Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 39 — Sankhya Yoga
Sanskrit
एषा तेऽभिहिता साङ्ख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां शृणु | बुद्ध्या युक्तो यया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि ||२-३९||
Transliteration
eṣā te.abhihitā sāṅkhye buddhiryoge tvimāṃ śṛṇu . buddhyā yukto yayā pārtha karmabandhaṃ prahāsyasi ||2-39||
Hindi Meaning
।।2.39।। हे पार्थ ! तुम्हें सांख्य विषयक ज्ञान कहा गया और अब इस (कर्म) योग से सम्बन्धित ज्ञान को सुनो जिस ज्ञान से युक्त होकर तुम कर्मबन्ध का नाश कर सकोगे।।
English Meaning
Thus far I have described this knowledge to you through analytical study. Now listen as I explain it in terms of working without fruitive results. O son of Pṛthā, when you act in such knowledge you can free yourself from the bondage of works.
Commentary
According to the Nirukti, or the Vedic dictionary, saṅkhyā means that which describes things in detail, and sāṅkhya refers to that philosophy which describes the real nature of the soul. And yoga involves controlling the senses. Arjuna’s proposal not to fight was based on sense gratification. Forgetting his prime duty, he wanted to cease fighting, because he thought that by not killing his relatives and kinsmen he would be happier than by enjoying the kingdom after conquering his cousins and brothers, the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. In both ways, the basic principles were for sense gratification. Happiness derived from conquering them and happiness derived by seeing kinsmen alive are both on the basis of personal sense gratification, even at a sacrifice of wisdom and duty. Kṛṣṇa, therefore, wanted to explain to Arjuna that by killing the body of his grandfather he would not be killing the soul proper, and He explained that all individual persons, including the Lord Himself, are eternal individuals; they were individuals in the past, they are individuals in the present, and they will continue to remain individuals in the future, because all of us are individual souls eternally. We simply change our bodily dress in different manners, but actually we keep our individuality even after liberation from the bondage of material dress. An analytical study of the soul and the body has been very graphically explained by Lord Kṛṣṇa. And this descriptive knowledge of the soul and the body from different angles of vision has been described here as Sāṅkhya, in terms of the Nirukti dictionary. This Sāṅkhya has nothing to do with the Sāṅkhya philosophy of the atheist Kapila. Long before the imposter Kapila’s Sāṅkhya, the Sāṅkhya philosophy was expounded in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by the true Lord Kapila, the incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who explained it to His mother, Devahūti. It is clearly explained by Him that the puruṣa, or the Supreme Lord, is active and that He creates by looking over the prakṛti. This is accepted in the Vedas and in the Gītā. The description in the Vedas indicates that the Lord glanced over the prakṛti, or nature, and impregnated it with atomic individual souls. All these individuals are working in the material world for sense gratification, and under the spell of material energy they are thinking of being enjoyers. This mentality is dragged to the last point of liberation when the living entity wants to become one with the Lord. This is the last snare of māyā, or sense gratificatory illusion, and it is only after many, many births of such sense gratificatory activities that a great soul surrenders unto Vāsudeva, Lord Kṛṣṇa, thereby fulfilling the search after the ultimate truth. Arjuna has already accepted Kṛṣṇa as his spiritual master by surrendering himself unto Him: śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam. Consequently, Kṛṣṇa will now tell him about the working process in buddhi-yoga, or karma-yoga, or in other words, the practice of devotional service only for the sense gratification of the Lord. This buddhi-yoga is clearly explained in Chapter Ten, verse ten, as being direct communion with the