Lord Krishna said: Arjuna, how has this infatuation overtaken you at this odd hour? It is shunned by noble souls, neither will it bring heaven nor fame to you. Arjuna, you grieve over those who should not be grieved for and yet speak like the learned. Wise men do not sorrow over the dead or the living. The wise man to whom pain and pleasure are alike and who is not tormented by these contacts becomes eligible for immortality.

The soul is never born nor it ever dies. For, it is unborn, eternal, everlasting and primeval. Even though the body is slain, the soul is not. Weapons cannot cut it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet it nor wind can dry it. This soul is unmanifest, incomprehensible and it is spoken of as immutable. Therefore, knowing it as such, you should not grieve.

Arjuna, considering your own duty too, you should not waver for there is nothing more welcome for a man of the warrior class than a righteous war. Now, if you refuse to fight this righteous war and shirking your duty and losing your reputation, you will incur sin.

And the warrior-chiefs who thought highly of you will then despise you thinking that it was fear which drove you away from battle. Die and you will win heaven, conquer and you enjoy sovereignty of the earth. Therefore, stand up Arjuna, get determined to fight.

Arjuna, this attitude of mind has been presented to you from the point of view of Gyanyoga. Now hear the same as presented from the standpoint of Karmayoga. In this path of Karamyoga (of selfless action), there is no loss of effort nor there is fear of contrary result. Even a little practice of this discipline saves one from the terrible fear of birth and death. Those who are full of worldly desires and who look upon heaven as the supreme goal are unwise. Those who are deeply attached to pleasures and worldly power cannot attain the determinate intellect concentrated on God. Your right is to work only and never to the fruit thereof. Do not consider yourself to be the cause of the fruit of action nor let your attachment be to inaction. Arjuna, perform your duties established in yoga renouncing attachment and be even-minded in success and failure. Evenness of mind is called Yoga. Wise men possessing equipoise mind, renouncing the fruit of actions and freed from the shackles of birth attain the blissful supreme state. When your intellect get confused by hearing conflicting statements, then it will rest steady and undistracted (in meditation) on God. You will then attain yoga (everlasting union with God).

Arjuna said: Krishna, what are the characteristics of a God-realised soul? How does the man of stable mind speak, how does he sit, how does he walk?

Lord Krishna said: The sage whose thirst for pleasures has altogether disappeared and who is free from passion, fear and anger; that person is said to have the stability of mind.

He who on meeting with good and evil neither rejoices nor recoils has stable mind. He devotes himself, heart and soul to me. The man dwelling on sense - objects develops an attachment for them; from attachment springs up desire; from desires ensues anger; from anger arises delusion; from delusion, confusion of memory; from confusion of memory, loss of reason and from loss of reason one goes to complete ruin.

But the self-controlled Sadhaka while enjoying the various sense-objects through his senses which are disciplined and free from likes and dislikes attains placidity of mind and true happiness. With the attainment of such placidity of mind, all his sorrows come to an end and the intellect of such a person of tranquil mind withdrawing itself from all sides becomes firmly established in God. He who has not controlled his mind and senses can have no determinate intellect nor contemplation. Without contemplation, he can have no peace and how can there be happiness for one lacking peace of mind.

As the water of different rivers enter the ocean which though full on all sides remains undisturbed ; likewise, he in whom all enjoyments merge themselves without causing disturbance attains peace; not he who hankers after such enjoyments. God realized souls who move free from attachment, egoism and thrust for enjoyment get themselves established in this state even at the last moment attains brahmic bliss.