Srimad Bhagavad Gita - Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary – Chapter 2 – Part -5



























Srimad
Bhagavad Gita

English Translation of
Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary
Swami Gambhirananda


श्रीभगवानुवाच

प्रजहाति यदा कामान्सर्वान्पार्थ मनोगतान् ।
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते ॥२- ५५॥

दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः ।
वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ॥२- ५६॥

यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम् ।
नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥२- ५७॥

यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥२- ५८॥

विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः ।
रसवर्जं रसोऽप्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते ॥२- ५९॥

यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चितः ।
इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि हरन्ति प्रसभं मनः ॥२- ६०॥

तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्त आसीत मत्परः ।
वशे हि यस्येन्द्रियाणि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥२- ६१॥

ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते ।
सङ्गात्संजायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते ॥२- ६२॥

क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः ।
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद्बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति ॥२- ६३॥

रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् ।
आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति ॥२- ६४॥

प्रसादे सर्वदुःखानां हानिरस्योपजायते ।
प्रसन्नचेतसो ह्याशु बुद्धिः पर्यवतिष्ठते ॥२- ६५॥

नास्ति बुद्धिरयुक्तस्य न चायुक्तस्य भावना ।
न चाभावयतः शान्तिरशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम् ॥२- ६६॥

इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनु विधीयते ।
तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि ॥२- ६७॥

तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥२- ६८॥

 
 















2.55 The Blessed said -- O Partha, when one fully
renounces all the desires that have entered the
mind, and remains satisfied in the Self alone by the
Self, then he is called a man of steady wisdom.

2.55 In the verses beginning from, 'When one fully
renounces...', and ending with the completion the
Chapter, instruction about the characteristics of the
man of steady wisdom and the disciplines (he had
to pass through) is being given both for the one
who has, indeed, applied himself to steadfastness

in the Yoga of Knowledge after having renounced
rites and duties from the very beginning [Even
while he is in the stage of celibacy.], and for the one
who has (applied himself to this after having
passed) through the path of Karma-yoga. For in all
the scriptures without exception, dealing, with
spirituality, whatever are the characteristics of the
man of realization are themselves presented as the
disciplines for an aspirant, because these
(characteristics) are the result of effort. And those
that are the disciplines requiring effort, they
become the characteristics (of the man of
realization). [There are two kinds of sannyasa --
vidvat (renunciation that naturally follows
Realization), and vividisa, formal renunciation for
undertaking the disciplines which lead to that
Realization. According to A.G. the characteristics
presented in this and the following verses describe
not only the vidvat-sannyasin, but are also meant
as disciplines for the vividisa-sannyasin.-Tr.] O
Partha, yada, when, at the time when; prajahati,
one fully renounces; sarvan, all; the kaman, desires,
varieties of desires; manogatan, that have entered
the mind, entered into the heart --. If all desires are
renounced while the need for maintaining the
body persists, then, in the absence of anything to
bring satisfaction, there may arise the possibility of

one's behaving like lunatics or drunkards. [A
lunatic is one who has lost his power of
discrimination, and a drunkard is one who has that
power but ignores it.] Hence it is said: Tustah,
remains satisfied; atmani eva, in the Self alone, in
the very nature of the inmost Self; atmana, by the
Self which is his own -- indifferent to external
gains, and satiated with everything else on account
of having attained the nector of realization of the
supreme Goal; tada, then; ucyate, he is called;
sthita-prajnah, a man of steady wisdom, a man of
realization, one whose wisdom, arising from the
discrimination between the Self and the not-Self, is
stable. The idea is that the man of steady wisdom is
a monk, who has renounced the desire for
progeny, wealth and the worlds, and who delights
in the Self and disports in the Self.

2.56 That monk is called a man of steady wisdom
when his mind is unperturbed in sorrow, he is free
from longing for delights, and has gone beyond
attachment, fear and anger.