Lord, who is sitting as Paramātmā in everyone’s heart. But such communion does not take place without devotional service. One who is therefore situated in devotional or transcendental loving service to the Lord, or, in other words, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, attains to this stage of buddhi-yoga by the special grace of the Lord. The Lord says, therefore, that only to those who are always engaged in devotional service out of transcendental love does He award the pure knowledge of devotion in love. In that way the devotee can reach Him easily in the ever-blissful kingdom of God. Thus the buddhi-yoga mentioned in this verse is the devotional service of the Lord, and the word Sāṅkhya mentioned herein has nothing to do with the atheistic sāṅkhya-yoga enunciated by the imposter Kapila. One should not, therefore, misunderstand that the sāṅkhya-yoga mentioned herein has any connection with the atheistic Sāṅkhya. Nor did that philosophy have any influence during that time; nor would Lord Kṛṣṇa care to mention such godless philosophical speculations. Real Sāṅkhya philosophy is described by Lord Kapila in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam , but even that Sāṅkhya has nothing to do with the current topics. Here, Sāṅkhya means analytical description of the body and the soul. Lord Kṛṣṇa made an analytical description of the soul just to bring Arjuna to the point of buddhi-yoga, or bhakti-yoga. Therefore, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Sāṅkhya and Lord Kapila’s Sāṅkhya, as described in the Bhāgavatam , are one and the same. They are all bhakti-yoga. Lord Kṛṣṇa said, therefore, that only the less intelligent class of men make a distinction between sāṅkhya-yoga and bhakti-yoga ( sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ ). Of course, atheistic sāṅkhya-yoga has nothing to do with bhakti-yoga, yet the unintelligent claim that the atheistic sāṅkhya-yoga is referred to in the Bhagavad-gītā . One should therefore understand that buddhi-yoga means to work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in the full bliss and knowledge of devotional service. One who works for the satisfaction of the Lord only, however difficult such work may be, is working under the principles of buddhi-yoga and finds himself always in transcendental bliss. By such transcendental engagement, one achieves all transcendental understanding automatically, by the grace of the Lord, and thus his liberation is complete in itself, without his making extraneous endeavors to acquire knowledge. There is much difference between work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and work for fruitive results, especially in the matter of sense gratification for achieving results in terms of family or material happiness. Buddhi-yoga is therefore the transcendental quality of the work that we perform.
Hinglish Commentary
Nirukti ke mutabik, saṅkhyā ka matlab hai woh cheez jo cheezon ko detail mein describe karti hai, aur sāṅkhya us philosophy ko refer karta hai jo atma ki asli nature ko batata hai. Yoga ka matlab hai senses ko control karna. Arjuna ka yeh kehna ki woh nahi ladna chahta, yeh sirf sense gratification par adharit tha. Usne apni asli duty bhool kar yeh socha ki agar woh apne ristedaron ko nahi maarega, toh woh khush rahega, chahe woh apne cousins aur bhaiyon, Dhṛtarāṣṭra ke putron ko hara kar rajya jeetne se khush hone se zyada ho. Dono hi situations mein, woh khushi personal sense gratification par thi, chahe woh gyaan aur duty ki qurbani de kar ho. Isliye, Kṛṣṇa ne Arjuna ko samjhaya ki agar woh apne dadaji ka sharir maarta hai, toh woh asli atma ko nahi maarta, aur yeh bataya ki sabhi vyakti, bhagwan khud ko bhi shamil karte hue, amar hain; hum sab pichle janm se vyakti hain, aaj hain, aur bhavishya mein bhi vyakti rahenge, kyunki hum sab atmaayein hain jo sadaiv hain. Hum sirf apne sharir ko alag-alag tarikon se badalte hain, lekin asal mein humari individuality liberate hone ke baad bhi bani rehti hai. Kṛṣṇa ne atma aur sharir ka analytical study bahut