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Chapter 2 of 18
Transcendental Knowledge
सांख्ययोगः
The Yoga of Knowledge
72 verses
1
सञ्जय उवाच
Sanjaya said: To him who was overcome with pity, whose eyes were full of tears and agitated, and who
2
श्री भगवानुवाच
The Blessed Lord said: O Arjuna, from where has this weakness come to you in this crisis? It is unbe
3
क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते…
Do not yield to weakness, O Partha; this does not befit you
4
अर्जुन उवाच
Arjuna said, 'O Madhusudana, O destroyer of enemies, how can I fight with arrows in battle against B
5
गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान्
It is better to live on alms than to kill these noble elders
6
न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो
We do not know which is better for us, whether we shall conquer them or they shall conquer us
7
कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः
My nature is weakened by pity, my mind confused about duty
8
न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्या
I see no way to remove this sorrow that dries up my senses, even if I gain a prosperous, enemy-free
9
सञ्जय उवाच
Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus to Hrishikesha, Gudakesha, the afflictor of foes, said 'I will not
10
तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत।
To him who was despondent in the midst of the two armies, Krishna, smiling, O Bharata, spoke these w
11
श्री भगवानुवाच
The Blessed Lord said: 'You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of w
12
न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः।
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor these rulers of men
13
देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा।
As the embodied soul passes through childhood, youth, and old age in this body, so it passes into an
14
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः।
O son of Kunti, the contacts of the senses with their objects bring cold and heat, pleasure and pain
15
यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ।
O best of men, the steady person whom these do not disturb, who sees pleasure and pain as equal, is
16
नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः।
There is no being of the unreal; the real has no non-existence
17
अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्।
Know that as indestructible by which all this is pervaded
18
अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः।
These bodies are said to be perishable, while the embodied Self within them is eternal, indestructib
19
य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम्।
He who thinks this One as killer and he who thinks this One as killed, both of them do not know; thi
20
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि
Never is this One born, nor does It ever die; nor, having come into existence, does It cease to be
21
वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम्।
O Partha, how can one who knows the Self as indestructible, eternal, unborn, and unchanging kill or
22
वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय
As a man casts off worn-out clothes and takes new ones, so the embodied self casts off worn-out bodi
23
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः।
Weapons cannot cut It, fire cannot burn It, water cannot moisten It, and air cannot dry It
24
अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च।
This Self cannot be cut, burned, wetted, or dried; it is eternal, all-pervading, immovable, and unch
25
अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते।
This is unmanifest, inconceivable, and unchangeable; therefore, knowing this, you should not grieve
26
अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम्।
If you think this one is born continually or constantly dies, even then, O mighty-armed one, you sho
27
जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च…
For one who is born, death is certain; and for one who has died, birth is certain
28
अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत।
O Bharata, beings are unmanifest at the start, manifest in the middle, and unmanifest again at the e
29
आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेन
Someone visualizes it as a wonder; someone else talks of it as a wonder; someone else hears of it as
30
देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत।
O descendant of Bharata, the dweller in the body of all is never slain; therefore, you should not gr
31
स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि।
Considering your own duty, you should not waver; for there is no better gain for a Kshatriya than a
32
यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम्।
O Arjuna, happy are the Kshatriyas who find such a battle, an open gate to heaven, coming unsought
33
अथ चैत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि।
On the other hand, if you do not fight this righteous battle, then you will incur sin, forsaking you
34
अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम्।
People will also speak of your eternal infamy; for one honored, infamy is worse than death
35
भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः।
The great warriors will think you withdrew from battle out of fear, and you will be held in low este
36
अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून् वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः।
Your enemies will speak many unspeakable words, denigrating your power
37
हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यस…
Either being killed you will attain heaven, or winning you will enjoy the earth
38
सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ।
Treating pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat equally, then engage in battle
39
एषा तेऽभिहिता सांख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां श्…
O Partha, this wisdom has been taught in Sankhya; now hear this wisdom in Yoga
40
नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते।
Here, there is no loss of effort, nor any harm
41
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन।
O scion of the Kuru dynasty, in this there is a single, one-pointed conviction
42
यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः।
O Partha, the undiscerning, attached to Vedic rituals, speak flowery words, declaring nothing else e
43
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम्।
Read verse 43
44
भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम्।
One-pointed conviction does not become established in the minds of those who delight in enjoyment an
45
त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन।
The Vedas deal with the three qualities; be free from them, O Arjuna
46
यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः संप्लुतोदके।
As much utility as a well has when flooded from all sides, so much utility do all the Vedas have for
47
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
Your right is only to act, never to the results
48
योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय।
O Dhananjaya, perform actions while established in Yoga, abandoning attachment, and remaining equal
49
दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनञ्जय।
O Dhananjaya, action is far inferior to the yoga of wisdom
50
बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते।
Endowed with wisdom, one casts off both good and evil here; therefore, strive for yoga; yoga is skil
51
कर्मजं बुद्धियुक्ता हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीषिणः।
The wise, united with intellect, renouncing the fruits of action, freed from the bondage of birth, r
52
यदा ते मोहकलिलं बुद्धिर्व्यतितरिष्यति।
When your intellect crosses beyond the mire of delusion, you will attain indifference to what has be
53
श्रुतिविप्रतिपन्ना ते यदा स्थास्यति निश्चला।
When your intellect, bewildered by Vedic texts, becomes unshakable and steadfast in the Self, then y
54
अर्जुन उवाच
Arjuna said, "O Kesava, what is the description of a man of steady wisdom who is self-absorbed?
