The Essence of Bhagavad Gita – Page 2

Bhagavad Gita Continued:

Arjuna’s Moment of Surrender: Seeking the Right Path

Stanza 6:

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसंमूढचेताः।

Therefore, I have surrendered to you now. I am your disciple now. Tell me what course of action is beneficial to me at this hour ?

Stanza 7:

अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे ।

गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचंति पंडिताः ॥

Lord Krishna said “ Arjuna, you speak like a wise man. Wise men do not grieve for those who should not be grieved for or for those presently living ”.(Implying that those who are destined to die in the war as per their destiny will die anyway and those who are destined to survive will survive. This being the cosmic WILL, whom is he grieving for ?, Whether for those who are going to die or for those who are going to live after the war).

Stanza 8:

न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः ।

न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम् ॥

There was no time at which neither I nor You or these kings ceased to exist. Similarly, there will be no time at which we will all be ceasing to exist (implying eternal existence of souls).

The Continuity of Life: From Childhood to Afterlife

Stanza 9:

देहिनो ऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा ।

तथा देहांतरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ॥

Just as childhood, youth and old age are natural to all the souls (individual beings) which have donned the physical body, casting the old and donning new bodies is also natural. Therefore, the courageous people will not be deluded by this attachment to the body (implying rebirth of the soul is inevitable).

Stanza 10:

मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौंतेय शीतोष्ण सुखदुःखदाः ।

आगमापायिनो ऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥

All the experiences of heat and cold, happiness and sorrows derived through the senses are just transient. Therefore, Arjuna be courageous enough to endure them.

Stanza 11:

यं हि न व्यथयंत्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ ।

समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥|

The senses and the worldly affairs cannot torment (influence) a person who is EVEN (equal or neutral) to happiness and sorrows. Such a person is qualified to become immortal.

Stanza 12 :

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः ।

उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽ न्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्वदर्शिभिः ॥

That which is NOT true has no real existence (transient) and that which is TRUE shall never die or cease to exist. The philosophers know this truth.

Stanza 13 :

अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः ।

अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ॥

All the physical bodies donned by the immortal soul (Individual BEING) are perishable. Therefore, Arjuna get up and fight.

Stanza 14:

य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम् ।

उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हंति न हन्यते ॥

He who thinks that he is killing the soul, and he who thinks that his soul is being killed, both are ignorant. The soul cannot kill nor can get killed, for it is indestructible implying soul is eternal and immortal).

Pleasure and Pain: Why Equanimity is the Key to Liberation

Stanza 15:

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचित् नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः।

अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे॥

The soul has no birth or death nor was it born once upon a time and now continued to exist. It has no beginning or end. Even when the physical body donned by it dies, the soul never dies (indestructible). It is eternal.

Key Lesson: The Art of Surrender

"I am your disciple now. Tell me what course of action is beneficial to me."

The 3 Steps to Divine Guidance:

• Accepting Ignorance: Arjuna admits he is “confused about his duty.” True wisdom begins with admitting we don’t have all the answers.

• Complete Surrender: By saying “I am your disciple,” Arjuna moves from being a friend to a student, opening himself to higher knowledge.

• The Eternal Perspective: Krishna immediately shifts the focus from the temporary (death in war) to the eternal (the soul).

The Takeaway: When life becomes overwhelming, stop struggling with your intellect. Like Arjuna, surrender your ego to the Universal Will (Natural Law) to find the right path forward.