Summary Of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2

Since the second chapter is said to contain the essence of the entire Gita, let's try to recap the main points before we move to the third chapter:
 
1. Shri Krishna points out the error in Arjuna's thinking, in that Arjuna's personality was shaken by grief and delusion towards his kinsmen
2. He advises Arjuna to correct the error by learning the knowledge of the eternal essence
3. He describes the means to attain the eternal essence
4. He also describes the characteristics of the individual who has realized the eternal essence.
 
We can summarize the technique to attain the eternal essence into 3 stages:
1. Attain steadfastness in selfless action by pursuing one's svadharma
2. Attain steadfastness in devotion to a higher ideal
3. Attain steadfastness in the knowledge of the eternal essence or tattva-jnyana
 
We also saw that many shlokas in this chapter form the seeds of all other chapters of the Gita:
* "yogasthaha kuru karmaani" (2.48) -> chapters 3,4 on purification of mind through karma yoga
* "vihaaya kaamanyah sarvaan" (2.71) -> chapters 5,6 on renunciation of actions and meditation
* "taani sarvaani samyamya" (2.61) -> chapters 7,8,9,10,11,12 on devotion
* "vedaavinaashinam nityam" (2.21) -> chapter 13 on knowledge
* "traigunyavishayaa vedaa" (2.45) -> chapters 14,17 on the three gunaas and faith
* "yada te mohakalilam" (2.52) -> chapter 15 on dispassion
* "duhkeshvanudvignamanaah" (2.56) -> chapter 16 on divine wealth
* "yaaimaam pushpitaam" (2.42) -> chapter 16 on demonic wealth


Footnotes
1. Most commentators agree that the chapters of the Gita map to the Upanishadic statement "Tat tvam asi" or "You are that". The first 6 chapters cover the "tvam" or the "you" aspect, the next 6 cover the "tat" or the "That" aspect", and the final 6 chapters cover the "asi" or the "are" aspect.