Saturday, July 26, 2008

Chap 3, Shloka 1 to 4

Chap 3, Shloka 1.
Translations from Shri Prabhupada's "Bhagavad Gita As it is"
Weblink: http://www.asitis.com/3/

arjuna uvaca

jyayasi cet karmanas te mata buddhir janardana
tat kim karmani ghore mam niyojayasi kesava

SYNONYMS

arjunah--Arjuna; uvaca--said; jyayasi--speaking very highly; cet--although; karmanah--than fruitive action; te--Your; mata--opinion; buddhih--intelligence; janardana--O Krsna; tat--therefore; kim--why; karmani--in action; ghore--ghastly; mam--me; niyojayasi--engaging me; kesava--O Krsna.

TRANSLATION

Arjuna said: O Janardana, O Kesava, why do You urge me to engage in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work?

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna has very elaborately described the constitution of the soul in the previous chapter, with a view to deliver His intimate friend Arjuna from the ocean of material grief. And the path of realization has been recommended: buddhi-yoga, or Krsna consciousness. Sometimes Krsna consciousness is misunderstood to be inertia, and one with such a misunderstanding often withdraws to a secluded place to become fully Krsna conscious by chanting the holy name of Lord Krsna. But without being trained in the philosophy of Krsna consciousness, it is not advisable to chant the holy name of Krsna in a secluded place, where one may acquire only cheap adoration from the innocent public. Arjuna also thought of Krsna consciousness or buddhi-yoga, or intelligence in spiritual advancement of knowledge, as something like retirement from active life and the practice of penance and austerity at a secluded place. In other words, he wanted to skillfully avoid the fighting by using Krsna consciousness as an excuse. But as a sincere student, he placed the matter before his master and questioned Krsna as to his best course of action. In answer, Lord Krsna elaborately explained karma-yoga, or work in Krsna consciousness, in this Third Chapter.

Chap 3, Shloka 2.
Translations from Shri Prabhupada's "Bhagavad Gita As it is"
Weblink: http://www.asitis.com/3/

vyamisreneva vakyena buddhim mohayasiva me
tad ekam vada niscitya yena sreyo 'ham apnuyam

SYNONYMS

vyamisrena--by equivocal; iva--as; vakyena--words; buddhim--intelligence; mohayasi--bewildering; iva--as; me--my; tat--therefore; ekam--only one; vada--please tell; niscitya--ascertaining; yena--by which; sreyah--real benefit; aham--I; apnuyam--may have it.

TRANSLATION

My intelligence is bewildered by Your equivocal instructions. Therefore, please tell me decisively what is most beneficial for me.

PURPORT

In the previous chapter, as a prelude to the Bhagavad-gita, many different paths were explained, such as sankhya-yoga, buddhi-yoga, control of the senses by intelligence, work without fruitive desire, and the position of the neophyte. This was all presented unsystematically. A more organized outline of the path would be necessary for action and understanding. Arjuna, therefore, wanted to clear up these apparently confusing matters so that any common man could accept them without misinterpretation. Although Krsna had no intention of confusing Arjuna by any jugglery of words, Arjuna could not follow the process of Krsna consciousness--either by inertia or active service. In other words, by his questions he is clearing the path of Krsna consciousness for all students who seriously want to understand the mystery of the Bhagavad-gita.

Chap 3, Shloka 3.
Translations from Shri Prabhupada's "Bhagavad Gita As it is"
Weblink: http://www.asitis.com/3/

sri-bhagavan uvaca
loke 'smin dvi-vidha nistha pura prokta mayanagha
jnana-yogena sankhyanam karma-yogena yoginam

SYNONYMS

sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; loke--in the world; asmin--this; dvi-vidha--two kinds of; nistha--faith; pura--formerly; prokta--were said; maya--by Me; anagha--O sinless one; jnana-yogena--by the linking process of knowledge; sankhyanam--of the empiric philosophers; karma-yogena--by the linking process of devotion; yoginam--of the devotees.

TRANSLATION

The Blessed Lord said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who realize the Self. Some are inclined to understand Him by empirical, philosophical speculation, and others are inclined to know Him by devotional work.

PURPORT

In the Second Chapter, verse 39, the Lord explained two kinds of procedures--namely sankhya-yoga and karma-yoga, or buddhi-yoga. In this verse, the Lord explains the same more clearly. Sankhya-yoga, or the analytical study of the nature of spirit and matter, is the subject matter for persons who are inclined to speculate and understand things by experimental knowledge and philosophy. The other class of men work in Krsna consciousness, as it is explained in the 61st verse of the Second Chapter. The Lord has explained, also in the 39th verse, that by working by the principles of buddhi-yoga, or Krsna consciousness, one can be relieved from the bonds of action; and, furthermore, there is no flaw in the process. The same principle is more clearly explained in the 61st verse--that this buddhi-yoga is to depend entirely on the Supreme (or more specifically, on Krsna), and in this way all the senses can be brought under control very easily. Therefore, both the yogas are interdependent, as religion and philosophy. Religion without philosophy is sentiment, or sometimes fanaticism, while philosophy without religion is mental speculation. The ultimate goal is Krsna, because the philosophers who are also sincerely searching after the Absolute Truth come in the end to Krsna consciousness. This is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. The whole process is to understand the real position of the self in relation to the Superself. The indirect process is philosophical speculation, by which, gradually, one may come to the point of Krsna consciousness; and the other process is directly connecting with everything in Krsna consciousness. Of these two, the path of Krsna consciousness is better because it does not depend on purifying the senses by a philosophical process. Krsna consciousness is itself the purifying process, and by the direct method of devotional service it is simultaneously easy and sublime.

Chap 3, Shloka 4.

Translations from Shri Prabhupada's "Bhagavad Gita As it is"
Weblink: http://www.asitis.com/3/

na karmanam anarambhan naiskarmyam puruso 'snute
na ca sannyasanad eva siddhim samadhigacchati

SYNONYMS

na--without; karmanam--of the prescribed duties; anarambhat--nonperformance; naiskarmyam--freedom from reaction; purusah--man; asnute--achieve; na--nor; ca--also; sannyasanat--by renunciation; eva--simply; siddhim--success; samadhigacchati--attain.

TRANSLATION

Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.

PURPORT

The renounced order of life can be accepted upon being purified by the discharge of the prescribed form of duties which are laid down just to purify the heart of materialistic men. Without purification, one cannot attain success by abruptly adopting the fourth order of life (sannyasa). According to the empirical philosophers, simply by adopting sannyasa, or retiring from fruitive activities, one at once becomes as good as Narayana. But Lord Krsna does not approve this principle. Without purification of heart, sannyasa is simply a disturbance to the social order. On the other hand, if someone takes to the transcendental service of the Lord, even without discharging his prescribed duties, whatever he may be able to advance in the cause is accepted by the Lord (buddhi-yoga). Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. Even a slight performance of such a principle enables one to overcome great difficulties


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