Download Bhagwad Gita 3.2 Download BG 3.2 as Image

⮪ BG 3.1 Bhagwad Gita English BG 3.3⮫

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 Verse 2

भगवद् गीता अध्याय 3 श्लोक 2

व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे।
तदेकं वद निश्िचत्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम्।।3.2।।

English Translation - Swami Gambirananda

3.2 You bewilder my understanding, as it were, by a seemingly conflicting statement! Tell me for certain one of these by which I may attain the highest Good.

English Translation - Swami Sivananda

3.2 With this apparently perplexing speech, Thou confusest, as it were, my understanding; therefore tell me that one way for certain by which I may attain bliss.

English Translation - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan

3.2. You appear to perplex my intellect with Your speech that looks confusing. Hence tell me, with certainty, that particular thing by which I may attain the good (emancipation).

English Commentary - Swami Sivananda

3.2 व्यामिश्रेण perplexing? इव as it were? वाक्येन with speech? बुद्धिम् understanding? मोहयसि (Thou) confusest? इव as it were? मे my? तत् that? एकम् one? वद tell? निश्चित्य for certain? येन by which? श्रेयः bliss (the good or the highest)? अहम् I? आप्नुयाम् may attain.Commentary Arjuna says to Lord Krishna? Tecah me one of the two? knowledge or action? by which I may attain to the highest good or bliss or Moksha. (Cf.V.I).

English Translation of Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya's

3.2 Though the Lord speaks lucidly, still, to me who am of a dull understanding, the Lords utterance appears to be conflicting. Mohayasi, You bewilder; me, any; buddhim, understanding; iva, as it were; vyamisrena iva, by that seemingly conflicting; vakyena, statement! You have surely undertaken to dispel the confusion of my understanding; but why do You bewildered (it)? Hence I say, You bewildered my understanding, as it were. However, if You [In some readings, tvam tu, however, you, is substituted by tatra, as to that.-Tr.] think that it is impossible for a single person to pursue both Knowledge and action, which can be undertaken (only) by different persons then, that being the case, vada, tell me; niscitya, for certain; tadekam, one of these, either Knowledge or action: This indeed is fit for Arjuna, according to his understanding, strength and situation; yena, by which, by one of either Knowledge or action; aham, I; apnuyam, may attain; sreyah, the highest Good. Even if Knowledge had been spoken of at all by the Lord as being subsidiary to steadfastness in action, how then could there be the desire in Arjuna to know of only one of them, as expressed in Tell me one of these two? Certainly the Lord did not say, I shall speak of only one among Knowledge and action, but surely not of both, owing to which, Arjuna, considering it impossible for himself to acire both, should have prayed for one only! The answer was in accordance witht the estion:

English Translation of Commentary - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan

3.1-2 Jyayasi etc. and Vyamisrena etc. Action has been taught and knowledge too. Now it is proper [to attach] importance not to both, but only to knowledge. Now if with the strenght of knowledge the action is to be destroyed from its very root, according to the instruction The man of wisdom casts off [both the good and the bad action], then what is the autility of action ? This is idea of [Arjunas] estion. But the Bhagavat gives the answer :

English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary

3.2 Conseently, it appears to me as if you confuse me with statements that seem to contradict each other. For, firm devotion to knowledge which forms the means for the vision of the self and which is of the nature of stopping the operations of the senses on the one hand, and on the other exhortation to action which is of a nature opposite to it, i.e., knowledge, as a means to the same vision of that Atman - these statements are contradictory and confusing. Therefore tell me clearly the path following which I can take a determined course and win the Supreme Being.

Commentary - Chakravarthi Ji

“O my friend Arjuna, it is true that bhakti, beyond the gunas is supreme.   But since that is obtained only by the mercy of my great pure devotees in an unexpected manner, it is not attained by the efforts of the individual. Therefore, I have given the blessing to you: be transcendental to the gunas (nistraigunya bhava): be transcendental to the gunas by transcendental bhakti. When this blessing matures, you will attain bhakti by such unexpected mercy of the pure devotee. As it is fitting to the present circumstances, directing you to engage in activity with the words karmany evadhikaras te is also valid.” “Then why do you not clearly tell me to engage in activity? You throw me into an ocean of doubt. You bewilder my intelligence by those words which are mixture of many meanings (vyamisrena). Though you have mentioned about action (karmany evadhikaras te), you also speak of jnana using the word yoga in such statements as the following: yogasthah kuru karmani sangam tyaktva dhananjaya siddhy-asiddhyoh samo bhutva samatvam yoga ucyate Being situated in this niskama karma yoga, perform your duties, giving up attachment, being equal to success and failure, O conqueror of wealth! Such equal mindedness is called yoga. BG 2.48 buddhi-yukto jahatiha ubhe sukrta-duskrte tasmad yogaya yujyasva yogah karmasu kausalam He who is engaged in niskama karma yoga gives up both pious and impious reactions. Therefore engage in this yoga. Among all types of action, this performance without attachment is a skill. BG 2.50 And you speak only of knowledge in such statements as yada te moha-kalilam buddhir vyatitarisyati: when your intelligence has  crossed the denseness of illusion… (Gita 2.52) The word iva indicates that “Your words are not actually filled with many meanings, and it is not your desire to bewilder me, as you are merciful. Nor is it that I do not know the meaning, but you should speak this clearly.” The deep sense is this: compared to karma in the mode of passion, karma in the mode of goodness is superior. Superior to that is jnana, which is also sattvika. And bhakti, beyond the modes, is superior to that. If you say that bhakti is not possible for me, then instruct me just on jnana alone. Then I should be free from the bondage of samsara and misery.

