Krishna responds with strong words to the arguments Arjun gave in Chapter One [1-3]. Arjun restates those arguments [4-6], then admits confusion. He turns to Krishna as a disciple in need of wise guidence [7-8], then honestly expresses his mind, saying, "I shall not fight." [9]
Arjun's first difficulty in fighting this war was his compassion and affection for his Grandfather, Guru and the family members who would fight against him. Krishna advises that compassion and affection must be guided by wisdom. If Arjun considers the situation wisely, he should have no reason to lament and shrink from the battle.
10-14: Death and Grief
Krishna takes the roll of Arjun's teacher, and says [10]:
"Grief does not conquer the wise [11], because they never mistake the body to be the self [12]. Nor are the wise bewildered by the inevitable change of body that occurs with age and death [13].
"Although there is always some pain in loosing loved ones, the wise undergo that pain with patience and tolerance. They push on without letting grief overwhelm and ruin their responsibilities [14-15]."
"What exists cannot be destroyed. What can be destroyed does not truly exist [16]. The soul cannot be destroyed [17], but the body in which the soul resides is sure to end [18]. No one can die [19]. The soul is ever-existent, only the body can die [20-21]. Death is simply a change of body, like a change of clothes [22].
"No weapon can harm the immovable soul [23-24]." Krishna asks Arjun to consider these facts and not let the grief of death dissuade him from his duty.[25]
If life arises from the body, not the soul, death still need not cause grief to the wise [26]. Birth still leads to death and death still leads to another birth [27]. The elements that form the body and life return to nature after death and again form another body, another life. As such, there is no cause for grief [28].
People doubt the existence of the soul because it is so subtle and amazing [29], but there is an eternal soul within the body that never dies. This is the real reason one should not overly grieve for death [30].
31-37: Happiness & Duty
Arjun also argued in Chapter One that the war would bring him no happiness. Krishna here reminds Arjun that happiness comes from right action: duty. Arjun's duty as a kshatriya (warrior), was to protect the virtuous. No unhappiness could arise from performing his duty, even if it involved fighting [31]. Even if Arjun were to die in the war, he would attain heaven the reward of dutiful action [32].
Unhappiness would come, however, if Arjun did not fight, for he would lose his reputation as a dutiful and brave kshatriya a pain worse than death [33-36]. Happiness would thus be the sure result of fighting, win or lose. [37].
Arjun's third argument against the war pointed to the sin of killing one's family, grandfather, and guru. Krishna replies that duty executed without motivation for personal gain is never sinful [38]. Beginning from text [39], He explains how to perform such selfless duty.
The results of wise action are imperishable [40], the wise therefore strive for wise action with unbroken determination [41a]
Those without wisdom act in myriad ways only for sense gratification [41b]. They follow religion only to achieve material prosperity, thinking that this is the goal of religion [42-43]. Indeed, the material prosperity they receive dominates their thoughts and dreams. Thus they never achieve the real fruit of religion: enlightenment [44].
One should therefore rise above the materialistic aspects of religion and strive for it's goal: enlightenment [45]. Nothing is lost if one abandons the lesser aspects of religion to attain the higher [46].
This ultimate goal, enlightenment, is best achieved by Wise Action (karma-yoga), in which one acts out of duty only, without personal attachment [47]. This is real "yoga" [48].
One can best act without personal attachment by acting for the pleasure of God. This frees one's actions from impurity and sin ("bad karma") [49]. It also frees one from material piety ("good karma") [50], and thus grants true liberation [51].
In this liberated state, the intelligence becomes indifferent to all material desires and hates [52], and remains fixed in self-realization [53].
Having explained that enlightenment results from Wise Action (buddhi-yoga), Krishna now answers Arjun's questions about the symptoms and characteristics of one who has achieved such enlightenment; about how the enlightened speak, sit, and walk [54].
The enlightened forget material desires and find pleasure in the self [55].Being free from attraction and aversion [56], the enlightened neither praise nor condemn anything in this world [57].
How do the enlightened "sit", or remain still and in control of their senses? They with draw the senses from the sense objects as a turtle withdraws within his shell [58].
How does he get the strength to pull his senses away from their objects? By experiencing in self-realization a pleasure that is greater than sense gratification [59]. The senses are to strong to be forced into submission [60]. One can conquer them only by satisfying them with the superior taste of spiritual realization, gained by focusing the mind upon God [61].
If one does not fix his mind upon God, it will become fixed on sense objects [62], which leads, step by step, to illusion [63].
How do the enlightened "walk", or engage their senses and mind in the service of God? They follow religious principles and regulations [64]. The senses become satisfied and peaceful by being used in accordance with scriptural regulations. The satisfied senses do not revolt against the intelligence [65].
The dissatisfied senses revolt if not properly engaged, and in a state of revolt and turmoil one cannot achieve peace and enlightenment [66]. Instead the senses rebelliously prowl for gratification and eventually sweep one into illusion [67].
Those only those of Wise Action can truly control their senses [68].
The "walking" or action of the wise is as different from the action of the ignorant as day is different from night [69]. The wise seek purification. Thus their actions never violate religious limits, as the ocean never violates her boundary through countless rivers seek to overflow her. The ignorant, however, strive only to satisfy their desires. Thus their actions bring no peace [70].
Peace comes only to those who give up the motivations of false ego [71]. Indeed, they attain the supreme liberation [72].