Bhagwad Gita – 2.51, 2.52

Bhagwad Gita
Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.

Chapter 2, Shlokas 51 & 52




2.51 – By thus engaging in devotional service to the Lord, great sages or devotees free themselves from the results of work in the material world. In this way they become free from the cycle of birth and death and attain the state beyond all miseries [by going back to Godhead]





2.52 – When your intelligence has passed out of the dense forest of delusion, you shall become indifferent to all that has been heard and all that is to be heard.

Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra:
We depend on our own intelligence or something higher. This higher will require faith. Depending on our intelligence doesn’t seem to deliver the goods. We are all the time doing things according to our understanding and we don’t know how or why? There is peace and quiet in Mumbai contrary to what is happening in the Middle East or even in Europe. We don’t know why. Why India is downgraded as far as economic position, though it was considered as coming up very fast? No answers. So humans keep trying. Who doesn’t want to be a top grade country and prosperous country? Our government will not say that they won’t try.
So this trial and effort should continue, but not with expectations. As we are humans, able-bodied people, responsible, we should try. Whether we will get results or not, we don’t know. Shall we stop trying? That will not help. If we just sit down and say things don’t happen according to our ideas and so we won’t try, the society will get into trouble. So there are people who in a way, without arguing, without looking around, just carry on their duties all their life, just as their forefathers carried out all through their life. On the whole, these kinds of people have fared all right. Those who were ambitious, who claimed big things did nothing.

So the suggestion is why don’t we stop trying to order nature to act according to our own wishes? Why don’t we accept nature for what it does? Keeping the mind happy, cheerful, relaxed each day as it unfolds, at the same time carry on our own duties looks like a sensible kind of suggestion.

Smt. Hansaji J. Yogendra:

Shloka 2.51 gives us the formula of how to live. Do your duty with a balanced state of mind. If the balance is not there you will be caught. As far as the fruits are concerned, surrender, don’t bother, leave it to God. If you do your duty in this way, you will be free from the life and death cycle. Automatically you will reach the Moksha state.
Shloka 2.52 talks about knowledge. The entire second chapter talks about Samkhya philosophy. In Samkhya,they say there are just 2 entities – Prakrti(matter) and Purusa (pure consciousness). All the problems are because you identify yourself with matter. A wise person can separate the matter from pure consciousness and once you do that then you get liberation. It is because of ‘me’, ‘mine’ that we lose our balance and suffer. We have to bring this understanding.

About Parisamvad
On every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, The Yoga Institute, Santacruz holds Parisamvad sessions – Free interactive sessions that are open to all. These session begin at 7:20 am and end around 7:45 am.
The Tuesday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the the Bhagwad Gita by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.
All are welcome to attend.


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(Shloka and its English translation taken from http://www.ishwar.com/hinduism/holy_bhagavad_gita).