2nd ch – 4th sec 38 to 53 ->
Now Krishna will answer Arjuna’s fear of sinful reaction argument. He will address it by explaining how working with Nishkam Karma Yoga can keep one free from all sinful reactions.
At this point, Krishna realizes Arjuna’s bewilderment and decides to explain to him what is happening. He clarifies why He is speaking in seemingly contradictory terms, discussing profit-loss calculation initially and then advising to give up such calculations. Krishna proceeds to provide an explanation.
This transitional verse in the second chapter is highly significant in understanding the flow of the chapter.
BG 2.39
SYNONYMS
esha — all this; te — unto you; abhihita — described; sankhye — by analytical study; buddhih — intelligence; yoge — in work without fruitive result; tu — but; imam — this; srinu — just hear; buddhya — by intelligence; yuktah — dovetailed; yaya — by which; partha — O son of Pritha; karma–bandham — bondage of reaction; prahasyasi — you can be released from.
TRANSLATION
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 Pritha, when you act in such knowledge you can free yourself from the bondage of works.
esha te ‘bhihita sankhye. Till now, I have explained through Sankhya Yoga. Buddhir yoge tv imam srinu. Now, I will explain it through Buddhi Yoga. What will I explain? Buddhya yukto yaya partha. When you work with your intelligence, then karma-bandham prahasyasi. You will be able to break through the bondage of karma. You no longer have to suffer. Karma-bandham prahasyasi. You will break it apart.
Esha te ‘bhihita sankhye. Now, here are several important terms: Sankhya, buddhi, yoga, and yukta. Let us look at these words one by one.
Sankhya: Till now, the word Sankhya is not directly used in the Bhagavad Gita, although some traditional commentators refer to Chapter 2 as Sankhya Yoga. Sankhya basically means analysis, counting, or the means by which we count. So, esha te ‘bhihita sankhye, buddhir yoge tv imam srinu. Till now, I explained through Sankhya analysis. From verses 2.11 to 2.30, it was an analysis that you are not the body; you are the soul. We counted the elements of existence and went beyond those elements to understand the soul.
After Sankhya, Krishna talks about Karma Kanda and then combines these two through Buddhi Yoga.
There are six different systems of philosophy, and one of them is Sankhya, which is propagated by Kapila. Traditionally, there are two understandings of who this Kapila is: the atheistic Kapila and Lord Kapiladeva, the theistic one who was the son of Devahuti. Both have taught Sankhya. Vaishnava Acharyas explain that the atheistic Sankhya teaching is not in harmony with the conclusions of the Vedas. Baladev Vidya Bhushan explained in his Govinda Bhashya commentary that sometimes, great sages, though they themselves are learned, come under the influence of the illusory energy of the Lord and speak philosophies that are not in accordance with the conclusion of the Vedas. So, atheistic Sankhya teachings are not given much credit and are discounted by Acharyas who have given Vedic wisdom to us. The Sankhya that Lord Kapiladeva teaches concludes in devotional service. After we analyze the elements of material nature, we move forward and try to understand how those elements combine together to help us gain a deeper understanding of reality. In this context, Srila Prabhupada mentioned that Sankhya ultimately concludes in devotional service.
What is Buddhi? Buddhi means intelligence. Sankhaya is analyses and Buddhi is internalize wisdom. Srila Prabhupada explained in the 10th chapter that intelligence means to see things in the proper perspective. And what is Buddhi Yoga? This word will come in the 10th chapter in the famous verse, “Dadhimi Buddhi Yogam tam” (Bhagavad Gita 10.10). Krishna explains how those who lovingly serve Him are given intelligence by which they can come to Him. So, Buddhi Yoga ultimately, at the highest level, is intelligence given by Krishna by which one can return to Him. Krishna has not yet referred to Himself directly as the first person in the Bhagavad Gita as God. Of course, “Sri Bhagavan Uvacha” is already there as a reference to Him as God, but Krishna has not directly referred to Himself as God till now.
So, in the context of the flow in the Bhagavad Gita, Buddhi Yoga does not refer so much to Krishna as God till now. Buddhi Yoga, as intelligence given by God, helps one to connect to the deeper reality of life. So, Yoga is connection, Buddhi is intelligence, and Buddhi Yoga is the intelligence by which one connects to the deeper reality of life. As the flow of the Bhagavad Gita moves forward, we will understand Buddhi Yoga in its most complete sense as Bhakti Yoga.
Here, we have to understand the subtle inner dynamics of the Bhagavad Gita. Words generally do not have meanings that are frozen permanently in a dictionary. Words have meaning according to the context. So, the word Buddhi Yoga, within the inner dynamics of the Bhagavad Gita, assumes different meanings as we move forward. In 10.10, Krishna explains that Buddhi Yoga is the intelligence by which we can come back to Him. That is true, but because Sri Krishna has not referred to Himself till now in the Bhagavad Gita, He has not referred to coming back to Himself as the goal of life. So, in this context, from the point of view of the flow of the Bhagavad Gita, the word Buddhi Yoga means the Buddhi by which we apply the knowledge that is given earlier. So, if one understands that ‘I am not the body; I am the soul,’ then what should one do based on that? One level is that I should not be afraid of death, but I should look for a postmortem definition. What happens to me after death?
One level of postmortem is heavens, but heavens are temporary. Higher than heavens is liberation. If one does punya, one gets heaven, but if one acts with detachment, one will attain something higher. So, Krishna is going to take the discussion one level higher by saying, ‘Arjuna, you should act with detachment.’ So, Buddhi Yoga here refers to acquiring the Buddhi that one gets from atma jnana, from the knowledge that ‘I am not the body; I am the soul,’ and using that to do yoga. Yoga is to realize the spiritual nature and relish the spiritual level of reality. That is not what is done in Swarga. In Swarga, one gets better and more long-lasting material enjoyment based on religious merit, but it is still material enjoyment. It is not spiritual yet. So, Krishna is saying how we can combine the two, by which one will know how to work without bondage. Karma-bandham prahasyasi. You will be free from bondage by this.
Srila Prabhupada mentioned in the Purport: ‘Buddhi-yoga is, therefore, the transcendental quality of the work that we perform.’
So, Buddhi Yoga is not just work, but the transcendental quality of the work. It means the motivation with which we are doing the work. Why am we working like this? Am we working for Sri Krishna’s sake or am we working for my own enjoyment? When we understand and act accordingly, the transcendental quality of the work that we perform is Buddhi Yoga.
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