450This firmness of conviction or resolution is interpreted as firmness of faith in Krishna.
451The word used is amarsha. This can be translated as dissatisfaction from not having attained one’s desires. But it can also be translated as envy, because others have got what they want.
452Or, without expectation.
453Renouncing all fruit is not a literal translation. A literal translation is renouncing all attempts, beginnings or endeavours (arambha). However, attempts, beginnings or endeavours are for specific gains, in this world or the next. Hence, someone who has renounced these is someone who has renounced all fruits.
454The interpretation of giving up good and evil is that one has given up the good and evil fruits or results of action.
455A literal translation of mouni is someone who is silent or doesn’t speak.
456Without habitation or without a home presumably means someone who is not attached to the home or habitation.
457With this chapter, there is a switch in emphasis to jnana yoga.
458Field or repository.
459The body is the kshetra. The person who knows the body is someone who has a sense of ownership of the body and this is the kshetrajna, that is, the jivatman or the individual soul. Those who know about kshetra and kshetrajna call the individual soul kshetrajna.
460That is true knowledge.
461The kshetrajna.
462The theory of kshetra and kshetrajna.
463The reference to the sages (rishis) singing is to the Vedas. The Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads followed the Vedas and are collectively known as Vedanta. One interpretation is that this shloka refers to the Vedas and the Vedanta, and in the latter case, especially to the Upanishads, because it is there that the nature of the brahman is particularly discussed. However, there is also a collection of aphorisms (sutras) known as Brahmasutra. This is ascribed to Badarayana, Badarayana being identified as Vedavyasa. If the Brahmasutra was compiled before the Gita, the second part of this shloka could also be a reference to this specific text.
464The five core elements of prithvi or kshiti (the earth), apa (water), tejas (energy), vayu or marut (the wind) and akasha or vyoma (the sky).
465As mentioned earlier, the unmanifest (avyakta) means primeval matter or prakriti.
466The ten organs of sense are the five organs of action (the mouth, hands, feet, the anus and sexual organs) and the five senses (sight, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching).
467By the single one, is meant the mind.
468The objects of the five senses are rupa (form), shabda (sound), gandha (smell), rasa (flavour) and sparsha (touch).
469The word samghata means union, combination or collection. Because the senses are united in the body, combination refers to the body.
470Towards others.
471In righteous action.
472Towards objects.
473The subject is suppressed. With that knowledge, the seeker attains immortality.
474The subject is again suppressed and is a reference to the brahman. We have translated sat and asat as the eternal and the transient, meaning the indestructible brahman and the transient universe. However, sat can also be translated as unmanifest nature and asat as its manifest counterpart.
475The brahman.
476The brahman is both nirguna (without qualities) and saguna (with qualities).
477Know the brahman, the object is suppressed in the shloka.
478The brahman is established.
479The word used is bhava, which can be translated in different ways. The devotee attains or realizes the brahman’s nature. Alternatively, the devotee gains Krishna’s love and affection.
480The qualities (gunas) of sattva, rajas and tamas.
481In sankhya philosophy, prakriti is the original source of the material world and is active. The Gita has earlier used the expression apara prakriti for prakriti. Purusha (the soul) is inert or inactive and the Gita has earlier used the expression para prakriti for purusha.
482This is the straightforward translation. But in interpretations, the senses are the cause and the body is the effect.
483The reason.
484Otherwise, the inactive purusha shouldn’t have a sense of happiness or unhappiness.
485Of the purusha.
486Because the word atman can mean different things, there is a problem of interpretation. The simplest meaning is the following. Some people themselves (with the atman) use meditation to see the atman (the paramatman) in themselves (in the atman). But atman can also mean body, mind or intellect. Hence, an alternative translation is to use the mind to see the paramatman in the intellect or to use the mind to see the paramatman in the body.
487Here, sankhya yoga probably means jnana yoga, or the path of knowledge. But it can also mean sannyasa yoga or the path of renunciation.
488Failing to know through their own efforts.
489What does killing the atman with the atman mean? Incidentally, instead of a strong translation of killing, a weaker translation of doing violence to is also possible. The traditional interpretation of killing the atman with the atman is the following. Uplifting one’s self (atman) is possible. Not attempting to do this is tantamount to killing oneself. If the weaker translation of doing violence is used, another interpretation is possible. He who has attained true knowledge sees the same paramatman in everything and knows that there is no difference between doing harm to one’s own self and to someone else. He avoids doing violence to the atman (someone else) with the atman (one’s own self).
490The paramatman.
491Specifically, not attached to the fruit of action.
492Kshetra is of course bodies. And the word kshetrajna has been used for the jivatman. Here, the word kshetri obviously stands for the paramatman and kshetri and kshetrajna are effectively synonymous.
493What does freedom from beings and prakriti mean? Prakriti is the root cause of being and beings and prakriti therefore stands for ignorance. Knowledge brings freedom from this ignorance. Therefore, one could also have said—‘freedom of beings from prakriti’. Indeed, some translations state it thus. But our translation is a more correct rendering of the Sanskrit.
