छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥ ४२ ॥
tasmādajñānasambhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinā’’tmanaḥ .
chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata .. 42 ..
Read the commentary
Doubt is most sinful. It is born of ignorance and lies in the buddhi. Kill it by wisdom, by right knowledge of the Self.
[The word “atmanah” means ‘of the Self,’ ‘concerning the Self,’ but not ‘cherished by thyself.’ Arjuna’s doubt here is about the Self. If Arjuna could ever think that one man’s doubt is ever to be cut by another, then the Lord might say ‘kill thy doubt’ as opposed to another’s doubt. Even if Arjuna has been asked to kill the doubt concerning the Self, it implies also that the doubt is one cherished by Arjuna.]
Knowledge is destructive of all evil, such as grief, folly, and the like. Having thus slain doubt, the cause of thy ruin, apply thyself to Karma-Yoga, the means of acquiring right knowledge. Now arise and fight, O descendant of Bharata.