Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 2

Chapter 3 – Karma Yoga · Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit verse

व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे ।
तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् ॥

Transliteration

vyāmiśreṇeva vākyena buddhiṃ mohayasīva me .
tadekaṃ vada niścitya yena śreyo.ahamāpnuyām ॥

Meaning

With these seemingly mixed words You appear to bewilder my understanding. Therefore tell me decisively that one path by which I may reach the highest good.

Word meanings

व्यामिश्रेण – with mixed, confusing
इव – as it were
वाक्येन – by speech
बुद्धिम् – understanding
मोहयसि – You bewilder
इव – as if
मे – my
तत् – therefore, that
एकम् – one (path)
वद – tell
निश्चित्य – having determined
येन – by which
श्रेयः – the highest good
अहम् – I
आप्नुयाम् – may attain

Anvaya (word order)

(त्वम्) व्यामिश्रेण इव वाक्येन मे बुद्धिम् मोहयसि इव; तत् एकम् निश्चित्य वद, येन अहम् श्रेयः आप्नुयाम् ।

Explanation

Arjuna's tone is both humble and anxious. He does not accuse the Lord of confusing him on purpose; he says ‘mohayasiva’ — as if You were bewildering me. That small ‘as if’ shows his courtesy. The words seem mixed to him because he hears praise of knowledge at one moment and a command to act at another.

Shankara makes an important point here. Arjuna asks for ‘ekam’ — one path, stated with certainty, for one and the same person. In Shankara's view it cannot be maintained that one seeker is prescribed both knowledge and action together, so Arjuna wants the Lord to choose one. Ramanuja takes it as the simplicity of a disciple who wants a clear road, not a crowd of options.

The goal he seeks is plain: ‘shreyas’, the supreme good. Arjuna is not asking for comfort or victory; he asks for the course that will truly lead him to welfare.

The verse is a lovely picture of the disciple's spirit — to admit one's confusion, to trust the teacher, and to pray for a decisive answer.

Context

In the previous verse Arjuna stated his doubt. Here he completes it and asks the Lord for one definite path. In answer to this very prayer, the Lord begins the teaching of Karma Yoga from the next verse.

Life lesson

In moments of dilemma, one clear and certain direction helps more than a heap of options. It is wise to admit our confusion honestly and to ask a worthy guide for clarity.

Key terms

Vyamishra vakya: mixed, seemingly contradictory words
Shreyas: the highest good, liberation
Nishchitya: having ascertained decisively