Thread by @GitaGovindam

#gitarthavisesha #FirstShadanga #Adhyaya2 #Shloka38

सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ ।
ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि ।।

sukhaduḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau ।
tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṃ pāpamavāpsyasi ।।

सुखदुःखे - Both happiness & grief, लाभालाभौ - Gain as well Loss,
जयाजयौ - Victory & Defeat, समे कृत्वा - think & treat as same,
युद्धाय - for battle, युज्यस्व - attempt, तत: - think of battle as your duty,
एवं - thus, पापं - Sins, न अवाप्यसि - won’t attain

(V)
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We should do our sva-dharma, as ordained in shastras. The state of mind that we are in should be the same whether the outcome is a success or a failure.

We should not be overjoyous when result is a success nor become dejected & resigned, when it is a failure!

Also, when our karma yields good result we should not be proclaiming 'everything was because of ME'. Likewise, when it fails we should not be saying 'Bhagwan has spoiled it'..

We should always think the outcomes as desired by Lord (His Adheena). That alone is the right approach

Acharyas give a special explanation for 'समे कृत्वा' pada

मा - denotes Lakshmi. Hence सम​: - means one who is alongside Lakshmi. Hence 'समे कृत्वा' means all outcomes of karmas are as desired by Lord's Adheena

An interesting incident in Kunti's life is cited here..

Kunti asked a boon from Krishna.

She said 'Krishna, grant me a boon that gives me danger after danger in my life unceasingly'

Krishna acted shocked.. 'You've already suffered enough. Why do you ask for such crazy boon?'

Kunti replied 'Krishna, nobody thinks of you when they are doing well in life. Only when faced with insurmountable troubles & dangers do they think of you. I don't want to waste my life without your remembrance. So please grant my wish'

While everyone wishes for success of their karmas, this peculiar but bhakti-filled example is cited for reverse too!

(A)
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Same (V)

(D)
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Same as (V)