Chapter 2
Sankhya Yoga
"Sankhya Yoga" or "Transcendental Knowledge," is the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is a pivotal chapter that lays the foundation for the spiritual teachings of Lord Krishna to Arjuna. In this chapter, Arjuna is faced with a moral dilemma on the battlefield, and he seeks guidance from Krishna. Krishna imparts profound wisdom about the nature of the self, the impermanence of the physical body, and the importance of performing one's duty without attachment to the results. He introduces the concept of "Niskama Karma," selfless action, as a path to spiritual realization. The chapter teaches us about the eternal nature of the soul, the insignificance of the material world, and the need to rise above our doubts and attachments to attain true knowledge and inner peace. This chapter serves as a philosophical and spiritual foundation for the subsequent chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, addressing fundamental questions about life, duty, and the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment.
Participants Speak....
Sankhya Yog means analytical knowledge of the nature of Soul.
Chapter 2 of Bhagwad Geeta deals with this and gives us the way "How to Be "
My major takeaways and learnings were:
We are not the body, not the mind,not the intellect and not the emotions.We are the all pervading Soul or Aatma or the Sakshi Bhaav (The Witness )as we call it.There is something inside of us which is watching us watch or hearing us hear the world around us and that is our Saakshi Bhaav.We need to unpeel ourselves layer by layer, untill we reach our Sakshi Bhaav, the Witness. So the body or the Shareer as we call it, is Asatya or Untruth but the Shareeri which is inside of our body, that is the Soul or Sakshi bhaav is Satya or the Truth.
Our ability to differentiate between what is Satya and Asatya or what is Eternal or Transient is the True knowledge or "Pragya".The one who can recognise this and maintain equanimity is said to be in "Stitha Pragya".
Body is perishable but the Soul is indestructible, imperishable, immortal and eternal.Death is the reality of body but not of the Soul.The Soul just casts off the worn off body at the time of death and enters a new body.Soul was,is and shall always be.
One who treats Happiness/Distress, Loss/Gain, Victory/Defeat all alike is said to be in Samatva because he sees Oneness in all Duality and can therefore never be crushed by the same.
One should therefore go ahead with his or her Nishkaam Karma, Karma which is selfless and not corrupted by any intention or bhaav behind it.Such a Karma unlike Sakaam Karma,is free of any expectations of the fruit it might bear and consequently one won't ever face any obstacles while performing such a karma.When we move ahead in our life with Nishkaam Karma with complete surrender to Almighty,He takes care of us and the fruit as well.
Sankhya Yog is therefore the profound knowledge or param gyaan of "How to be" and just knowing it is enough.
Bhavna Raina
My Learning related to Chapter 2 - Sankhya Yoga are:
1 - One who is focused 100% in doing action, is centred.
2 - When you compete with others, you become weak. So, compete only with yourself.
3 - When intellect and emotions are muddled up, you cannot be happy. Get centred! This is samadhi. Signs of a centred personality(or samadhi):
4 - One who has overcome all desires, who has naturally dropped all desires, who is satisfied with oneself. (If desires come, he sees them come and sees them go). You can reach this state by having a higher goal because then small desires/goals won't bother you. It requires skill to reach this state.
5 - one who is undisturbed when sorrow/joy comes.
6 - desires, anger and fear don't even touch him.
7 - he is neither thankful nor has hatred for anybody. He is in equanimity.
This can be achieved only by grace. :) Grace takes you out of sorrow-misery. You become happy and only then your intellect gets reformed again. You become more intelligent. So, meditate to increase intelligence and happiness.
8 - Don't worry about winning-losing, just do your job. Be centered and perform your duty, unmindful of what others think of you. It doesn't matter even if you lose, coz in the larger scheme of things it's not a loss. Clinging onto desires makes one feel poor.
Realize that you are satisfaction. No-thing can bring you satisfaction.
9 - At the time of death, leaving your body in this state of fulfillment, makes you reach the ultimate, the brahman-nirvana. Don't leave the body with desires.
Even if you follow a little bit of this knowledge, you will be free of fear, feverishness, and foolishness (3Fs).
Grace can turn around everything
Mamta Arora
ॐ Namo Bhagvate Vasudevaya !
यत्र योगेश्वर: कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धर: |
तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ||
Understanding about Chapter 2
It starts ofcourse with end of Chapter 1 i.e. Vishadh Yog, Vishadh Yog is only because that we are attached to everything and we think that we control the results and everything revolves around us. But as the reality is shown in Chapter 2 Sankhya Yog, this life itself is mortal and Gift of God for particular purpose whether Big or Small. We just need to be aware that there is soul which is immortal and has taken so many Lifetimes to attain it’s final journey which is Moksha (which is to be free from the Cycles of Life & Death and be with the Supreme Soul) from where we all have descended upon this planet for a particular reason/purpose as designed by the supreme soul.
We only control our actions and not results, we only have to do our best, of what we can, other than that we do not have any control over the results
Verse 2.47
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन |
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ||
We need to do our deeds without being obsessed with results. We need to do things with Nishkam Bhav. Further we need to maintain Stithpragya for which will keep us unbiased and detached with anything & everything.
We need to be aware about every situation that we face, try to do our best we can with Nishkam Bhav and remain Stithpragya while doing it and let the deeds be surrendered to God with full Shraddha to decide on the result. Also accept whatever result is been given by the Almighty with all humility, thinking that it is the Best of what it could be.
My take aways
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Is when we cannot control our Birth & Death, then what else can we control, We control only our Actions.
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Ahankar (EGO) is just absence of right Wisdom/Knowledge.
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Atma Agyan (Self Ignorance) is fundamental problem leading towards Ahankar (EGO).
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We need to be in Stith Pragya which is neither Sukh or Dukh
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Vishadh Yog is the 1st Step towards Self Realisation
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Manan & Chintan is a must to be done, to get the right direction in life.
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We are being continuously watched over, so have faith and keep doing what you feel is right with complete surrender & Shraddha.
Thank You Satish Sir, for this wonderful knowledge that you are imparting, with all your enthusiasm & zeal and knowledge of this Mahan Granth, which is the path to lead a rightful & joyful life.
Truly indebted to You !
Thank You !