Contents of the Gītā Summarized

Theme and purpose

Summary of the Gita: Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa as guru and Kṛṣṇa describes – Jñāna (knowledge of body and soul), sakāma-karma (doing duty and attaining enjoyment), Buddhi-yoga – Niṣkāma-karma-yoga (working with detachment and knowledge) and the qualities of a sthita-prajña.

How this chapter connects

Sections and key teachings

1. 2.1–10 Arjuna’s indecision and accepting Lord Kṛṣṇa as his guru
   3 subsections

   • 2.1–3 Lord Kṛṣṇa chastises Arjuna and disapproves his so-called compassion
   • 2.4–6 Arjuna’s further doubts and confusion
   • 2.7–10 Arjuna surrenders to Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa begins to speak
2. 2.11–30 Jñāna/Sāṅkhya – Analysis of body and soul (Matter and Spirit)
   5 subsections

   • 2.11–13 Don’t lament unnecessarily, all individuals exist eternally and changing bodies is natural.
   • 2.14–15 Tolerate dualities; equanimilty is eligibility for liberation
   • 2.16–22 The soul never dies and the body is perishable. Changing bodies is similar to changing clothes.
   • 2.23–25 The qualities of the eternal soul
   • 2.26–30 Birth and death are inevitable. No need to lament for the eternal soul.
3. 2.31–37 Sakāma-karma – Performing prescribed duty gives enjoyment
   3 subsections

   • 2.31–32 Doing prescribed duty of fighting open doors for heaven.
   • 2.33–36 By avoiding fight, you wil incur sin, infamy and criticism
   • 2.37 Benefit of fight – kingdom in victory and heaven in defeat.
4. 2.38–53 Niṣkāma-karma-yoga / Buddhi-yoga – Detached work without reactions
   5 subsections

   • 2.38 Dutifully fight with equanimity → no sin
   • 2.39–40 Buddhi yoga – no loss in this yoga
   • 2.41–46 Vyasāyātmika intelligence and vedic karma-kāṇḍa
   • 2.47–49 How to practice Niṣkāma-karma-yoga
   • 2.50–53 Benefits of acting in Buddhi-yoga
5. 2.54–72 Sthita-prajña – The qualities of a liberated soul (Jīvanmukta)
   5 subsections

   • 2.54 Arjuna’s questions about a sthita-prajña (Q1-Q4)
   • 2.55 [A1] Symptoms of a sthita-prajña
   • 2.56–57 [A2] Sthita-prajña’s response to dualities (speech)
   • 2.58–63 [A3] Sthita-prajña’s sense control (sitting) – He withdraws senses like a tortoise. Sense control is difficult even for the wise, and is possible only by kṛṣṇa-bhakti. One falls down in eight stages due to uncontrolled mind.
   • 2.64–71 [A4] Sthita-prajña’s sense engagement (walking) – By attaining the Lord’s mercy, one’s intelligence is established and one attains peace. Agitated senses carry away intelligence and a sthita-prajña is unagitated. Qualities and destination of sthita-prajña.

All verses

2.1–10

• 2.1
• 2.2
• 2.3
• 2.4
• 2.5
• 2.6
• 2.7
• 2.8
• 2.9
• 2.10

2.11–30

• 2.11
• 2.12
• 2.13
• 2.14
• 2.15
• 2.16
• 2.17
• 2.18
• 2.19
• 2.20
• 2.21
• 2.22
• 2.23
• 2.24
• 2.25
• 2.26
• 2.27
• 2.28
• 2.29
• 2.30

2.31–37

• 2.31
• 2.32
• 2.33
• 2.34
• 2.35
• 2.36
• 2.37

2.38–53

• 2.38
• 2.39
• 2.40
• 2.41
• 2.42–43
• 2.44
• 2.45
• 2.46
• 2.47
• 2.48
• 2.49
• 2.50
• 2.51
• 2.52
• 2.53

2.54–72

• 2.54
• 2.55
• 2.56
• 2.57
• 2.58
• 2.59
• 2.60
• 2.61
• 2.62
• 2.63
• 2.64
• 2.65
• 2.66
• 2.67
• 2.68
• 2.69
• 2.70
• 2.71
• 2.72