55
श्री भगवानुवाच
The Blessed Lord said: 'O Partha, when one completely casts off all mental desires and is satisfied
56
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः।
One whose mind is unshaken in sorrow, free from craving in joy, and devoid of attachment, fear, and
57
यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम्।
He who is unattached everywhere, neither rejoicing nor hating upon meeting good or bad, has steady w
58
यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः।
When one withdraws the senses from sense objects, like a tortoise draws in its limbs, their wisdom b
59
विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः।
Sense objects turn away from the abstinent body, but the taste remains; yet even that taste departs
60
यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चितः।
Indeed, O son of Kunti, the turbulent senses forcibly carry away the mind of even a wise person who
61
तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्त आसीत मत्परः।
Controlling all senses, remain seated with Me as the supreme goal; for the wisdom of one whose sense
62
ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते।
When a person dwells on sense objects, attachment arises; from attachment, desire is born; from desi
63
क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः।
From anger follows delusion; from delusion, a failure of memory; from the failure of memory, the los
64
रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन्।
But the self-controlled person, moving among objects with senses free from attraction and repulsion,
65
प्रसादे सर्वदुःखानां हानिरस्योपजायते।
By serenity, all sorrows are destroyed; for the intellect of the serene-minded soon becomes steady
66
नास्ति बुद्धिरयुक्तस्य न चायुक्तस्य भावना।
For the unsteady there is no wisdom, no meditation for the unsteady, no peace for the unmeditative,
67
इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते।
For the mind that follows the wandering senses steals away wisdom, as the wind carries a boat on wat
68
तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः।
Therefore, O mighty-armed one, this wisdom becomes established when all its senses are withdrawn fro
69
या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी।
What is night for all beings, in that the self-controlled one is awake; what beings are awake to, th
70
आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं
As waters enter the ocean, which remains unmoved despite being filled from all sides, so do all desi
71
विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः।
That man attains peace who, having abandoned all desires, moves about free from longing, without the
72
एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमु…
O Partha, this is the state of Brahman
About Chapter 2
Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita is titled "Transcendental Knowledge" (सांख्ययोगः). This chapter contains 72 verses and explores the nature of the soul and selfless action. The core teaching focuses on why the soul is eternal, the body temporary, and duty must be done without attachment to results. The Yoga of Knowledge The Bhagavad Gita consists of 18 chapters and 700 verses in total, forming a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Prince Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. This chapter is part of the ancient Hindu scripture Mahabharata.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 about?
Chapter 2, titled "Transcendental Knowledge" (सांख्ययोगः), contains 72 verses. The Yoga of Knowledge This chapter focuses on why the soul is eternal, the body temporary, and duty must be done without attachment to results.
How many verses are in Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita?
Chapter 2 — Transcendental Knowledge — contains 72 verses. Each verse is available in original Sanskrit with transliteration. Full translations in 22 languages, word-by-word meanings, and audio recitation are available in the free Bhagavad Gita app.
What is the Sanskrit name of Chapter 2?
The Sanskrit name of Chapter 2 is "सांख्ययोगः," which translates to "Transcendental Knowledge" in English. The Bhagavad Gita's 18 chapters each have a Sanskrit title ending in "Yoga," indicating a spiritual discipline or path.