hi achhe se samjhaya hai. Yeh jo atma aur sharir ka vivaran hai, ise yahan Sāṅkhya kehte hain, jaise ki Nirukti dictionary mein diya gaya hai. Yeh Sāṅkhya atheistic Kapila ki Sāṅkhya se bilkul alag hai. Kapila ki Sāṅkhya se pehle, yeh Sāṅkhya philosophy Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam mein sachche Lord Kapila ne vyakhya ki, jo Kṛṣṇa ka avataar hain aur unhone apni maa Devahūti ko yeh samjhaya. Unhone saaf saaf bataya ki puruṣa yaani Supreme Lord sakriya hai aur woh prakṛti ko dekh kar srijan karte hain. Yeh Vedas aur Gītā mein bhi maana gaya hai. Vedas mein yeh bataya gaya hai ki Bhagwan ne prakṛti par nazar daal kar use atomic individual souls se bhara. Yeh sab vyakti material world mein sense gratification ke liye kaam kar rahe hain, aur material energy ke jaal mein, woh enjoyers banne ki soch rahe hain. Yeh mentality tab liberation tak pahunchti hai jab jeevatma Bhagwan ke saath ek hona chahti hai. Yeh māyā ka aakhri jaal hai, aur sirf kai janmon tak aise sense gratificatory activities karne ke baad, ek mahan aatma Vāsudeva, Lord Kṛṣṇa ke paas surrender karti hai, aur is tarah se ultimate truth ki talash ko pura karti hai. Arjuna ne pehle hi Kṛṣṇa ko apne spiritual master ke roop mein accept kiya hai: śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam. Isliye, Kṛṣṇa ab usse buddhi-yoga ya karma-yoga ke kaam karne ka process samjhayenge, yaani ki sirf Bhagwan ki sense gratification ke liye bhakti ka abhyas. Yeh buddhi-yoga Chapter Ten, verse ten mein saaf saaf bataya gaya hai, jo ki Lord ke saath direct communion hai, jo sabke dil mein Paramātmā ke roop mein baithe hain. Lekin yeh communion bina bhakti ke nahi hota. Jo vyakti bhakti ya transcendental loving service mein hai, yaani Kṛṣṇa consciousness mein, woh is buddhi-yoga ke stage tak pahunchta hai Bhagwan ki vishesh kripa se. Bhagwan kehte hain ki sirf unhein hi pure knowledge of devotion in love milta hai jo hamesha transcendental love se bhakti mein lage rehte hain. Is tarah se devotee asani se Bhagwan ke ever-blissful kingdom tak pahunch sakta hai. Isliye, is verse mein jo buddhi-yoga ka zikr hai, woh Bhagwan ki bhakti ka service hai, aur yahan jo Sāṅkhya ka shabd hai, uska atheistic sāṅkhya-yoga se koi lena dena nahi hai. Isliye, yeh samajhna zaroori hai ki yahan ka sāṅkhya-yoga atheistic Sāṅkhya se alag hai. Na toh us philosophy ka us samay par koi prabhav tha, na hi Bhagwan Kṛṣṇa aise godless philosophical speculations ka zikr karna chahte. Asli Sāṅkhya philosophy Lord Kapila ne Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam mein vyakhya ki hai, lekin woh bhi iss topic se alag hai. Yahan, Sāṅkhya ka matlab hai atma aur sharir ka analytical description. Lord Kṛṣṇa ne Arjuna ko buddhi-yoga ya bhakti-yoga ki taraf le jaane ke liye atma ka analytical description diya. Isliye, Lord Kṛṣṇa ki Sāṅkhya aur Lord Kapila ki Sāṅkhya, jo Bhāgavatam mein hai, ek hi hain. Yeh sab bhakti-yoga hai. Bhagwan Kṛṣṇa ne kaha ki sirf kam samajhdar log sāṅkhya-yoga aur bhakti-yoga ke beech farak karte hain (sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ). Haan, atheistic sāṅkhya-yoga ka bhakti-yoga se koi lena dena nahi hai, lekin jo samajhdar nahi hain, woh yeh kehte hain ki Bhagavad-gītā mein atheistic sāṅkhya-yoga ka zikr hai. Isliye, yeh samajhna zaroori hai ki buddhi-yoga ka matlab hai Kṛṣṇa consciousness mein kaam karna, jo bhakti aur gyaan se bhara hota hai. Jo vyakti sirf Bhagwan ki khushi ke liye kaam karta hai, chahe woh kaam kitna bhi mushkil kyun na ho, woh buddhi-yoga ke principles ke under kaam karta hai aur hamesha transcendental bliss mein rehta hai. Aise transcendental engagement se, vyakti apne aap sabhi transcendental samajh ko prapt karta hai, Bhagwan ki kripa se, aur is tarah se uski liberation khud se complete hoti hai, bina kisi extra gyaan prapt karne ki koshish kiye. Kṛṣṇa consciousness mein kaam karna aur fruitive results ke liye kaam karna, khaas taur par family ya material happiness ke liye, mein bahut farak hai. Isliye, buddhi-yoga woh transcendental quality hai jo humare kaam mein hoti hai.
