowledge and Action are One -1.
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“My Lord, what are You telling me? You say that jnana is the highest. I understand what You say. But sometimes You say, ‘You must act. All actions melt in knowledge.’ If that is the case, where comes the necessity for me to hear from You the instruction that I must act?” Sannyāsaṁ karmaṇāṁ kṛṣṇa punar yogaṁ ca śaṁsasi, yac chreya etayor ekaṁ tan me brūhi suniścitam (5.1). “Sometimes You say jnana, sometimes You say karma. Between these two, which is better for me?” This is Arjuna’s question.

Jyāyasī cet karmaṇas te matā buddhir janārdana, tat kiṁ karmaṇi ghore māṁ niyojayasi keśava (3.1). This question is raised in the beginning of the Third Chapter. If buddhi, understanding, is the root of all activity—as is mentioned in the Second Chapter where buddhi, or knowledge, is extolled as far superior to all actions—where is the need for action? Now, a similar question is being raised by Arjuna in the beginning of the Fifth Chapter. “When You say knowledge is supreme and all actions melt in knowledge, I would certainly be tempted to acquire that knowledge where all necessity to act will melt and actions will get burned.”

A disciple went to a Guru and asked, “Maharaj, who is greater, a disciple or a Guru?

The Guru said, “A Guru is greater.”

The disciple replied, “Then please make me a Guru.”

This is the kind of question that Arjuna raised after hearing the discourse on the interrelationship between yoga and sankhya, jnana and karma. In the language of the Bhagavadgita, sankhya means knowledge. It is also known as jnana. Here yoga means action, karma, or rather the application of knowledge; karma means applied knowledge. Just as there is applied physiology, applied physics, applied chemistry, etc., applied knowledge is yoga which is karma.

“What is this question you are raising once again after having heard so much that I have been telling you?” In light of what we have already studied in the Fourth Chapter, there is some repetition in the Fifth Chapter. The Fourth and the Fifth Chapters deal with the same theme, so sometimes there appears to be a repetition and an overemphasis of certain things.

To be continued ....

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