Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 1 & 2

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

Translations of other slokas of the Gita are available on my blog  http://haricharanam.blogspot.com

Arjuna's Doubt   1-2

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 1

Arjuna Uvacha

Jyayasi chetkarmanah te mata buddhih janardhana I

Tat kim karmani ghore mam niyojayasi keshava II sloka 1

अर्जुन उवाच

ज्यायसि चेत्करमनः ते मता बुद्धिः जनार्दन ।

तत् किं कर्मणि घोरे माम नियोजयसि केशव ।। श्लोक १

Arjuna said

If it is held by you, O Janardhana, that knowledge is superior to action, why then do you O Keshava enjoin on me this terrible action? 

Viyamishrena iva vakyena buddhim mohyasi iva me I

Tat ekam vada nischitya yena shreyah aham apnuyam II sloka 2

वियमिश्रेण इव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसि इव मे ।

तत् एकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयः अहं अप्नुयं ।। श्लोक २ 

With these perplexing words you are, as it were, confusing my comprehension. Tell me with certainty the path by pursuing  which I may get at the Supreme. 

The Lord made it plain to Arjuna that he was not to abandon his duty for any reason whatsoever. After goading him to action, He next put it to him convert the bondage creating karma into bondage breaking karma yoga. The Lord's contention was tat karma yogi alone could accomplish everything. He then pointed out the supremacy of jnanam -enlightenment. That in spiritual illumination alone the acme of life was attained, was the conclusion of the Lord He even extolled it as the Supreme. 

The two fold emphasis created a doubt in the mind of Arjuna, which may be set forth as follows : -"Lord,you are the dispeller of the ignorance of beings; you are also the remover of their misery. Why do you place me alone in a dilemma? I am sure it is no intention of yours to lead me astray. I have supplicated to you for sreyas. Do therefore guide me.