Chinmaya Commentary
जिस प्रामाणिक विचार एवं युक्ति के द्वारा पारमार्थिक सत्य का ज्ञान होता है उसे सांख्य कहते हैं जिसका उपदेश भगवान् प्रारम्भ में ही कर चुके हैं। इस ज्ञान को प्राप्त करने से शोकमोह रूप संसार की पूर्ण निवृत्ति हो जाती है। अब श्रीकृष्ण कर्मयोग अथवा बुद्धियोग के विवेचन का आश्वासन अर्जुन को देते हैं।अनेक लोग कर्म के नियम को भूलवश भाग्यवाद समझ लेते हैं किन्तु कर्म का नियम हिन्दू धर्म का एक आधारभूत सिद्धान्त है और इसलिये हिन्दू जीवन पद्धति का अध्ययन करने वाले विद्यार्थियों के लिये इस नियम का यथार्थ ज्ञान होना नितान्त आवश्यक है। यदि एक वर्ष पूर्व मद्रास में श्री रमण राव के किये अपराध के लिये आज मुझे दिल्ली में न्यायिक दण्ड मिलता है तो इसका अर्थ यह हुआ कि उस अपराधी रमण राव और आज के सन्त चिन्मय में कुछ समानता होनी चाहिये कानून के लम्बे हाथ यह पहचान कर कि अपराधी रमण राव ही चिन्मय है दिल्ली पहुँचकर मुझे दण्ड देते हैं इसी प्रकार प्रकृति का न्याय अकाट्य है पूर्ण है। इसलिये हिन्दू मनीषियों ने यह स्वीकार किया कि वर्तमान में हम जो कष्ट भोगते हैं उनका कारण भूतकाल में किसी देश विशेष और देहविशेष में किये हुए अपराध ही हैं। इससे यह सिद्ध हुआ कि पूर्वकाल का पापी और वर्तमान का कष्ट भोगने वाला कोई एक ही होना चाहिये। इसी को शास्त्र में जीव मन और बुद्धि कहा है।इच्छापूर्वक किया गया प्रत्येक कर्म कर्त्ता के मन पर अपना संस्कार छोड़ता जाता है जो कर्त्ता के उद्देश्य के अनुरूप ही होता है। इन संस्कारों को ही वासना कहते हैं जिनकी निवृत्ति के लिये प्रत्येक जीव विशिष्ट देश काल और परिस्थिति में जन्म लेता है। पूर्व संचित कर्मों के अनुसार सभी जीवों को दुख कष्ट आदि भोगने पड़ते हैं। मन पर पापों के चिहनांकन पश्चात्ताप पूरित क्षणों में अश्रुजल से ही प्रच्छालित किये जा सकते हैं। परिस्थितियाँ मनुष्य को रुलाती नहीं वरन् उसकी स्वयं की पापपूर्ण प्रवृत्तियाँ ही शोक का कारण होती हैं। शुद्धांन्तकरण वाले व्यक्ति के लिये फिर दुख का कोई निमित्त नहीं रह जाता।हमारे पास किसी संगीत का ध्वनिमुद्रित रेकार्ड होने मात्र से हम संगीत नहीं सुन सकते। जब रेकार्ड प्लेयर पर उसे रखकर सुई का स्पर्श होता है तभी संगीत सुनाई पड़ता है। इसी प्रकार मन में केवल वासनायें होने से ही दुख या सुख का अनुभव नहीं होता किन्तु अहंकार की सूई का स्पर्श पाकर बाह्य जगत् में जब वे कर्म के रूप में व्यक्त होती हैं तभी विविध प्रकार के फलों की प्राप्ति का अनुभव होता है।पूर्व श्लोक में वर्णित समभाव में स्थित हुआ पुरुष सुखदुख लाभहानि और जयपराजय रूपी द्वन्द्वों से ऊपर उठकर निजानन्द में रहता है। जिस मात्रा में शरीर मन और बुद्धि के साथ हमारा तादात्म्य निवृत्त होता जायेगा उसी मात्रा में यह कर्त्तृत्व का अहंकार भी नष्ट होता जायेगा और अन्त में अहंकार के अभाव में किसके लिये कर्मफल बाकी रहेंगे अर्थात् कर्म और कर्मफल सभी समाप्त हो जाते हैं।गीता में भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण द्वारा प्रतिपादित यह सिद्धान्त कोई नया और मौलिक नहीं था। उन्होंने ईसा के जन्म के पाँच हजार वर्ष पूर्व प्राचीन सिद्धांत का केवल नवीनीकरण करके मृतप्राय धर्म को पुनर्जीवित किया जो सहस्रों वर्षों पूर्व आज भी हमारे लिये आनन्द का संदेश लिये खड़ा है।