Chapter 2
Sankhya Yoga
Last updated: 14 June 2026
सांख्य योग
Total Shlokas: 72~17 min readSanskrit + Multi-language Meanings
Script:
Shloka 1
सञ्जय उवाच। तं तथा कृपयाविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम्। विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः।।2.1।।
Show Meaning
Sanjaya describes the scene: Krishna spoke the following words to Arjuna, who was overwhelmed with compassion, whose eyes were tearful and filled with despondency.
Shloka 2
श्री भगवानुवाच। कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम्। अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन।।2.2।।
Show Meaning
Krishna rebukes Arjuna: From where has this impurity of faintheartedness come upon you at this critical hour? Such behavior is unworthy of a noble person, does not lead to heaven, and brings only disgrace.
Shloka 3
क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते। क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप।।2.3।।
Show Meaning
Krishna urges Arjuna not to yield to unmanliness, for it does not befit him. He should cast off this petty weakness of heart and arise as a scorcher of enemies.
Shloka 4
अर्जुन उवाच। कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्ख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन। इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन।।2.4।।
Show Meaning
Arjuna objects: How can he fight with arrows against Bhishma and Drona in battle — venerable elders who are worthy of his worship rather than his weapons?
Shloka 5
गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान् श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके। हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान्।।2.5।।
Show Meaning
Arjuna feels it would be better to live as a beggar than to enjoy wealth stained with the blood of his great teachers. Any pleasures won by killing them would be tainted with their blood.
Shloka 6
न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो यद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः। यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषाम स्तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः।।2.6।।
Show Meaning
Arjuna is torn by confusion: he does not know which outcome is better — whether they should conquer or be conquered. The very people whose death would make life meaningless stand before him.
Shloka 7
कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेताः। यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्।।2.7।।
Show Meaning
Overwhelmed by the weakness of pity and confused about his duty, Arjuna surrenders to Krishna as a disciple and asks Him to teach what is definitively best for him.
Shloka 8
न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्याद् यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम्। अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धं राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम्।।2.8।।
Show Meaning
Arjuna confesses he can find no remedy for the grief that dries up his senses — not even if he were to obtain an unrivaled, prosperous kingdom on earth or sovereignty over the gods.
Shloka 9
सञ्जय उवाच। एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तपः। न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह।।2.9।।
Show Meaning
Having declared 'I will not fight,' Arjuna fell silent. This marks the complete surrender to despondency before Krishna begins His teaching.
Shloka 10
तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत। सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः।।2.10।।
Show Meaning
Between the two armies, Krishna, with a gentle smile, begins to speak to the grief-stricken Arjuna — the smile indicating that Arjuna's sorrow, though understandable, is based on ignorance.
Shloka 11
श्री भगवानुवाच। अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे। गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः।।2.11।।
Show Meaning
Krishna begins His teaching: You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of wisdom. The truly wise mourn neither for the living nor for the dead, for the soul is eternal.
Shloka 12
न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः। न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम्।।2.12।।
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Krishna teaches the eternality of the soul: There was never a time when I, you, or these kings did not exist, nor will there be a time when we shall cease to be. The soul is without beginning or end.
Shloka 13
देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा। तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति।।2.13।।
Show Meaning
Just as the embodied soul passes through childhood, youth, and old age in this body, so too does it pass into another body at death. The wise person is not deluded by this transition.
Shloka 14
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः। आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत।।2.14।।
Show Meaning
The contact of the senses with their objects gives rise to fleeting sensations of heat and cold, pleasure and pain. These are temporary and come and go; one should learn to endure them with equanimity.
Shloka 15
यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ। समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते।।2.15।।
Show Meaning
The person whom these dualities of pleasure and pain do not disturb, who remains steady and balanced in both — that wise person becomes fit for immortality.
Shloka 16
नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः। उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः।।2.16।।
Show Meaning
The unreal (the body and material world) has no lasting existence, and the Real (the soul) never ceases to be. The seers of truth have concluded this by studying the nature of both.
Shloka 17
अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्। विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति।।2.17।।
Show Meaning
Know that which pervades the entire body — the consciousness, the soul — is indestructible. No one can destroy the imperishable soul.
Shloka 18
अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः। अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत।।2.18।।
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Only the physical bodies of the eternal, indestructible, and immeasurable soul are said to have an end. Therefore, O Arjuna, fight without hesitation.
Shloka 19
य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम्। उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते।।2.19।।
Show Meaning
Neither the one who thinks the soul can kill nor the one who thinks it can be killed understands the truth. The soul neither kills nor is killed — it is beyond all physical actions.
Shloka 20
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन् नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः। अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे।।2.20।।
Show Meaning
The soul is never born and never dies. Having once existed, it can never cease to be. It is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, and primeval. It is not slain when the body is slain.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 (Sankhya Yoga) about?
Chapter 2, Sankhya Yoga, deals with the immortality of the soul and the introduction of selfless action (Sankhya and Karma Yoga) — the essence of the whole Gita. It contains 72 verses and is part of the dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna at Kurukshetra.
How many verses are in Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita?
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 (Sankhya Yoga) has 72 shlokas (verses). On VedKosh each one is available with the original Sanskrit, transliteration, and meaning in Hindi and English.
What is the key teaching of Chapter 2?
The central teaching of Sankhya Yoga is the immortality of the soul and the introduction of selfless action (Sankhya and Karma Yoga) — the essence of the whole Gita. Read it as part of the unfolding wisdom Krishna gives Arjuna to resolve his moral crisis and act with clarity.