March1 – Bhagavadgita Chapter 3; Verses 3.03 (Day 61) Sankhya Yoga

March 1 – Day 61

Verse 3.03

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।

लोकेऽस्मिन् द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ ।

ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ॥ ३-३॥ 

Śhrī Bhagavān uvācha
loke ’smin dvi-vidhā niṣhṭhā purā proktā mayānagha
jñāna-yogena sāṅkhyānāṁ karma-yogena yoginām (3) 

ஶ்ரீப⁴க³வானுவாச¹ |
லோகே¹‌ஸ்மின் த்³விவிதா⁴ நிஷ்டா² பு¹ரா ப்¹ரோக்¹தா¹ மயானக⁴ |
ஞானயோகே³ன ஸாங்யானாம் க¹ர்மயோகே³ன யோகி³னாம் ||3|| 

The Blessed Lord said:

3. In this world there is a twofold path, as I said before, O sinless one,—the path of knowledge of the Sankhyas and the path of action of the Yogis! 

Commentary: The Path of knowledge of the Sankhya (Jnana Yoga) was described by Lord Krishna in Chapter 2 verses 11 to 38; the path of action (Karma Yoga) from 40 to 53.

Pura Prokta may also mean “In the beginning of creation the twofold path was given by Me to this world.”

Those who are endowed with the four means and who have sharp, subtle intellect and bold understanding are fit for Jnana Yoga. Those who have a tendency or inclination for work are fit for Karma Yoga (The four means are discrimination, dispassion, sixfold virtues, and longing for liberation. The sixfold virtues are: control of the mind, control of the senses, fortitude (endurance), turning away from the objects of the world, faith, and tranquility.)

It is not possible for a man to practice the two Yoga simultaneously. Karma Yoga is a means to an end. It purifies the heart and prepares the aspirant for the reception of knowledge. The Karma Yogi should take up Jnana Yoga as soon as his heart is purified. Jnana Yoga takes the aspirant directly to the goal without any extraneous help. (Cf.5.5)

Commentary by Swami Venkatesananda [verse 3]

This is a truly Kṛṣṇa-like statement! There are not two paths; the path is a synthesis of the two, it is twofold! The path to God-realization is two-fold; in fact the statement need not be restricted to refer to the path to God-realization! In this world, the path taken by anyone and everyone is of this twofold nature! Kṛṣṇa does not exclude anyone in this world.

The sāṅkhyā or the ‘philosophers’ speculated about the reality. The yogī were busy living a life of service and rituals. The former did not interest themselves in living. The latter did not ensure that the service or the ritual had the light of knowledge to illumine and enliven the spirit in it. The two drifted apart; the philosopher and the yogi specialized in their own fields, and built their own empires which in course of time actually became antagonistic! If they are exclusive of each other, there is conflict and confusion, knowledge becomes hypocritical and action becomes destructive and self-aggrandizing. Thus, the two which sound very healthy and wholesome, actually produce contrary results. Kṛṣṇa reconciles them. On another level, neglect of this ‘wholesome’ approach is fraught with danger. Modern science bears witness to this. The so-called ‘true science’ generates knowledge of nuclear forces and of genetic mutations. Applied technology creates dangerous weapons – for which neither accepts responsibility. A ‘wholesome’ (holistic) approach will bring them together – and avoid dabbling with destructive forces.

The path is twofold. The two (knowledge and action) must blend in every one of us. As we shall presently see, the one implies and includes the other: a philosopher is no philosopher if he refuses to act on his philosophy – obviously he is not sure of it! A yogi is not a yogi if he does not know what he is doing! Blind action and lame philosophy must unite to march forward to the goal of divine life. This is Kṛṣṇa’s yoga – buddhi yoga.

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