Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Summary

The name of chapter two of the Bhagavad Gita is Sankhya Yoga. The word "Sankhya" means "Number or Numerical" So the chapter talks about the numerical approach towards reality. At the beginning of the chapter, Arjun had encountered few doubts about the situation and psychological state which he was facing at the war field and then he did surrender to Krsna and asked him to enlighten him on this issue and help him to get rid of it. 

Krsna first laughed and started his speech with a sarcastic approach where he (Krsna) told Arjun that his behavior was mismatched with the dialog he was sharing. After this, Krsna started to explain two sets of methods. Those are...

1. Sānkhya Yog (Yog of Numericals)
2. Buddhi Yog (Yog of Intelligence)

In the Sankhya Yog, there are two aspects. One is Atman and Two is Anatman. In this Yog, there is something that is eternal in nature and this eternal entity is also beyond the impact of Time; thus it neither created nor destroyed. Apart from Atman, the rest of the things (both physical and non-physical and living and non-living) are identified as Anatman.

In this discussion, Krsna used a list of terms and facts to identify this entity known as "Atman". The list is...

• Avināśhi/Imperishable
• Yena sarvam idaṁ tatam means/This Dehi pervades the entire body
• Indestructible/Anāśhino
• Immeasurable/Aprameyasya
• Eternal/Nityas
• This Dehi doesn't perform any deeds/actions
• Ajaḥ/Unborn
• Nityaḥ/Eternal
• Shāśhvataḥ/Immortal
• Purāṇaḥ/The ancient
• Na hanyate/Is not destroyed
• This Imperishable has the capability to move from one body to another and it also uses this capability and changes the body
• This Imperishable is a Non-physical entity
• Adāhyaḥ/Incombustible
• Akledyaḥ/Cannot be dampened
• Achchhedyaḥ/Unbreakable
• Aśhoṣhyah/Cannot be dried
• Nityaḥ/Everlasting or Eternal
• Achalaḥ/Immutable
• Sthāṇuḥ/Unalterable
• Sanātanaḥ/Primordial
• Sarva-gataḥ/All pervading or Omnipresent
• Avyaktaḥ/Unmanifested
• Achintyaḥ/Inconceivable or That which is beyond the human comprehension
• Avikāryaḥ/Unchangeable
• Kaal Chakra/ Circle of Time
• Aparihārye arthe/Inevitably or Sense of inevitable
• Avadhyo/Can't be killed
• Swa-Dharma

The Sankhya Yog is all about theory. It doesn't prescribe any method to know this entity called Atman. It is a perspective that tells that this world of plurality can be categorized into two sections. One section is eternal and beyond the impact of time, and another section has the impact of Time. Here, the phrase "Impact of time" means "allow change" or "that which changes with time".  

Now, the "Buddhi Yog". This is the applied version of Sankhya yog. It prescribes methods that can be used by any person to know that entity called Atman. From the sloke number 39 of this chapter, the Buddhi Yog starts and it continues till the end of the chapter. From the sloka number 40 to 47 Krsna described the benefits and impacts of this Buddhi Yog. Indirectly Krsna also mentioned in these slokas that this Buddhi Yog is subjective in nature. In the 48th sloka, Krsna gave a proper definition of this Yog and in the technical term, this Yog is also known as Samartha Yog. After this, Krsna started describing the methods of this Yog up to the 72nd sloka, which is the last sloka of this chapter.

Thank you