a. Explain the analogy of the dress of a drowning man. (2.

1)

In BG:2.1 Krishna sees Arjuna lamenting like an ignorant man.

Material compassion, lamentation, and tears are signs of ignorance.
No one knows where the compassion should be used,
Definition of ‘sudra’ – To lament for outward dress (gross body) or one who laments
unnecessarily
· Analogy: Compassion for the ‘dress of a drowning man’ is senseless
· Similarly, a man fallen into the ocean of nescience cannot be saved simply by rescuing his
gross body
(c) ‘Ignorance’ vs ‘Self-

b. Define the 3 phases of understanding the Absolute Truth in relation to

the analogy of the sun. (2.2)

Three phases of Absolute Truth – Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan (Ref. SB 1.2.11)
· Bhaktas are the topmost transcendentalists – because they have realized the Bhagavan
feature, the topmost feature of the Absolute Truth
These three divine aspects can be explained by the example of the sun, which also has three
different aspects, namely the sunshine, the sun’s surface and the sun planet itself. One who studies
the sunshine only is the preliminary student. One who understands the sun’s surface is further
advanced. And one who can enter into the sun planet is the highest.

Ordinary students who are satisfied by simply understanding the sunshine – its universal
pervasiveness and the glaring effulgence of its impersonal nature – may be compared to those who
can realize only the Brahman feature of the Absolute Truth. The student who has advanced still
further can know the sun disc, which is compared to knowledge of the Paramātmā feature of the
Absolute Truth. And the student who can enter into the heart of the sun planet is compared to those
who realize the personal features of the Supreme Absolute Truth.

c. List the six characteristics of Bhagavan. (2.2)

The Sanskrit word bhagavān is explained by the great authority Parāśara Muni, the father of
Vyāsadeva. The Supreme Personality who possesses all riches, all strength, all fame, all beauty, all
knowledge and all renunciation is called Bhagavān.

d. Explain under what circumstances, according to scriptural codes, a

teacher is fit to be abandoned. (2.5)

A teacher is fit to be abandoned if he:

o Engages in abominable action
o Has lost his sense of discrimination – e.g. Bhisma and Drona taking the side of
Dhuyodhana because of his financial assistanc
e. Who is a dhira? (2.13)

Definition of ‘Dhira’ – One who has perfect knowledge of the constitution of the soul, Supersoul
and nature (Both material and spiritual)
· Undisturbed by change of bodies (2.13)
· Tolerates dualities (2.14)
· Thus becomes eligible for liberation (2.15)

f. Write a brief note on equanimity in dualities. (2.14 & 2.38)

Tolerate dualities – One should not abandon religious duties due to bodily inconveniences or
transformations because:
v Nonpermanent appearance and disappearance of happiness and distress are like appearance and
disappearance of summer and winter seasons
v They arise from sense perception
v Learn to tolerate them without being disturbed

Krishna concludes this section by saying that Arjuna should not make
decisions based on material happiness or distress, rather fight for the sake of his duty and thus be
purified

g. List the six kinds of transformations the body is subject to. (2.20)

The body is subject to six kinds of transformations. It takes its birth from the womb of the mother’s
body, remains for some time, grows, produces some effects, gradually dwindles, and at last vanishes
into oblivion. The soul, however, does not go through such changes. The soul is not born, but,
because he takes on a material body, the body takes its birth.

h. Summarize Krishna’s instructions to Arjuna on sakama- karma found

in BG 2.31-37.

AKAMA-KARMA-YOGA – Understands transcendence as the goal

· Frustration in material life / Desires purification
· Attempts to renounce fruits of labor
· But attachment to material desires (fruits) still linger on

i. Give the meaning of the phrase “vyavasayatmika buddhi”. (2.40-41)

trong faith that Krishna consciousness will elevate one to highest perfection of life – This is
called as “Vyavasayatmika Intelligence” – Ref. CC: “Sraddha Sabde...”(study purport

j. List at least four qualities of a sthita-prajna, as mentioned in BG 2.55-

71.
Definition of ‘Sthita–Dhira’ Muni (2.56)
· He is a sage of steady mind
· He is always in Krishna consciousness
· He has exhausted all business of creative speculation
o Ref. Stotra-ratna – He has surpassed the stage of mental speculations and come to
the conclusion that Krishna or Vasudeva is everything (Ref. Bg. 7.19 “Vasudevah
sarvam iti…”)
Equipoised (2.56) – because:
o He accepts everything (happiness / distress) as Krishna’s mercy
Free from attachment, fear and anger (2.56)
Unaffected by good and evil (2.57) – be

k. How does a sthita-dhir muni regard happiness and distress? (2.56)

He is called a muni fixed in mind. Such a fully Kṛṣṇa conscious person is not at all disturbed by the
onslaughts of the threefold miseries, for he accepts all miseries as the mercy of the Lord, thinking
himself only worthy of more trouble due to his past misdeeds; and he sees that his miseries, by the
grace of the Lord, are minimized to the lowest. Similarly, when he is happy he gives credit to the
Lord, thinking himself unworthy of the happiness; he realizes that it is due only to the Lord’s grace
that he is in such a comfortable condition and able to render better service to the Lord. And, for the
service of the Lord, he is always daring and active and is not influenced by attachment or aversion.

l. Explain the analogy of the rivers entering into the ocean. (2.70
As long as one has the material body, the demands of the body for sense gratification will continue.
The devotee, however, is not disturbed by such desires, because of his fullness. A Kṛṣṇa conscious
man is not in need of anything, because the Lord fulfills all his material necessities. Therefore he is
like the ocean – always full in himself. Desires may come to him like the waters of the rivers that
flow into the ocean, but he is steady in his activities, and he is not even slightly disturbed by desires
for sense gratification.