Summary of Chapter 2

Chapter 2 begins with Krishna reacting to Arjuna's, who was overcome with pity, cast down, and his vision full of tears, by asking him where his dejection has come from and admonishing him that his conduct "would only be acceptable for a non-Aryan, which Arjuna is not, not leading to heaven, and causing disgrace.” Furthermore, Krishna implores Arjuna "not to go to cowardice, abandon his faint-heartedness, and rise up" from his dejected position. 

Arjuna responds to Krishna lamenting his aversion to attacking Bishma and Drona, who are worthy of worship. Then he goes on to state that begging for food would be more desirable then killing these gurus, even if the gurus were covetous. All this would have Arjuna enjoy blood-smeared pleasures. Arjuna then goes on to state that he does not know if his or the opposing gurus' clan is more important and who should conquer whom. If Arjuna's clan would kill in front of Dritarashta's son's arrays, then Arjuna's clan would not desire to live. Arjuna acknowledges this is misplaced pity and bewildering thoughts about right action. He then asks Krishna what is a preferable choice and acknowledges his student status to Krishna. Arjuna is at a lose as how to dispel the grief drying up his senses. And then states, even gaining a prosperous kingdom and sovereignty on par with the deities would not dispel his grief.  Arjuna then told Krishna that he will not fight and became silent. 

Krishna laughingly then begins his discourse to a dejected Arjuna stationed at the middle of both armies. Although Arjuna speaks words of wisdom, Krishna offers up the following wise consul:
 
Arjuna grieved for those who are not to be grieved. The learned do not grieve for the living or the dead.
 
At their essence, no one ever does not exist.
 
When someone dies, one just goes into another body.
 
When in the material plane, temporary opposites like pain and pleasure, hot and cold must be endured.
 
The wise person knows those opposites are two sides of the same coin does not suffer.
 
Non-existence is not found in existence nor existence in non-existence. The sages of nature know the boundary of non-existence and existence.
 
All nature comes from the indestructible. No one can destroy the indestructible.
 
Finite bodies are of the eternal, indestructible, and immeasurable.
Therefore, Arjuna should engage in battle.
 
Anyone who thinks the indestructible slays or is slain is not discerning. The indestructible cannot slay or be slain.
 
This indestructible is not born nor does it ever die. It is eternal. This primordial, everlasting, eternal, unborn is not killed when the body is killed.
 
How a man with knowledge of the indestructible, eternal, unborn, and imperishable, can kill and who causes him to kill?
 
Just like people replace worn out clothes, so people discard old bodies and enter new ones.
 
Weapons do not cut this indestructible, fire does not burn it, waters do not wet it, winds do not dry this indestructible that goes from body to body.
 
This indestructible is not divisible, combustible, wetted, or dried up. It is perpetual, omnipresent, singular, unmoving, and everlasting.
 
This indestructible is not manifest, inconceivable, and not changeable.
 
Thus, one should not regret anything for the indestructible is eternally born and dies.
 
Death is inevitable in birth and birth is inevitable in death. In regards to the inevitable, one should not grieve.
 
Beings begin from the non-manifest, manifest in the middle, and end in the non-manifest. Therefore, there is no reason to lament.
 
Someone sees this indestructible as marvelous, another speaks of this indestructible as marvelous, and another hears of this indestructible as marvelous. Even having heard of it, no one know this indestructible.
 
The indestructible in the body is perpetually inviolable. Therefore, no one should ever be grieved.
 
Even considering one's dharma, one should not tremble. For a warrior, there is nothing better than a destined war.
 
If a warrior reaches the opened gate of heaven, then one did so by the nature of war.
 
Krishna states, if Arjuna does not engage in this battle related to dharma, then he would incur sin having avoided fame and one's own dharma. Beings will recount Arjuna's eternal disgrace that surpasses death. Great chariot warriors will think Arjuna withdrew battle out fear and will become insignificant, after being held in high-esteem. Enemies will speak many vile words about Arjuna and ridicule his power, a miserable fate. Arjuna killed, will attain heaven; conquering, he will enjoy earth. Therefore, Arjuna should rise up and be resolute for battle.
 
Having equally treated pain and pleasure, gain and loss, victory and defeat; Arjuna must engage for the sake of battle, not incurring sin.
 
