दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनञ्जय ।
बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः ।। २-४९ ।।

dūreṇa hy-avaraṁ karma buddhi-yogād-dhanañ-jaya |
buddhau śaranam-anviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ || 2.49 ||

Any gospel becomes effective only when it highlights the unique benefits of what is advocated or upheld and at the same time emphasizes in equally strong terms the grave consequences of the opposite course. “This when followed will be most auspicious; and any other course will lead to the worst”, such should be the message and tone. The positive note has to be clearly pronounced and the negative note condemned outright. Only then it will arrest the attention of the reader and the listener, making his choice conclusive and the pursuit easy.

Krishna explained the need for yoga-buddhi, which he said consists in samatva. He emphasized how this inner samatva should become a constant enriching note while doing all karmas. He now points out how karma done without yoga-buddhi will verily be futile as far as the enrichment and elevation of the performer is concerned. When one grasps the contrasts between the two, his motivation to take up the yoga practice will naturally grow stronger.

Samatva-buddhi and phala-buddhi are utterly opposed to each other. Phala-buddhi is greatly constricting and disturbing. By the vivekin it must be avoided at any rate. We have explained how in the right performance of any karma, the result aimed at is verily implied, and hence it is unnecessary to get disturbed by thinking repeatedly on this score. Karma well begun and effectively performed, will automatically end up in its result. No intercepting thoughts about the fruition will help. In the next verse Krishna shows how karmas done without yoga-buddhi will be much inferior in quality. To stick to phala-buddhi is to lose greatly.

(Bhagavad Gita 2.49)

“Karma done with the sole aim of its result is far inferior to that done with samatvabuddhi. Seek refuge under the yoga-buddhi, O Arjuna. Those who aim only at the results are indeed misers, stingy people. They stand to incur great loss.”

‘‘Karpanya-doshopahata-svabhavah” were the words of confession Arjuna uttered in the 2nd chapter. He was, he said, victimised by the defect called karpanya (constriction, miserliness). In other words, he found himself unable to eschew the pettiness and narrowness of his mind. He could not think broadly and deeply. The mind will be led to a state of stultification and helplessness whenever it is subdued by constrictions. Krishna’s description of krpana (miser) in this verse is particularly relevant. To be concerned merely with the objective results while doing karmas is to be a krpana. To get rid of such narrowness is to leave the phala-buddhi in the first instance and then to imbibe the yoga-buddhi. Arjuna’s karpanya-dosha will find its redress, says Krishna, if he could cultivate yoga-buddhi to replace his phala-buddhi.

Arjuna has also stated, in his confession, śiṣyas-te’ham– that he was no more the proud brother-in-law of Krishna, but a humble seeking disciple. Addressing Krishna as his Guru, Arjuna had surrendered like any disciple and sought timely instruction on the path of the śreyas (everlasting welfare).

“Buddhau śaranam-anviccha” is the clarion call of Bhagavad Gita, not only to Arjuna but to all devotional minds. To all those who surrender before him, Krishna’s lasting message is to look to one’s own buddhi. Any crisis of the mind has to find its solution in and from the buddhi alone, the superior faculty which holds the power of influence on the mind.

Yoga-buddhi is the one relief, assurance and fulfillment to all those in the field of action, while doing karma. In fact, Krishna’s distinctive role has always been to activate and arouse the buddhi of every one around. Playing with cowherd mates, sporting with the Vraja women, whether he hid himself or stole their dresses, he was delivering a pertinent message, which had the effect of making them thoughtful and spiritually reflective.

While yet a boy in Vrindavana, did he not sternly interfere in the worship offered to Indra of the heavens? In the place of making offerings to imaginary gods, the Vraja settlement, insisted Krishna, should show its allegiance to the visible Govardhana mountain and the rivers flowing from it – the visible sources of Nature, on whom depended their lives and welfare. Even in the delightful talks with Rukmini during leisurely spells in the Dwaraka palace, Krishna had only the message of lofty spiritual thoughts and dispassion to convey. The effort to awaken and stimulate buddhi in all matters and imbibe the right introspection and inspiration is the singular gospel of Krishna everywhere. In the Bhagavad Gita, which presents a synthesis of spiritual, religious and philosophical thoughts, it is all the more so!

In the 18th chapter of the Gita also Krishna speaks conclusively about the inner refuge and surrender. Stating that the supreme Lord of the Universe is seated in the heart of everyone, he tells Arjuna:

 “Him alone you seek refuge under. And do this by all your attitudes and mental notes.” To the one who surrenders before him, Krishna has always to say: Seek the one that dwells in your heart. The inward surrender is the supreme one. In that, everything else has its conclusion and consummation. Is this not also the same buddhau-saranam anviccha?

Thus Krishna gives supreme importance to the inward life and inwardness. He is very particular to impart a spiritual note to all religious thoughts and attitudes. Likewise, he wants to ensure that the objective outlooks and motivations are replaced by a deeper subjective view and motivation.

So, to the unthinking and constricting mind alone, the practice of result dominated karma will hold any meaning and charm. Once the buddhi takes the lead and one begins to reason or enquire about what is what, a thorough change, a sure elevation, is bound to transpire. And this is what happened to Arjuna in such a short spell, just before the discharge of arrows in Kurukshetra – a change that had not taken place in all the decades that had passed, including the austere forest life!

“Krpanah phala-hetavah” is an absolute pronouncement. “Ma karma-phala-heturbhooh” were the words used earlier. Karmas have something immortal, everlasting to bestow, provided you perform them with samatva-buddhi. That gain will remain inseparable from your being. Krishna underscores here the fact that to do karma with any other outlook is indeed to be a krpana. The Upanishads speak about krpana in even a more drastic manner. Yajnavalkya tells Gargi:

“Whoever exits from this world without caring to know the Imperishable Soul, which he verily is, is indeed a krpana, the real stingy person.” Having a splendid opportunity before him, if man ill uses it, he makes himself a krpana, extremely stingy. Monetary stinginess or miserliness is a very common concept. But in the ultimate analysis, all qualities have their bearing upon the mind and soul of man. Stinginess viewed in this deeper sense, is the constricted nature of the mind and buddhi, by which man is not able to grasp the supreme spiritual wisdom.

Thus Krishna evaluates yoga-buddhi as the most rewarding for one and all. Immediately he also wants to condemn the phala-buddhi as the most degrading. The reader and the listener thus get a double motivation – for taking up and cultivating yoga-buddhi as well as for desisting from contrary notes.