BHAGAVAD GEETA: 70 - 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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Saturday 27, Apr 2024 06:50.
2.10   THE PRESCRIPTION FOR ARJUNA 
(Slogas 45-48,   4 No.) 
Post - 70.

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

1 

Yaavaan artha udapaane = As much use as a reservoir of water is 

 2 

sarvatah samplutodake; =  in a place where there is a flood everywhere

 3 

taavaan sarveshu vedeshu =  so much use are all the Vedas,   

4 

baahmanasya vijaanatah. =  to the knower of Brahman who is ‘flooded’ by the Self.

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This slogam relates to the first stage of the above verse, namely, the study of the 

Vedas. The person that is being addressed could be taken as a beginner, like Arjuna, or as 

the adept or sage. It was interpreted to us in two ways by Acharyaji, each one differing 

according to the person assumed to be addressed:

A. Addressed to the Beginner:

This is the first interpretation. 


i) Vijaanata: The person being addressed is taken to be the beginner

 in Karma Yoga 


(for example, Arjuna in this case) who is just starting on this path of the Higher knowledge 

after realizing the fruitlessness of the Lower knowledge, i.e. the path of desire-prompted 

activities which keeps one in Samsara. 

ii) Udapaane: The water is taken to represent the instructions

 given by the Vedas; 


the ‘water’ is abundant in the Vedas; it is overflowing (Sampluta) and more than one’s 

need. The Karma Yogi needs to take only the Jnana Kanda portion and ignore the rest. 

iii) The Context: is the start of Karma Yoga.

The meaning then is: 


“To the Karma Yogi who has come to realize that the Self alone is worth 

striving for, the bulk of the water of the Vedas (all the Karma Kanda parts which 

offer so many promises of pleasure) are of no use; he takes just the water of 

knowledge on devotion to the Lord, for that is all he needs for his immediate 

purpose. (Very soon he will be ready to drink more – of the water of Brahma 

Vidya also.)” 

B. Addressed to the Realised Sage:

This is the second interpretation. 


i) Vijaanata: Here, the person being addressed is taken to be a Self-realised sage

 who has brought to culmination the knowledge received on Brahma Vidya. 

ii) Udapaanam: This interpretation takes the ‘water’ to mean the rewards of Punya,

  

i.e. the pleasures to be attained by doing the rituals prescribed in the Karma Kanda of the 

Vedas; 


iii) The Context: is the accomplishment of Brahma Vidya.

 


The meaning then is: 


“To the sage who has realized the Self and become a complete 

Master of his senses, this little bit of ‘reservoir-sense-pleasure’ is 

insignificant in comparison to the ‘flood of Bliss’ he enjoys in the Self. 

When he enjoys so much more, why would he run after something so 

greatly inferior to it?” 


In the context of Arjuna’s need, the first interpretation is more appropriate. Arjuna is 

asked to drop all Kamya Karmas and begin to act in the spirit of Karma Yoga, performing his 

actions selflessly and with no desire for their results. Arjuna’s study programme is chalked 

out here – he is required to stick to the Jnana Kanda of the Vedas, namely, the Upanishads.

*****

Next

Slogam -  47: Where Does Arjuna Begin? 

Continued

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