Arjuna had this knowledge spoken to him in the Samkha, but he is implored to hear in Yoga with wisdom by which he will forsake bondage by action.
 
Nothing is lost for Arjuna with undertaking battle. No obstacle is found. Even a little of this dharma rescues one from great fear.
 
Krishna tells Arjuna, this is one view based on resolve. There are many branches of knowledge and the views of the irresolute are infinite.
 
The ignorant will delight in the lore of the Veda and utter in flowery speech that "there is no other." Their nature is desire, craving the heavens, progress with many pompous rituals towards supremacy and sense enjoyment bestowing the fruit of action in birth. The mind is carried off of those attached to supremacy and sense enjoyment. That view does not take place in samadhi.
 
The Vedic knowledge subjects concern the three gunas. Arjuna is instructed to transcend the three gunas, be in perpetual equilibrium transcendent of duality, and self-possessed transcendent of prosperity. 

To the extent of the need for a well in a deluge of water, similarly, the need for a Brahman and all his known knowledge.
 
Whenever in action, one's responsibility is not in the results, nor to be the motive for the results of actions, nor should your attachment be in inaction.
 
By abiding in yoga, Arjuna is to perform action having abandoned attachment. One seeing success and failure as equal is joined with equanimity.
 
Action is more inferior than being joined to wisdom. One should seek refuge in wisdom. Wretched are the motives for results.
 
Joined to wisdom, abandon both good and bad results. One joins for the sake of Yoga. Yoga is skill in action.
 
The wise joined to wisdom having abandoned the result born of action, liberation from the bondage of birth, they go to a healthy place.
 
When wisdom goes beyond the thicket of delusion, then one will go to disinterest of what has been heard and what will be heard.
When one’s immovable wisdom is averse to hearing will stand immovable in samadhi, then one will attain yoga.
 
Arjuna then asked, “What is the speech of knowing this is steadfast abiding in samadhi having understanding which is steadfast? How ought he speak? How ought he sit? How ought he move?
 
Krishna continued his discourse and said:
 
When one abandons all desires contained in the mind. Then one is called “knowing that is steadfast,” contented with the soul, indeed, in the soul.
 
The mind at ease in discomforts and comforts, desire departed, anger, fear, and passion departed, and understanding, which is steadfast. One is called a sage.
 
One who is without desire in all places having encountered this or that pleasantness  and unpleasantness, one does not delight nor hate, respectively. Of that, understanding is established.
 
And when one withdraws all the senses from the objects of the senses like limbs of the tortoise. Of that, understanding is established.
 
Objects of the senses cease for the embodied ones who don’t seek, at the exclusion of desire. Desire also ceases having seen the supreme of that.
 
The tormenting senses forcibly seize the mind, indeed, even for the striving man of wisdom.
 
Having restrained all these senses; disciplined, he should sit, devoted to me. Of who the senses are controlled; of that, understanding is established.
 
From anger arises insensibility; from insensibility, perseveration of memory; from perseveration of memory, loss of discernment; from loss of discernment, one is vanquished.
 
One detaches from desire and hatred, even though one is moving about the objects of the senses. With self-restraints, the self-controlled one attains tranquility.
 
Withdraw from misfortunes is born of him in tranquility. Indeed, of the mind that is tranquil, at once intelligence becomes steady.
 
There is no intelligence of the uncontrolled and no reflection of the uncontrolled and of the distracted there is no tranquility. Where is the happiness for the non-tranquil?
 
Moving about by the senses, by which the mind is led. That carries away one’s wisdom like the wind carries away a boat on the water.
 
Therefore, the one whose senses on all sides are withdrawn from the objects of the senses, of that one, wisdom is established.
 
Of all beings which is the night, in that, the restrained one is awakened. In that which the beings are awake, that is night of the perceiving sage.
 
As waters dissolve into the immovable and stable sea becoming filled, so all desires dissolve into one. That one attains tranquility, not the one who desires desires.
 
The person who having abandoned all desires; lives from from lust, indifferent to self interest, free from egotism. That person attains peace.
 
This is the Brahmi state. Not having attained this, one is confused. Standing firm in it even at the time of the end, one attains the nirvana of Brahma.