Rudra Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary

We see Lord Krishna stating in chapter two, verse 31 that There is no greater good fortune for a ksatriya warrior then to engage in a war for righteousness. So the superiority of actions has also being praised by Him. Due to the praising of both jnana yoga and karma yoga in a seemingly equal manner some conflict arises in Arjunas mind and he became confused. But still he is clear enough to understand that the Lord being compassionate is never really perplexing to His devotees; but it may appear so because of a lack of clarity. So Arjuna can perceive he is being seemingly bewildered and this is the underlying meaning of the verse. So Arjuna is beseeching Lord Krishna to clarify definitively which is the superior path of the two that gives blessedness and leads to final beatitude being moksa or liberation.

Brahma Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary

Hari Om! Previously it has been spoken that self-realisation of the soul is the gained by the means of spiritual knowledge. Lord Krishna after substantiating the cessation of activities with words of wisdom He now redirects Arjunas attention to the performance of actions. In chapter two, verse 49 the resplendent Lord Krishna had endorsed that cultivation of spiritual knowledge is by far superior to fruitive activities. So Arjuna is questioning why he is being urged to perform savage activities in warfare which is bereft of righteousness, if the attainment of wisdom is superior to performing actions. Now the summation begins. Hari Om! Wisdom and equanimity have been discussed. Now karma yoga the yoga of actions is being specifically explained in this chapter. Far inferior is action in the search of enquiry. Here the word yoga attached to karma-yoga is being utilised as a means of acquiring wisdom in the performance of actions.

Shri Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary

What Arjuna is trying to ascertain from Lord Krishna is if the cultivation of spiritual knowledge is superior to performing physical activities for the attainment of liberation and if so then why should one engage in horrendous activities like war and killing. It is well known that jnana yoga or the cultivation of spiritual knowledge is the means to accomplish self-realisation of the soul. Karma yoga or performing physical activities without attachment leads one gradually to jnana yoga. This path of spiritual knowledge can be attained by with drawing all the senses along with the mind from the objects of the senses. If this is the case then Arjuna is wondering why he is not being instructed in the cessation of all physical activities; but instead he is being encouraged to fully use his mind and senses to engage in all of the violent and horrific activities that accompany warfare. Feeling confused by the conflicting instructions of with drawing the senses and the performance of actions, Arjuna now wants a single, unequivocal instruction to determine for certain exactly what course he should embark to achieve the highest good.

Kumara Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary

What Arjuna is trying to ascertain from Lord Krishna is if the cultivation of spiritual knowledge is superior to performing physical activities for the attainment of liberation and if so then why should one engage in horrendous activities like war and killing. It is well known that jnana yoga or the cultivation of spiritual knowledge is the means to accomplish self-realisation of the soul. Karma yoga or performing physical activities without attachment leads one gradually to jnana yoga. This path of spiritual knowledge can be attained by with drawing all the senses along with the mind from the objects of the senses. If this is the case then Arjuna is wondering why he is not being instructed in the cessation of all physical activities; but instead he is being encouraged to fully use his mind and senses to engage in all of the violent and horrific activities that accompany warfare. Feeling confused by the conflicting instructions of with drawing the senses and the performance of actions, Arjuna now wants a single, unequivocal instruction to determine for certain exactly what course he should embark to achieve the highest good.

Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 3.2

Vyaamishreneva vaakyena buddhim mohayaseeva me; Tadekam vada nishchitya yena shreyo’ham aapnuyaam.

Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 3.2

arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; jyāyasī—superior; chet—if; karmaṇaḥ—than fruitive action; te—by you; matā—is considered; buddhiḥ—intellect; janārdana—he who looks after the public, Krishna; tat—then; kim—why; karmaṇi—action; ghore—terrible; mām—me; niyojayasi—do you engage; keśhava—Krishna, the killer of the demon named Keshi; vyāmiśhreṇa iva—by your apparently ambiguous; vākyena—words; buddhim—intellect; mohayasi—I am getting bewildered; iva—as it were; me—my; tat—therefore; ekam—one; vada—please tell; niśhchitya—decisively; yena—by which; śhreyaḥ—the highest good; aham—I; āpnuyām—may attain