Chapter 2, Verse 45
Sankhya Yoga — Sanskrit shloka, transliteration, word meanings, English translation, and commentary.
Original Sanskrit verse
Transliteration
Word meanings
trai-guṇya—of the three modes of material nature; viṣhayāḥ—subject matter; vedāḥ—Vedic scriptures; nistrai-guṇyaḥ—above the three modes of material nature, transcendental; bhava—be; arjuna—Arjun; nirdvandvaḥ—free from dualities; nitya-sattva-sthaḥ—eternally fixed in truth; niryoga-kṣhemaḥ—unconcerned about gain and preservation; ātma-vān—situated in the self
English translation
The Vedas deal with the three attributes; be thou above these three attributes. O Arjuna, free yourself from the pairs of opposites and ever remain in the quality of Sattva, freed from acquisition and preservation, and be established in the Self.
— Swami Sivananda
Listen to Shloka 2.45
Commentary
Guna means attribute or ality. It is substance as well as ality. Nature (Prakriti) is made up of three Gunas; viz.; Sattva (purity; light or harmony); Rajas (passion or motion) and Tamas (darkness or inertia). The pairs of opposites are heat and cold; pleasure and pain; gain and loss; victory and defeat; honour and dishonour; praise and censure. He who is anxious about new acuqisitions or about the preservation of his old possessions cannot have peace of mind. He is ever restless. He cannot concentrate or meditate on the Self. He cannot practise virtue. Therefore; Lord Krishna advises Arjuna that he should be free from the thought of acisition and preservation of things. (Cf. IX.20; 21).
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
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