अर्जुन उवाच | ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन | तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव || 1|| व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे | तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् || 2|| श्रीभगवानुवाच | लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ | ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् || 3|| |
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“O Janardhana, if you consider wisdom to be superior to action, why then do you ask me to wage this terrible war? O Keshava, my intellect is bewildered by your ambiguous advice. Please tell me decisively the one path by which I may attain the highest good”
Lord Krishna replied, “O Sinless One, at the onset of creation, a two-fold way of salvation was given by Me to this world: divine union through Wisdom (Sankhya) for the wise and Spiritual Activity (Karma) for the yogi”
Commentary
In the earlier chapter, Lord Krishna expounded on Sankhya Yoga or union with God through wisdom about senses and transcendental nature of the soul. Arjuna addresses Lord Krishna as Janardhana, one who protects people and Keshava, one who has beautiful curly hair and the killer of horse-demon called Keshi. Arjuna thought wisdom is superior and so naturally asked to be enlightened on why he should engage in such a fierce battle after attaining wisdom.
In Hinduism, the first humans were created by a special power of Brahma – Sage Manu and his wife Ananti. Manu-Smriti is a treatise on Dharma with clear instructions on duties, rights, laws and virtues for the well-being of an individual and society as laid down by God. Addressing the pure nature of Arjuna (Anagha or one without sin), Lord Krishna says that during this golden period called Satya Yuga, He gave a two-fold way for liberation – Wisdom (Sankhya Yoga) and Spiritual activity (Karma Yoga). When every activity of body and mind is performed in a certain way as elaborated in the subsequent verses, it transforms into spiritual activity. When man reforms himself, only then there is transformation in society. Wisdom and spiritual activity merge together when a devotee combines theoretical knowledge with practical application through the common science of yoga. These are not two different paths but complementary ones like the tracks of a train, that support a devotee on his journey to freedom. With knowledge and wisdom, every activity can be spiritualized to reduce karma and in the process of offering activity to God, wisdom is acquired.
In this chapter, Lord Krishna expands on the nature of action, its effects and how it should be performed to achieve victory. He explains many aspects beautifully implying that there is a time to act spiritually and a time to rest the senses, where one withdraws them to the subtle source of God and enjoys the bliss of Cosmic Wisdom.
In a poetic way, I say:
Time to act, time to rest
How to do both at your best,
Is the spiritual quest
At the Lord’s Behest