494This chapter is about the three gunas (qualities) of sattva, rajas and tamas.
495The bondage of life.
496Meaning, prakriti or nature.
497We have translated yoni as womb and garbha as seed. Instead of seed, embryo would have been more accurate, but seed sounds better.
498Nature again.
499The word used is yoni, which can also be translated as womb.
500The three gunas or qualities.
501Because this knowledge is not knowledge of the paramatman, nor is it happiness that comes from such supreme knowledge. Hence, there is attachment and that binds the atman. Some commentators have argued that the pure sattva quality involves supreme bliss and supreme knowledge. However, ordinarily sattva is mixed with rajas and tamas and that gives rise to attachment to happiness and knowledge that is less than supreme.
502We have translated trishna as thirst, but it can also be translated as desire or greed. What is the difference between thirst or desire, and attachment? One is attached to what one already possesses. And one is thirsty for or desirous of what one does not already possess.
503The rajas quality.
504The expression used is ‘occupier of the body’, meaning the atman.
505The tamas quality.
506Alternatively, inadvertence.
507What is bound is not specified. But clearly, the atman is meant.
508That is, rajas overcomes sattva and tamas and becomes strong. Similarly, tamas overcomes sattva and rajas and becomes strong. The point is that all three gunas are combined in every being. However, in every being, one of the gunas tends to dominate, compared to the other two.
509As stated earlier, the nine gates of the body are two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, the mouth, the anus and the genital organ.
510For other people
’s possessions.
511These beginnings of action are because of attachment to the fruits.
512Pure or unsullied instead of shining is also possible.
513That is, when tamas becomes strong.
514That is how this is invariably interpreted. However, the Sanskrit original should literally be translated as species that is confused and ignorant. That is not necessarily subhuman.
515That is, to heaven and among the gods.
516The middle means the earth and among humans. Those with rajas, means those with a preponderance of rajas.
517Below may mean hell, among the demons. It may also mean a lowly rebirth.
518The realization that the atman is not an agent sinks in. Action is performed by the gunas or qualities of prakriti.
519The subject is suppressed in the shloka and is a reference to someone who has transcended the three qualities. If sattva predominates, there is engagement in knowledge. If rajas predominates, there is engagement in inclination (for action). And if tamas predominates, there is engagement in delusion. However, even if there is such engagement, the transcender doesn’t hate the happiness or unhappiness that results. And even if there is withdrawal from such engagement, the transcender doesn’t desire the engagement or its fruit. He is completely detached.
520That is, established in the atman.
521As has been said before, beginnings of action are for specific gains, in this world or the next. Hence, someone who has renounced these is someone who has renounced all fruits.
522There are two alternative interpretations, both of which are possible and make sense. First, the brahman is indestructible and immortal. Second, ‘I’ am indestructible and immortal.
523That is, I am the embodiment of eternal dharma and absolute bliss.
524The ashvattha tree is the holy fig tree. It has a root above, because the origin or root of the world is the brahman. This comparison of the ashvattha tree with the world also occurs in the Upanishads. The subject of the sentence is left implicit. That is, we don’t know who is doing the saying. But obviously, ‘they’ stands for those who know the truth.
525Metres mean the Vedas.
526The interpretation is that these objects are those that gratify the five senses (sight, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching).
527This should also be translated as roots, but is liable to cause confusion. The main root, the brahman, has already been described as extending upwards. But this is a banyan tree, with additional rootlings descending to the ground. Since action and its fruits are secondary, rather than primary, there is a comparison with rootlings.
528This world.
529This tree’s form.
530No rebirth.
531The brahman.
532The five senses (sight, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching) plus the mind add up to six.
533Meaning flowers.
534The lord of the body or the jivatman.
535The word ‘these’ is a continued reference to the six senses, or the five senses and the mind.
536The jivatman.
537The establishment and enjoyment in the present body and the progress to another body is also by the jivatman. And it is also the jivatman that has the qualities (gunas) as attributes.
538Care or exertion in meditation.
539The moon is believed to be watery and the source of all sap and juice, required to nourish plants and trees.
540Prana is the breath of exhalation and apana is the breath of downward inhalation.
541The four types of food are those that are chewed (charvya), sucked (choshya or chushya), licked (lehya) and drunk (peya).
542That is, I am established in the intellect that gets to know the Vedas.
543The destructible purusha.
544The fixed is the jivatman or the indestructible purusha.
545The word used for the supreme being is purushottama.
546The word used is loka, which can mean the world. But it can also mean among people. And in some interpretations, the word is taken to mean the Puranas, because these are popular among all people.
547Accomplishment of all that is prescribed. The implicit suggestion is that Arjuna should also become knowledgeable and accomplished.
548This chapter explains the difference between divine and demonic tendencies.
549Alternatively, resorting to the sattva quality.