2.56 Moreover, that munih, monk [Sankaracarya
identifies the monk with the man of realization.]
ucyate, is then called; sthita-dhih, a man of steady
wisdom; when anudvignamanah, his mind is
unperturbed; duhkhesu, in sorrow -- when his
mind remains unperturbed by the sorrows that
may come on the physical or other planes [Fever,
headache, etc. are physical (adhyatmika) sorrows;
sorrows caused by tigers, snakes, etc. are
environmental (adhibhautika) sorrows; those
caused by cyclones, floods, etc. are super-natural
(adhidaivika). Similarly, delights also may be
experienced on the three planes.] --; so also, when
he is vigata-sprhah, free from longing; sukhesu, for
delights -- when he, unlike fire which flares up
when fed with fuel etc., has no longing for delights
when they come to him --; and vita-raga-bhayakrodhah,
has gone beyond attachment, fear and
anger.
2.57 The wisdom of that person remains
established who has not attachment for anything
anywhere, who neither welcomes nor rejects
anything whatever good or bad when he comes
across it.

2.57 Further, prajna, the wisdom; tasya, of that
person, fo that sannyasin; pratisthita, remains
established; yah, who; anabhi-snehah, has no
attachment for; sarvatra, anything anywhere, even
for body, life, etc.; who na abhinanadati, neither
welcomes; na dvesti, nor rejects; tat tat, anything
whatever; subha-asubham, good or bad; propya,
when he comes across it, i.e. who does not rejoice
on meeting with the good, nor reject the bad on
meeting with it. Of such a person, who is thus free
from elation or dejection, the wisdom arising from
discrimination remains established.
2.58 And when this one fully withdraws the senses
from the objects of the senses, as a tortoise wholly
(withdraws) the limbs, then his wisdom remains
established.

2.58 And besides, yada, when; ayam, this one, the
sannyasin practising steadfastness in Knowledge;
samharate, fully withdraws; ['Fully' suggests

absolute firmness in withdrawal, and 'withdraws'
suggests full control over the organs] indriyani, the
senses; indriya-arthebhyah, from all the objects of
the senses; iva, as; kurmah, a tortoise; sarvasah,
wholly (withdraws); angani, its limbs, from all
sides out of fear; -- when the man engaged in
steadfastness to Knowledge withdraws thus, then
tasya, his; prajna, wisdom; pratisthita, remains
established -- (the meaning of this portion has
already been explained). As to that, [That is , so far
as the phenomenal world is concerned.] the organs
of a sick person, too, cease to be active when the
refrains from sense-objects; they get fully
withdrawn like the limbs of a tortoise. but not so
the hankering for those objects. How that
(hankering) gets completely withdrawn is being
stated:
2.59 The objects recede from an abstinent man,
with the exception of the taste (for them). Even the
taste of this person falls away after realization the
Absolute.

2.59 Although visayah, the objects, (i.e.) the organs,
figuratively implied and expressed by the word
'objects', or, the objects themselves; vinivartante,
recede; niraharasya dehinah, from an abstinent
man, from an embodied being, even from a fool
who engages in painful austerity and abstains from
objects; (still, they do so) rasavarjam, with the
exception of the taste (for them), with the exception
of the hankering that one has for objects. The word
rasa is well known as referring to the sense of taste
(hankering), as in such expressions as, 'sva-rasena
pravrttah, induced by his own taste (i.e. willingly)',
'rasikah, a man of tastes', 'rasajnah, a connoisseur
(of tastes)', etc. Api, even that; rasah, taste of the
nature of subtle attachment; asya, of this person, of
the sannyasin; nivartate, falls away, i.e. his
objective perception becomes seedless; when
drstva, after attaining; param, the Absolute, the
Reality which is the supreme Goal, Brahman, he
continues in life with the realization, 'I verily am
That (Brahman).' In the absence of full realization
there can be no eradication of the 'hankering'. The
idea conveyed is that, one should therefore
stabilize one's wisdom which is characterized by
full realization. [If it be held that attachment cannot
be eliminated without the knowledge of Brahman,
and at the same time that the knowledge of

Brahman cannot arise until attachment is
eradicated, then we get involved in a vicious circle.
In answer it is said that gross attachments are
eliminated through discrimination which restrains
the senses from being overpowered by objects.
And the full Knowledge arising thereof eliminates
the subtle inclinations as well. Hence there is no
vicious circle involved.] Since the organs have to be
first brought under his own control by one who
desires to establish firmly the wisdom which is
characterized by full realization, therefore the Lord
speaks of the evil that arises from not keeping
them under control:
2.60 For, O son of Kunti, the turbulent organs
violently snatch away the mind of an intelligent
person, even while he is striving diligently.

