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Chapter 2 · Contents of the Gītā Summarized · 72 verses

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Remember who is speaking. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Take the verse as He directs.
  2. 2Say the verse and its words. Read the Sanskrit, then each word with its meaning.
  3. 3Read the translation as it is. Let the translation say what it says, without adding your own meaning.
  4. 4Read the purport. Hear the verse through the disciplic succession.
  5. 5Bring your own question. Ask: where does this verse meet my life, my trouble, my doubt?
  6. 6Act on it, remembering Kṛṣṇa. Carry one instruction into your work today.
Read the full guide: how to read the Bhagavad-gītā ›
Duty & actionChapter 2 · Contents of the Gītā Summarized

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 2.50

Work without attachment; steady intelligence

Karma · Action

बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते ।

तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् ॥ ५० ॥

buddhi-yukto jahātīha

ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte

tasmād yogāya yujyasva

yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam

Translation

A man engaged in devotional service rids himself of both good and bad reactions even in this life. Therefore strive for yoga, which is the art of all work.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

3 study points

The Art of All Work

  1. 1

    Devotional service frees one from good and bad reactions even in this life. Therefore, strive for yoga, the art of all work.

  2. 2

    Reactions from past good and bad work keep us unaware of our true position.

  3. 3

    The Bhagavad-gītā teaches full surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness purifies us and frees us from action and reaction.

Key points from the purport

Buddhi-yoga is an art of all work and rids one from all good and bad reactions

a

Krishna consciousness is the “purifying process of resultant action”

b

Arjuna is told that to avoid reaction, he need not renounce work but work in right consciousness

Since time immemorial the living entity has accumulated the various reactions of good and bad work

Thus he is continuously ignorant of his real constitutional position

How to remove ignorance – By instructions of Bhagavad-gita, which teaches one to

Surrender unto Lord Krishna in all respects

Become liberated from the chain of action and reaction, and thus bondage of birth and death

Further reading

Buddhi–Yoga — Fight!

FIGHT! But without any reaction – Niskarma-karma-yoga

One works (karma) with knowledge (jnana)

Thus detached from the fruit of his work

Chapter 2, section IV: Buddhi–Yoga — Fight!
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. buddhi-yuktaḥone who is engaged in devotional service
  2. jahātican get rid of
  3. ihain this life
  4. ubheboth
  5. sukṛta-duṣkṛtegood and bad results
  6. tasmāttherefore
  7. yogāyafor the sake of devotional service
  8. yujyasvabe so engaged
3

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: karma, sva-dharma.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 2.50 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to duty & action?

Practice

Do one task today purely because it is right.

5

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 2 ›
6

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

Live this todayThe Art of All WorkOne practice from this verse

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.