Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 7

Chapter 2 – Sankhya Yoga · Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit verse

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः
पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेताः ।
यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे
शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् ॥

Transliteration

kārpaṇyadoṣopahatasvabhāvaḥ pṛcchāmi tvāṃ dharmasammūḍhacetāḥ .
yacchreyaḥ syānniścitaṃ brūhi tanme śiṣyaste.ahaṃ śādhi māṃ tvāṃ prapannam ॥

Meaning

My nature is overpowered by the taint of faint-hearted pity, and my mind is confused about my duty. I ask You: tell me decisively what is truly good for me. I am Your disciple; teach me, for I have taken refuge in You.

Word meanings

कार्पण्यदोष – the taint of meanness of spirit, faint-heartedness
उपहतस्वभावः – with my nature overpowered, stricken
पृच्छामि – I ask
त्वाम् – You
धर्मसम्मूढचेताः – with a mind confused about dharma
यत् – what
श्रेयः – the highest good
स्यात् – may be
निश्चितम् – decisively, for certain
ब्रूहि – tell
तत् – that
मे – to me
शिष्यः – disciple
ते – Your
अहम् – I am
शाधि – instruct, discipline
माम् – me
त्वाम् – in You
प्रपन्नम् – who has taken refuge

Anvaya (word order)

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः धर्मसम्मूढचेताः (अहम्) त्वां पृच्छामि — यत् निश्चितं श्रेयः स्यात् तत् मे ब्रूहि । अहं ते शिष्यः (अस्मि); त्वां प्रपन्नं मां शाधि ।

Explanation

This verse is the true doorway into the Bhagavad Gita. Until now Arjuna has been arguing; here he lays down his arguments and takes refuge. As long as a person believes he already knows, wisdom cannot enter. Arjuna's surrender is what qualifies him to receive the teaching.

Arjuna diagnoses his own illness. The first fault is ‘karpanya’, meanness or poverty of spirit. Shankara recalls the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which calls a person ‘kripana’ (pitiable) who departs this world without knowing the imperishable Self. Arjuna's helplessness, then, is rooted in ignorance of the Self. The second fault is ‘dharma-sammudha-chetah’, a mind bewildered about dharma: he can no longer see what his real duty is.

Arjuna asks not for what is pleasant (preyas) but for what is good (shreyas). The Katha Upanishad draws exactly this distinction, praising the wise one who chooses the good over the merely pleasing. And he wants it ‘nishchitam’, decisively — not another opinion, but certainty. This is the mark of a sincere seeker.

Most important are the words ‘shishyas te ’ham, shadhi mam tvam prapannam’ — ‘I am Your disciple; I have taken refuge in You; instruct me.’ At this moment the relationship changes. Krishna, until now friend and charioteer, becomes the guru. Ramanuja sees in this act of prapatti, surrender, the very means by which the Lord's grace flows to the seeker.

The verse stands as a model for every seeker of truth: to admit one's weakness honestly, to long for the good rather than the pleasant, and to approach a true teacher with humility. These three steps lead a person from the darkness of confusion towards the light of knowledge.

Context

In 2.6 Arjuna admitted that he could not decide. Here he surrenders fully to Krishna and becomes His disciple. In the next verse (2.8) he explains that no worldly gain could remove his grief.

Life lesson

True wisdom comes only when we humbly acknowledge our limits. Do not ask life merely for what is pleasant; seek what is truly good — and for that, bow before a worthy guide with an open mind.

Key terms

Karpanya: poverty of spirit; the helplessness of one who does not know the Self
Shreyas: the highest good, as distinct from preyas, the merely pleasant
Shishya: disciple, one who accepts instruction and discipline
Prapanna: one who has taken refuge, surrendered