2.60 Hi, for; kaunteya, O son of Kunti; pramathini,
the turbulent; indriyani, organs; prasabham,
violently; haranti, snatch away; manah, the mind;
vipascitah, of an intelligent; purusasya, person; api,
even; yatatah, while he is striving diligently
[Repeatedly being mindful of the evils that arise

from sense-objects.] -- (or,) the words purusasya
vipascitah (of an intelligent person) are to be
connected with the remote word api (even). [The
Commentator says that api may be construed
either with yatatah or with vipascitah purusasya.-
Tr.] Indeed, the organs confound a person who is
inclined towards objects, and after confounding
him, violently carry away his mind endowed with
discriminating knoweldge, even when he is aware
of this. Since this is so, therefore,
2.61 Controlling all of them, one should remain
concentrated on Me as the supreme. For, the
wisdom of one whose organs are under control
becomes steadfast.

2.61 Samyamya, controlling, having subdued;
sarvani, all; tani, of them; asita, one should remain;
yuktah, concentrated; mat-parah, on Me as the
supreme -- he to whom I, Vasudeva, the inmost
Self of all, am the supreme (parah) is mat-parah.
The idea is, he should remain (concentrated)
thinking, 'I am not different from Him.' Hi, for; the
prajna, wisdom; tasya, of one, of the sannyasin
remaining thus concentrated; yasya, whose;

indriyani, organs; are vase, under control, by dint
of practice; [The organs come under control either
by constantly thinking of oneself as non-different
from the Self, or by constantly being mindful of the
evils that result from objects.] pratisthita, becomes
steadfast. Now, then, is being stated this
[This:what is described in the following two verses,
and is also a matter of common experience.] root,
cause of all the evils that beset one who is the verge
of being overwhelmed:
2.62-2.63 In the case of a person who dwells on
objects, there arises attachment for them. From
attachment grows hankering, from hankering
springs anger.

2.62 Pumsah, in the case of a person; dhyayatah,
who dwells on, thinks of; visayan, the objects, the
specialities [Specialities: The charms imagined in
them.] of the objects such as sound etc.; upajayate,
there arises; sangah, attachment, fondness, love;
tesu, for them, for those objects. Sangat, from
attachment, from love; sanjayate, grows; kamah,
hankering, thirst. When that is obstructed from any

quarter, kamat, from hankering; abhijayate,
springs; krodhah, anger. Krodhat, from anger;
bhavati, follows; sammohah, delusion, absence of
discrimination with regard to what should or
should not be done. For, an angry man, becoming
deluded, abuses even a teacher. Sammohat, from
delusion; (comes) smrti-vibhramah, failure of
memory originating from the impressions acquired
from the instructions of the scriptures and teachers.
When there is an occasion for memory to rise, it
does not occur. Smrti-bhramsat, from that failure of
memory; (results) buddhi-nasah, loss of
understanding. The unfitness of the mind to
discriminate between what should or should not be
done is called loss of understanding. Buddhi-nasat,
from the loss of understanding; pranasyati, he
perishes. Indeed, a man continues tobe himself so
long as his mind remains fit to distinguish between
what he ought to and ought not do. When it
becomes unfit, a man is verily ruined. Therefore,
when his internal organ, his understanding, is
destroyed, a man is ruined, i.e. he becomes unfit
for the human Goal. Thinking of objects has been
said to be the root of all evils. After that, this which
is the cause of Liberation is being now stated: [If
even the memory of objects be a source of evil, then
their enjoyment is more so. Hence, a sannyasin

seeking Liberation cannot avoid this evil, since he
has to move about for food which is necessary for
the maintenance of his body. The present verse is
an answer to this apprehension.]

2.63 From anger follows delusion; from delusion,
failure of memory; from failure of memory, the loss
of understanding; from the loss of understanding,
he perishes.










