BHAGAVAD GEETA: 77 - 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 10, June 2024 07:10.
2.11   THE GLORY OF KARMA YOGA 
(Slogas 49-53, 5 No.) 
Post - 77.

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Slogam - 53: The Second Milestone:  Self-Abidance : 

1 

Shruti-viprati-pannaa te = Though perplexed by what you have ‘heard’,  

2 

yadaa sthaasyati nishchalaa; = yet, standing immovable in the face of it,  

3 

samaadhau achalaa buddhih = your intellect remains steadfast in the Self , 

4 

tadaa yogam avaapsyasi. = that is when you shall attain complete union. 

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This is the second and ultimate milestone reached by all spiritual seekers. It heralds 

the entry into the next section which deals with the state of the Stithaprajna, the man of 

perfect wisdom, the God-realised saint. 

In slogam 48, Sri Krishna had concluded Karma Yoga by mentioning its two 

characteristic gains – non-attachment and equipoise. Here He is concluding His entire 

message from verse 2.11 onwards, i.e. both Karma Yoga and Saankhya Yoga. And he does so 

in a similar manner. The ultimate gain of Saankhya Yoga is perfect Equipoise in the face of 

all encounters in the world. Under all conditions one is able to remain fixed in the Self. 

Perfection in Equipoise:

 1

 Shruti-Vipratipanna: As for the previous verse, the words “what is heard” should 

be interpreted widely to cover that which is reported by all five senses, i.e. all that is heard, 

seen, tasted, smelt and touched. These inputs in an ordinary individual would cause all the 

“perplexities” of life.  

2

 Nischalaa: “immovable”. The stage now being described occurs when these 

sensory data no longer perplex or disturb the seeker, due to the purity of his mind gained by 

the practice of Karma Yoga and Saankhya Yoga. Another name for this immovability is 

Equipoise or balance of mind. The mind remains unshakeable in all conditions. This is the 

second milestone. 

3

 Achalaa: “steadfast”. As more and more purity of mind is developed through 

Karma Yoga and then through Saankhya Yoga, the intellect gets sharpened with every 

encounter from the sensory world. A stage comes when the intellect is razor-sharp and 

alert. At that point, even if it is blasted by wide-ranging stimuli from all the five senses, it is 

able to withstand them with perfect poise. 

This can happen only when the intellect is firmly established in the Self, not under 

any other condition. 

4

 This firm abidance in the Self is called Yoga or complete identity or oneness with 

the Self. At first, the means to achieve the goal are called Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Now, 

the Goal itself is being called ‘Yoga’. 

Journey from 1st to 2nd Milestone:

 Acharyaji explained that the journey between the first and the second milestones, 

i.e. from Nirvedam to Samadhi, or from Indifference to Equipoise, referred to the very   

Yoga of the Supreme Self | Discourse 2 

stormy period of Antaranga (internal) Sadhana involving Sravana, Manana and 

Nididhyasana. Only after successfully overcoming these hurdles does one arrive at the stage 

of Equipoise or “inner stabilisation of the mind”, which is folllowed by Self-realisation itself. 

A brief outline of the internal Sadhana is given here for completeness: 

i) Sravana: this is the attentive hearing of the Truths expounded by the Guru. The 

Guru can only do this when the first milestone of Dispassion has been reached. This 

removes all Abhavana

 from the seeker, i.e. all wrong notions which he had previously held 

due to incorrect thinking. 

ii) Manana: this is intense reflection that the seeker has to do in order to clear all 

traces of Asambhavana or doubt from his mind. The seeker uses the logical analysis 

methods approved by the Srutis to clear these doubts. 

iii) Nididhyasana: the deep and steady practice when the seeker is plunged in deep 

meditation. At these times, he discovers that there are deeply seated Vasanas which begin 

to surface and trouble him. This is the experience of Viparita Bhavana. 

The seeker has to deal with these Vasanas and eliminate them successfully. 

iv) Yogam: The fruit of attaining the Nischala state (another name for Equipoise) is 

Self-realisation, when the seeker abides in an unbroken continuity in the state of union with 

the Self. It is the result of Karma Yoga as well as the above three Vedantic Sadhanas. 

In Discourse 6, the stages of Sadhana are analysed in great detail. The Sadhaka who 

achieves Nirvedam is described there as Aarurukshah, the qualification which prepares one 

for Sravana. Then comes the stage of Equipoise, and the Sadhaka reaching it is referred to as 

Yoga-Yuktah, and is prepared for Manana. Finally, comes the stage of mental Quietitude, 

and the Sadhaka reaching it is referred to as Yoga-Aaroodhah, and is prepared for 

Nididhyasana or serious meditation. 

Arjuna has been listening intently without interruption since verse 2.11 for 43 verses. 

The Lord now gives Arjuna a brief moment to regain his breath – after all, all this must have 

been quite “breath-taking” for Arjuna; in addition, he has to prepare himself to get up soon 

and start fighting! 

A very different Arjuna now comes up with just the right question to keep the Geeta 

moving on to greater and greater heights. The section that follows is known the world over 

for its brevity in expressing the most sublime state of the Steady-Minded Sage. 

***** 

Next

Discourse 2 | Yoga of the Supreme Self  

2.12   THE MAN OF STEADY WISDOM 

(Slogas 54-67, 14 No.)

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