TV BG CHAP 2 SUMMARY

 Chapter II
When Arjuna, who had sought refuge in the Lord, asked about the certain means of driving away his grief, the Lord described the truth about the Self upto  30 in this chapter.

In the practice of the Yoga of Knowledge, the primary emphasis is laid on hearing as well as reflection   constant meditation on the truth about the Self.
Although after the thirtieth , through a dissertation on Arjunaís own duty, the character of the Yoga of Action has also been dealt with in this chapter, nevertheless the teachings of the chapter commence with a description of the Yoga of Knowledge or Sankhyayoga,   the character of the Self has been described in it in greater detail than in other chapters; hence it has been given the name of  the Yoga of Knowledge.

In the first  of this chapter Sanjaya gives a description of Arjuna's state of dejection.
In the second   third   K  reproaches Arjuna for his dejection accompanied by infatuation   faint-heartedness   encourages him to fight.
 In   4   5 Arjuna states that he would rather live on alms than slay noble elders like Bhima   Drona.
  6   7 are devoted by Arjuna to an expression of his doubt as to whether he should fight or not, to a description of his weakness in the form of faint-heartedness   perplexity   to a prayer to the Lord, in a spirit of surrender, for proper guidance about his duty.

In  8 declaring that undisputed sovereignty over the three worlds would not drive away his grief, he shows indifference to worldly aspiration.

Then, in   9   10 Sanjaya describes how expressing his unwillingness to fight- Arjuna became silent,   how  K smiled at this   addressed Arjuna.

In  11 the lord begins His teaching.

  12   13 are devoted to a description of the eternal   immutable character of the soul;
  14 speaks of the transitory nature of sense-enjoyments with emphasis on the necessity of ignoring both pleasure   pain;  
15 shows that the capacity to treat pleasure   pain alike leads to immortality.  
16 defines what is real   what is unreal;  
17 reveals the true character of the ërealí,
 18 the true character of the ëunrealí, ending with a clear exhortation for Arjuna to fight.
 19 declares those as ignorant, who hold the soul as subject to death or capable of killing;
 20 is devoted to characterization of the soul as free from the six forms of transformation.
In  21 it is shown that the knower of the Self neither kills anyone
nor causes anyone to be killed.  
In  22 the passing of the soul from one body to another has been explained by showing its similarity to the discarding of worn-out clothes   taking new ones,     
23 to 25 declare that the soul can neither be cut, nor burnt, nor drenched, nor dried; that it is eternal, omnipresent, immovable, constant, everlasting, unmanifest, unthinkable   immutable, so one should not grieve for it.

 In     26   27 it is shown that even if the soul is regarded as constanly taking birth
  constantly dying, one should not lament for it;  
 in  28 it has been declared unwise to lament over the loss of bodies, because they are perishable.  29 shows that the perceiver of the soul,   the speaker   hearer of the truth about it are alike rare,    
30 proves that inasmuch as the soul can never be slain it is not in the fitness of things to grieve for any being.  

 31 to 36 are devoted to a consideration of Arjunaís duty as a Kshatriya,   show that it would be improper for Arjuna, from any point of view, to desist from battle.  
37 declares that participation in battle is advantageous, both from the point of view of this world as well as of the next,   ends with an exhortation to Arjuna to prepare himself for the fight. Evenness of mind in pleasure   pain, gain   loss, etc., has been shown in  
38 as the secret of remaining untouched by sin in such deeds as participation in war.
In  39 the subject of Karmayoga (the Yoga of selfless action) has been introduced as a means of throwing off the shackles of Karma.
 40 is devoted to praising the greatness of Karmayoga   
 41 to showing the difference between the determinate   one-pointed intellect   the scattered intellect of ignorant men moved by desires.   
42 to 44 describe the character of those who are obsessed by desire   look upon heaven as the supreme goal of life. In   45 Arjuna is advised to be free from desires, to rise above pairs of opposites like pleasure   pain etc., to be established in the Eternal Existance   to remain unconcerned about the supply of wants   the preservation of worldly possessions,   keep the mind under control. Then, pointing out
in  46 that happiness accruing as the fruit of Vedic rituals has no attraction for a Brµahmaƒa who has obtained enlightenment,  
47 is devoted to a definition of Karmayoga in a nutshell.
In  48 equanimity is described as synonymous with Yoga.
 49 says that action with a selfish motive is far inferior to equanimity   that the seeker of the fruit of action is extremely poor   wretched.
  50   51 are in praise of a Karmayog?, possessing equanimity,   exhort Arjuna to apply himself to Karmayoga, making it perfectly clear that equanimity leads to the attainment of the blissful Supreme State. Then,
 in   52   53 the Lord states that when growing indifferent to the world, the mind becomes pure, clear   steadfast, it succeeds in realizing God.
In  54 Arjuna puts four questions about the person possessed of a stable mind. His first question is briefly answered
in  55, the second question in   56   57   the third in  58.

These   describe the marks of one possessed of a stable mind by saying that he has no cravings   desires, is satisfied in the self, requiring no eternal means of enjoyment, remains unperturbed in sorrows, is devoid of thirst for pleasures, is absolutely free from passion, fear   anger, remains unattached to everything   neither rejoices nor recoils when meeting with good   evil,   withdrawing his senses from sense-objects keeps them under complete control.
In  59 saying that sense-objects may cease when they are not enjoyed by the senses, but the relish for them persists   this relish disappears through God-realization, the Lord shows
in  60 the turbulent nature of the senses,   urges
in  61 the necessity of controlling the mind   senses   devoting oneself to God,   ends the  with the praise of one who has conquered the senses.  
 62   63 show the gradual process of manís fall   degradation through indulgence in thoughts of sense-objects   
  64   65 show how placidity of mind is attained by one who acts remaining free from likes   dislikes, how his sorrows come to an end   his intellect soon becomes firmly established in God. Then,
in  66 showing that he who has no control over his mind can have no determinate reason, thoughts of God, peace   happiness, the illustration of the wind   boat has been cited
in  67 to demonstrate how discrimination is taken away by the sense which has the mind joined to it;   finally,
   68 is intended to establish that in reality the man of stable mind is he who has complete control over his senses. Then,  69 shows how Brahmic Bliss is night to the generality of men, even as worldly enjoyment is night to the seer.  
70 is devoted to the praise of the exalted soul who has attained wisdom   compares him with the ocean;  
  71 declares that supreme peace is attained by him who moves in the world free from all forms of desire, attachment, egoism   thirst for enjoyment. The chapter is concluded
 in  72 with a description of the glory of this Brahmic state.