Chapter 2 – Sāṅkhya Yoga
Verse 7
kārpaṇya-doṣhopahata-svabhāvaḥ
pṛichchhāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-chetāḥ
yach-chhreyaḥ syānniśhchitaṁ brūhi tanme
śhiṣhyaste ’haṁ śhādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam
Simple English Meaning
Arjuna said to Lord Krishna—
O Krishna! My nature has been overcome by weakness and misplaced compassion. My mind is completely confused about what is right and wrong. I humbly ask You—please tell me clearly what is truly beneficial for me. I am Your disciple and have surrendered unto You. Kindly instruct me.
Detailed Explanation:
This verse is one of the most important and decisive verses of the Bhagavad Gita. Here, Arjuna openly accepts for the first time that he is mentally overwhelmed and incapable of making the right decision on his own.
Until now, Arjuna had been trying to avoid the war based on logic, compassion, and emotional attachment. But in this verse, he admits that his understanding of Dharma has become clouded, and his intellect is no longer able to distinguish between right and wrong.
Therefore, Arjuna does not seek mere sympathy from Lord Krishna—he seeks clear and firm guidance. He says, “Please tell me only that which is truly beneficial for me.”
The most significant aspect of this verse is that Arjuna now declares himself a disciple and accepts Lord Krishna as his Guru. This moment marks the true beginning of the divine teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.
Meaning of Key Words:
- Kārpaṇya-doṣa – Weakness of heart, lack of self-confidence
- Dharma-sammūḍha-chetāḥ – A mind completely confused about duty and righteousness
- Yach-chhreyaḥ syāt – That which is truly beneficial
- Śhiṣhyaste’ham – I am Your disciple
- Tvāṁ prapannam – I have taken refuge in You
Deep Spiritual Meaning:
This verse teaches us that—
- True knowledge arises when a person sets aside ego and accepts their ignorance.
- The right path in life is found not only through intellect, but through surrender.
- Surrender to a true Guru is the gateway to wisdom.
Arjuna’s words reflect the condition of every human being—when we are trapped in confusion, crisis, and indecision in life, we must seek refuge in higher truth and divine guidance.
