“With the weapon of knowledge cut asunder, then, this doubt of thine, born of ignorance. Equipped with yoga, O Bharata, stand and fight.”

Context of the Verse:

            Verses 34-42:38 This verse is the end of Chapter 4: “Gyana Karma Sanyasa Yoga“(Yoga of Knowledge and Renunciation of Action). Lord Krishna has just finished discussing the significance of spiritual knowledge and unselfish work. In this last verse of the chapter, Krishna instructs Arjuna to dispel his inner delusion and doubt by the knowledge that removes confusion, and to act decisively with the discipline of Selfless action, Karma Yoga.

Key Teachings in This Verse:

• Annihilation of Doubt: Doubt is ignorance that veils the knowledge of reality and a barrier to spiritual emancipation and decisive action.
• Sword of Knowledge: Knowledge is symbolized as sword that is sharp enough to cut through illusion or Maya.
• Self-struggle and self-discipline: Krishna says it is essential that Arjuna puts on the courage of effort and follows the discipline of Karma Yoga.
• Empowerment: “It’s time to stop everything and say ‘This is it’! You don’t have to accept what you have been told, because the power of the mind to dream of something different, something that feels true, exists.”

Relevance to Arjuna:

• Arjuna has been paralyzed by moral indecision over whether to fight in the war.
• This verse is Krishna’s forceful exhortation that, with spiritual knowledge in tow, Arjuna’s should get over his reluctance.
• It’s an optimistic reminder of the urgency to act rationally not reflexively.

Explanation:

            So, doubts can be annihilated by transcendental knowledge. And how to get transcendental knowledge.” Answer is in Verse number 34. As if, you know, we have doubts, of course you have doubts. Suppose I want to study something, we go to a teacher to clear doubts. When it’s past our capacity to understand, then we must turn to a teacher, so even questions are natural. We get doubts in anything we learn, so how do we get out of it? We accost a teacher in the like manner.

            Unless we are in Sadhana that we want to approach a teacher frankly those doubts will always remain therefore in order to come out, we come out of this doubt in this birth and solving the miseries of this life in the next. We need to go to a teacher. And if we are really, really, earnest, then from the heart will Krishna guide. If you want to be atheist then Krishna will direct you and if you want to be thoughtful that is sense.

            Let’s study more into this, so this little Shraddha that we had and if you develop some eagerness, let me search out, an expert spiritual master and let me ask. Then Krishna will direct from the heart, but one must be a very sincere person, without any material objective to learn this science of the soul. Then he will give us writing to conform to the spiritual master, that’s all, and then we have to execute, little rules and regulations, that’s all.

            I have been asked, if someone’s sick to come out of the doubt that arises regarding eatable, when the doctor asks, you can taste or this is sour, this is sweet, this is very tasty, this is not properly cooked. Then he knows the exact taste of the food. And also, at the time when we just hear the instruction of spiritual master and we engage in the service of Krishna.

            Therefore, performing the type of service as mentioned here in this verse, taking shelter of Krishna and chanting the name of Krishna by this faith we have explained. Krishna reveals him himself. Doubts are destroyed. So, under the instruction of spiritual master, one should learn the art of serving Krishna and chanting the names of Krishna.

            Then a person who doesn´t have any doubt, a person who´s situated in the liberated platform – even though a person is doing like a warrior, he´s supposed to do as Anjuna – he won´t get entangled in Karmam. So, the result of this chapter is we are all entangled in material world in the propensity for action.

            It is that same tendency to act that can set us free from all this activity.” This is just one example like we do if we are facing the issue of overtaking to milk then we get the same milk to take in the form of another product of milk i.e. curds or yogurt to get rid of the indigestion of milk only. Thus, only milk consumed in other ways removes the sufferings that are caused by milk.

            So that action which is directed only by the spiritual master can actually relief you from the material actions of the past or material actions of the life and in this scientific way of doing action under the instruction of spiritual master for the pleasure of the Krishna this is called Yagyam. So, Arjuna is informed that don’t imagine that if you don’t act, you are going to be free from Karma. But you have to act for, for sacrifice, for the pleasure of Krishna, then the same action will be your liberation. We are bound by our actions; we are liberated by our actions. Somebody has to know the signs very, very well.” What is Karma, that is for freedom (Moksa). Acting against spiritual injunctions.

            What are Fruit Karma of all kind. So, all this is very beautifully explained by Lord Krishna here. So, the goal is to come to the point of establishing Akarma Karma, to act without reaction in such a way.

So, this explanation once again for Arjuna appears confusing and he asks another question to clarify even further which is coming in the next chapter.