550Two possible interpretations are possible here. First, jnana yoga, or the path of knowledge. Second, jnana and yoga, that is the path of knowledge and the path of action or karma yoga, the word yoga being interpreted as karma yoga.
551Of the senses.
552Of the sacred texts like the Vedas. Or what has been called japa yajna earlier, that is, meditation.
553Or uprightness.
554Sense of shame because of evil action committed.
555The sense is that one’s action in earlier lives determine birth so as to possess these divine attributes, characteristic of sattva qualities. Twenty-six attributes are listed in these three shlokas.
556Inclination towards righteous action and disinclination or restraint from evil action.
557This falsehood has also been interpreted as falsehood of sacred texts like the Vedas and the Puranas.
558Without the basis of dharma and adharma. Dharma holds things up and is therefore the basis.
559There is a slight problem of interpretation here. Instead of translating as without continuity, one can also say that the world is created through mutual union between men and women. In that case, the subsequent clause about satisfying desire will mean lust. The world is created because of lust and there is no other purpose. In the broader interpretation, desire is more than narrow lust. And creation has a continuity from the paramatman to the sky, from the sky to the wind, from the wind to fire, from fire to water, from water to the earth and so on. By emphasizing mutual union as the source of creation, this continuity is being negated.
560Search of the untrue is interpreted as worship of various gods with different mantras. And some of these rites can be impure.
561Time of destruction means the time of death and there is the conviction that no other objective except the satisfaction of desire exists. The thoughts are about desirable objects and the senses and these are immeasurable or uncountable.
562These yajnas or donations are driven by the wrong motive of self-gratification and therefore, don’t lead to liberation.
563Demonic birth means birth into a subhuman species.
564Because there is a hierarchy in subhuman species also. For example, insects will be lower than animals.
565The sacred texts.
566What ‘this’ means is not clear. It can certainly mean this world. It has also been interpreted as this arena of action. Finally, it has also been interpreted as this country of action, that is, India.
567Implicitly, this discarding of the shastras is being done inadvertently, perhaps through ignorance or sloth. The reference is not to those who discard the shastras deliberately and consciously, as a mark of disrespect.
568Or, those who sacrifice.
569Any human being, the word used in the Sanskrit is purusha. A convoluted interpretation is possible, with the word purusha being taken to mean the supreme being. So the supreme being is full of faith and is manifested to humans depending on the kind of faith that human being possesses.
570That is, worship yakshas and rakshas. The yakshas are semi-divine species, the rakshas can loosely be translated as demons. Accounts of creation vary. In some accounts, some created beings tried to eat Brahma and these became the yakshas. Others tried to prevent these devourers and these came to be known as the rakshas. According to other accounts, Brahma created water and then created beings. Some of these wanted to worship and these came to be known as yakshas. Others wanted to protect the water and came to be known as rakshas. But the general purport of the shloka is clear enough. Those of the rajas-type worship species that are less than divine.
&nbs
p; 571Or spirits, the Sanskrit is pretas.
572The class of devils or demons, bhutaganah.
573Alternatively, possessed of desire, attachment and strength.
574Inside the body as the atman.
575The word used is sattva, which can also be translated as strength or steadfastness, instead of vitality. Alternatively, one can also translate this as food that increases the sattva quality.
576Implying food that is cold.
577Alternatively, this can be translated as food that is burnt.
578Alternatively, food cooked the day before.
579Or simply, leftover food.
580The insolence results from a desire to establish one’s wealth, greatness or righteousness.
581The word used is dvija and translating it as brahmana is indeed indicated. However, dvija means twice-born and thus applies to any of the first three castes.
582Ahimsa is invariably translated as non-violence. But it really means lack of injury towards others.
583In places like the Manu Samhita, a reference is made to three kinds of speech—that which is true (satya), that which is pleasant (priya) and that which leads to welfare (hita). The moral dilemma is obvious. Does one speak the truth even if it does not lead to overall welfare? Both in the Manu Samhita and in the Mahabharata, the suggestion is that the truth shouldn’t be spoken if the truth doesn’t lead to overall welfare. However, the truth should be spoken even if it is unpleasant to hear.
584The literal translation is only self-study. However, this is usually translated as study of the shastras or even more specifically, study of the Vedas.
585This is interpreted as purity in behaviour towards others. A translation as purity of heart is also possible.
586This means this world. So the fruits are temporary and uncertain in this world.
587That is, without any ulterior motive.
588Or will not benefit the donor in the future. There is no quid pro quo.
589The sacred texts indicate appropriate place, time and subject for donations.
590That is, without fruits.
591Krishna, thus named because he killed the demon Keshi.
592Sannyasa (renunciation) and tyaga (relinquishing) may seem to have identical meanings. However, sannyasa is also the fourth stage (ashrama) of life, when one renounces action. But, earlier, the Gita hasn’t used the word sannyasa in this sense of asceticism and the word has been used more in the sense of tyaga.
Mahabharata: Vol. 5 Page 65