Hinduism

Chapter2— Transcendental Knowledge

◆ About this chapter

Chapter Two of the Bhagavad Gita, titled Transcendental Knowledge, serves as the philosophical cornerstone of the text, interrupting the narrative of the Kurukshetra war to establish the metaphysical foundations of dharma. Here, the sage Krishna addresses the despair of the warrior Arjuna, introducing the doctrine of the eternal self and the necessity of selfless action. This section transitions the work from a mythological epic into a systematic exposition of yoga and ethics, setting the stage for subsequent teachings on devotion and knowledge.

Translation:

About this translation

King James Version (1611)

1611 · Public domain

The most influential English translation ever made. Sometimes archaic, but the standard PD English text.

Translators commissioned by King James I of England, 1604–1611

Thou mournest them for whom thou shouldst not mourn; yet utterest words of wisdom. The wise lament neither for the living nor the dead. ²⁰Never the spirit was born; the spirit shall cease to be never; Never was time it was not; end and beginning are dreams! ²²As a man abandons worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, so the embodied soul casts off worn-out bodies and enters into others that are new.Death Before Life ⁴⁷Let right deeds be thy motive, not the fruit which comes from them. And live in action! Labour! Make thine acts thy piety, casting all self aside. ⁴⁸Perform thy duty, O Arjuna, steadfast in yoga, abandoning attachment. Be even-tempered in success and failure — this evenness is what is called yoga.

This chapter appears in 1 cross-tradition parallel

Comparative studies that quote one or more verses from this chapter alongside passages from other traditions.

Death Before Lifev22

Verse Discussions…

Every verse has its own thread. Click a verse to read or leave a response.

Chapter Discussion

Discussion

No one has written anything here yet. Some places to begin:

What in this chapter surprised you, or stopped you?
Where does this passage cut against your expectation?
What questions does it raise that you don't have an answer to yet?

— 2 —sacredatlas.org