BHAGAVAD GEETA: 71 - 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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Thursday  02,  May  2024 06:20.
2.10   THE PRESCRIPTION FOR ARJUNA 
(Slogas 45-48,   4 No.) 
Post - 71.

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Slogam -  47: Where Does Arjuna Begin? 

1 

Karmaani eva adhikaarah te = Thy right is to work only, 

2  

maa phaleshu kadaachana; =  not to be concerned with its fruits; 

3

maa karma-phala-heturbhooh =  let not the fruits of actions be your motive, 

4 

maa te sangah astu akarmani. =   nor should you be attached to inaction (laziness). 

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The Supreme Master of Yoga, Sri Krishna, has assessed the immediate need of his 

disciple, Arjuna, to be Karma Yoga for the Rajasic or active temperament person. Where to 

start Sadhana for such a person is now being described. The Lord is spoon-feeding his 

disciple by telling him exactly where to begin and what to begin with. 

In slogam 2.45 we encountered the four stages of spiritual progress on this Path. 

Where does Arjuna begin his Sadhana? Arjuna is at the very beginning of Karma Yoga, so he 

has to start acquiring knowledge (stage 1), and begin his practice (stage 2) according to the 

direction given in this slogam. 

1.

 The Rajasic person has to work , that is his calling by nature. He has yet to acquire 

purification of his heart, and become ready for Atma Jnana, Brahma Vidya, Para Vidya or 

Knowledge of the Self (all four mean the same thing), and so Saankhya Yoga is for the time 

being suspended. There is an obstruction or Pratibandha facing him on that path. This 

Pratibandha is impurity. Arjuna needs to work on that as his immediate Sadhana. 

Arjuna’s Eligibility for Karma Yoga:

 Arjuna is being groomed for the Sadhana of Karma Yoga, for which he has just 

become eligible due to the following changes in his life: 

i) He has expressed no desire for material prosperity, kingship, or pleasures; 

ii) He has realized that only Sri Krishna, the Guru, can save him; 

iii) He has unreservedly opened himself as a disciple to Sri Krishna for guidance; 

iv) His Mumukshutwa or aspiration has grown very high; he is seeking something 

very lofty, for which even Lordship on Earth or in heaven can be sacrificed willingly; 

v) Finally, he has a deep desire to be rid of the Moha and Shoka (delusion and 

sorrow) that has overcome him. 

These qualifications make him eligible for entering the first hall of Brahma Vidya, 

namely Karma Yoga. From there, his Divine Guru will lead him into further halls of progress.

Renouncing the Fruit of Action:

2-3.

 There is a tendency among capitalists to maximize their profits at the expense or 

exploitation of others. They exert economic power over workers to keep them under their 

subjection. If this verse were to be seen against this capitalist perspective, it would perfectly 

suit their philosophy: Imagine capitalists quoting this verse and telling workers to do their 

work and not to worry about other matters, especially not to worry about their pay!  

Can a charge be laid against the Geeta that it advocates a similar system? The 

answer from the spiritual perspective is a definte “No!” 

In an economic set-up, workers are helpless; in the spiritual field, the Karma Yogi 

voluntarily accepts poverty upon himself for his own growth. In the Geeta, the aim is to free 

one from the defects inherent in all action. One’s acts are dedicated exclusively to the Lord. 

This verse does not ask the spiritual aspirant to make himself vulnerable to external 

exploiters. Exploitation of a Karma Yogi is out of the question because he places himself in 

the service of his Guru whom he can trust fully. 

The slogam teaches the Karma Yogi to cultivate the correct inner attitude of surrender 

so that he becomes free of all taints inherent in actions. 

3.

 Why is the Karma Yogi asked not to pin his faith on a particular result? If he 

hankers for a particular result, that binds his mind. He can free himself only by being free of 

that desire. If he does that, the result is replaced by an equivalent amount of purity. The 

Karma Yogi voluntarily renounces the fruit in order to get more purity. The real action for 

him is not the external one, but the internal act of renunciation.

  

Let us compare this to the system of the capitalists. In the latter case, fear is instilled 

in workers to gain power over them. The Geeta’s teaching is based on love not fear. 

Acharyaji took “Exam-fear” as an example in class, and considered how it affected students 

preparing for examinations. Acharyaji said, “The real fear is the fear of being judged by the 

result of the exam. This causes stress.  

The mental renunciation of the result frees one from that stress. By the words 

“Relinquish the result” is meant that the Karma Yogi does not crave for the result. The result 

is not his motive. He is fulfilled by the very performance of duty, which he dedicates to God. 

Let us take a deeper look at this statement: Karma Yoga is an internal attitude in the 

Karma Yogi. It is between him and God. No one else need enter the picture. Thus there is no 

possibility of exploiting or being exploited in true Karma Yoga.  

Inaction vs. Laziness:

4.

 The verse furthers our understanding of how to spiritualize our actions. The 

subject of Inaction is yet to unfold in the Discourses that follow. It forms a key concept in 

understanding Karma Yoga. There is an internal inaction that is advocated by the Geeta later 

in the text. Here, to begin with, the Lord is referring to external inaction, which the Geeta 

does not advocate. As Arjuna is very likely to misunderstand this as “abandonment” of 

actions, the Lord quickly says He does not mean that one should not become lazy,

Usually dullness comes to one who has no result to look forward to in his work. But 

we find that when a person dedicates everything to God, he becomes more enthusiastic, 

more perfect in his work, more rejuvenated at heart, and filled with greater inspiration for 

the cause he is working towards. The teaching here is, “If you rest, you rust.” 

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Next

Slogam - 48:

Summary Statement on Karma Yoga

Continued

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