2.63 Pumsah, in the case of a person; dhyayatah,
who dwells on, thinks of; visayan, the objects, the
specialities [Specialities: The charms imagined in
them.] of the objects such as sound etc.; upajayate,
there arises; sangah, attachment, fondness, love;
tesu, for them, for those objects. Sangat, from
attachment, from love; sanjayate, grows; kamah,
hankering, thirst. When that is obstructed from any
quarter, kamat, from hankering; abhijayate,
springs; krodhah, anger. Krodhat, from anger;
bhavati, follows; sammohah, delusion, absence of
discrimination with regard to what should or
should not be done. For, an angry man, becoming
deluded, abuses even a teacher. Sammohat, from

delusion; (comes) smrti-vibhramah, failure of
memory originating from the impressions acquired
from the instructions of the scriptures and teachers.
When there is an occasion for memory to rise, it
does not occur. Smrti-bhramsat, from that failure of
memory; (results) buddhi-nasah, loss of
understanding. The unfitness of the mind to
discriminate between what should or should not be
done is called loss of understanding. Buddhi-nasat,
from the loss of understanding; pranasyati, he
perishes. Indeed, a man continues tobe himself so
long as his mind remains fit to distinguish between
what he ought to and ought not do. When it
becomes unfit, a man is verily ruined. Therefore,
when his internal organ, his understanding, is
destroyed, a man is ruined, i.e. he becomes unfit
for the human Goal. Thinking of objects has been
said to be the root of all evils. After that, this which
is the cause of Liberation is being now stated: [If
even the memory of objects be a source of evil, then
their enjoyment is more so. Hence, a sannyasin
seeking Liberation cannot avoid this evil, since he
has to move about for food which is necessary for
the maintenance of his body. The present verse is
an answer to this apprehension.]

2.64 But by perceiving objects with the organs that
are free from attraction and repulsion, and are
under his own control, the self-controlled man
attains serenity.

2.64 Certainly the functions of the organs are
naturally preceded by attraction and repulsion.
This being so, caran, by perceiving; visayan,
objects, which are unavoidable; indriyaih, with the
organs such as ears etc.; raga-dvesa-viyuktaih, that
are free from those attraction and repulsion; and
are atma-vasyaih, under his own control; vidheyaatma,
[A.G. takes atma-vasyaih in the sense of
'(with the organs) under the control of the mind'.
He then argues that it the mind be not under
control, there can be no real control, over the
organs. Hence the text uses the second expression,
'vidheyatma, whose mind can be subdued at will'.
Here atma is used in the sense of the mind,
according to the Commentator himself.] the selfcontrolled
man, whose mind can be subdued at
will, a seeker after Liberation; adhigacchati, attains;
prasadam, serenity, self-poise. What happens
when there is serenity? This is being answered:

2.65 When there is serenity, there follows
eradication of all his sorrows, because the wisdom
of one who has a serene mind soon becomes firmly
established.

2.65 Prasade, when there is serenity; upajayate,
there follows; hanih, eradication; asya sarvaduhkhanam,
of all his, the sannyasin's, sorrow on
the physical and other planes. Moreover, (this is
so) hi, because; buddhih, the wisdom; prasannacetasah,
of one who has a serene mind, of one
whose mind is poised in the Self; asu, soon; pariavatisthate,
becomes firmly established; remains
steady (avatisthate) totally (pari), like the sky, i.e. it
becomes unmoving in its very nature as the Self.
The meaning of the sentence is this: Since a person
with such a poised mind and well-established
wisdom attains fulfilment, therefore a man of
concentration [A man who is free whom slavery to
objects of the senses.] ought to deal with the
indispensable and scripturally non-forbidden
objects through his senses that are free from love
and hatred. That same serenity is being eulogized:

2.66 For the unsteady there is no wisdom, and
there is no meditation for the unsteady man. And
for an unmeditative man there is no peace. How
can there be happiness for one without peace?

2.66 Ayuktasya, for the unsteady, for one who does
not have a concentrated mind; na asti, there is no,
i.e. there does not arise; buddhih, wisdom, with
regard to the nature of the Self; ca, and; there is no
bhavana, meditation, earnest longing [Longing to
have a continuous remembrance of the knowledge
of Brahman which arises in the mind from hearing
the great Upanisadic sayings (maha-vakyas).] for
the knowledge of the Self; ayuktasya, for an
unsteady man. And similarly, abhavayatah, for an
unmeditative man, who does not ardently desire
the knowledge of the Self; there is no santih, peace,
restraint of the senses. Kutah, how can there be;
sukham, happiness; asantasya, for one without
peace? That indeed is happiness which consists in
the freedom of the senses from the thirst for
enjoyment of objects; not the thirst for objects --
that is misery to be sure. The implication is that, so

long as thirst persists, there is no possibility of
even an iota of happiness! It is being stated why a
man without concentration does not possess
wisdom:
2.67 For, the mind which follows in the wake of the
wandering senses, that (mind) carries away his
wisdom like the mind (diverting) a boat on the
waters.
2.67 Hi, for; yat manah, the mind which; anuvidhiyate,
follows in the wake of; caratam, the
wandering; indriyani, senses that are tending
towards their respective objects; tat, that, the mind
engaged in thinking [Perceiving objects like sound
etc. in their respective varieties.] of the objects of
the senses; harati, carries away, destroys; asya, his,
the sannyasin's; prajnam, wisdom born from the
discrimination between the Self and the not-Self.
How? Iva, like; vayuh, the wind; diverting a
navam, boat; ambhasi, on the waters. As wind, by
diverting a boat on the waters from its intended
course, drives it along a wrong course, similarly
the mind, by diverting the wisdom from the
pursuit of the Self, makes it engage in objects. After
having stated variously the reasons for the idea
conveyed through the verse, 'For, O son of Kunti,'

etc. (60), and having established that very idea, the
Lord concludes thus:
2.68 Therefore, O mighty-armed one, this wisdom
becomes established whose organs in all their
varieties are withdrawn from their objects.

2.68 Since the evils arising from the activities of the
organs have been described, tasmat, therefore;
mahabaho, O mighty-armed one; tasya, his, the
sannyasin's; prajna, wisdom; pratisthita, becomes
established; yasya, whose; indriyani, organs;
sarvasah, in all their varieties, differentiated as
mind etc.; nigrhitani, are withdrawn; indriyaarthebhyah,
from their objects such as sound etc. In
the case of a man of steady wisdom in whom has
arisen discriminating knowledge, those which are
these ordinary and Vedic dealings cease on the
eradication of ignorance, they being effects of
ignorance. And ignorance ceases because it is

opposed to Knowledge. For clarifying this idea, the
Lord says:





Om Tat Sat
                                                        
(Continued...) 


(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Bhagawan Sri Krishna Paramathma ji, Parama Hamsa Parivrajaka Paramacharya Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavad Pada ji and  H H Sri Swamy Gambhirananda ji for this devotional collection)


(The Blog  is reverently for all the seekers of truth, lovers of wisdom and   to share the Hindu Dharma with others on the spiritual path and also this is purely  a non-commercial blog)



भजगोविन्दम्
  


मा कुरु धन जन यौवन गर्वं
हरति निमेषात्कालः सर्वम् ।
मायामयमिदमखिलं हित्वा
ब्रह्मपदं त्वं प्रविश विदित्वा ॥ ११॥

दिनयामिन्यौ सायं प्रातः
शिशिरवसन्तौ पुनरायातः ।
कालः क्रीडति गच्छत्यायुः
तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशावायुः ॥ १२॥

द्वादशमञ्जरिकाभिरशेषः
कथितो वैयाकरणस्यैषः ।
उपदेशो भूद्विद्यानिपुणैः
श्रीमच्छन्करभगवच्छरणैः ॥ १२अ ॥

काते कान्ता धन गतचिन्ता
वातुल किं तव नास्ति नियन्ता ।
त्रिजगति सज्जनसं गतिरैका
भवति भवार्णवतरणे नौका ॥ १३॥

जटिलो मुण्डी लुञ्छितकेशः
काषायाम्बरबहुकृतवेषः ।
पश्यन्नपि चन पश्यति मूढः
उदरनिमित्तं बहुकृतवेषः ॥ १४॥

अङ्गं गलितं पलितं मुण्डं
दशनविहीनं जतं तुण्डम् ।
वृद्धो याति गृहीत्वा दण्डं
तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशापिण्डम् ॥ १५॥




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