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Day 3
A Journey into Ancient Wisdom IntroductionChapter 1Chapter 2Summary Today's contemplation from the Bhagavad Gita delves into the concluding moments of Arjuna's despondency on the battlefield, leading into the profound philosophical discourse by Lord Krishna. As Arjuna's resolve falters, overwhelmed by grief and attachment to his kinsmen, the narrative transitions from his lamentations to the dawn of divine wisdom. This segment covers the crucial shift where Arjuna expresses his unwillingness to fight, laying bare his emotional turmoil, and sets the stage for Krishna's initial teachings on the nature of duty, the soul, and the transient body.
सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलानां कुलस्य च।
पतन्त िपतरो ह्येषां लुप्तिपोदकियाः॥४१॥
पतन्त िपतरो ह्येषां लुप्तिपोदकियाः॥४१॥
saṅkaro narakāyaiva kulaghnānāṁ kulasya ca ।
patanti pitāro hyeṣāṁ luptapiṇḍodakakriyāḥ ॥ 41 ॥
patanti pitāro hyeṣāṁ luptapiṇḍodakakriyāḥ ॥ 41 ॥
When the family is destroyed, irreligion prevails, and from irreligion, O Krishna, the women of the family become corrupt, and from the corruption of women, unwanted progeny arises. This unwanted progeny creates a hellish situation both for the family destroyers and for the family itself. The ancestors of such corrupt families fall from heaven, because the offerings of rice-ball and water are suspended for them.
दोषैरेतैः कुलानां वणसङ्करकारकैः।
उत्साद्यन्ते जाितधमाः कुलधमाश्च शाश्वताः॥४२॥
उत्साद्यन्ते जाितधमाः कुलधमाश्च शाश्वताः॥४२॥
doṣairetaiḥ kulaghnānāṁ varṇasaṅkarakārakaiḥ ।
utsādyante jātidharmāḥ kuladharmāśca śāśvatāḥ ॥ 42 ॥
utsādyante jātidharmāḥ kuladharmāśca śāśvatāḥ ॥ 42 ॥
Due to these misdeeds of the destroyers of the family, which result in the creation of unwanted progeny, the eternal family traditions and community duties are annihilated.
उत्सन्नकुलधमाणां मनुष्याणां जनादन।
नरके िनयतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुुम॥४३॥
नरके िनयतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुुम॥४३॥
utsannakuladharmāṇāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ janārdana ।
narake niyataṁ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma ॥ 43 ॥
narake niyataṁ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma ॥ 43 ॥
O Janardana (Krishna), we have heard by disciplic succession that those whose family traditions are destroyed dwell perpetually in hell.
अहो बत महापं कतु व्यविसता वयम्।
याज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः॥४४॥
याज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः॥४४॥
aho bata mahatpāpaṁ kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam ।
yadrājyasukhalobhena hantuṁ svajanamudyatāḥ ॥ 44 ॥
yadrājyasukhalobhena hantuṁ svajanamudyatāḥ ॥ 44 ॥
Alas, how strange it is that we are determined to commit great sin, being driven by the desire for kingdom and its pleasures, we are ready to kill our own kinsmen.
यिद मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः।
धातराष्टा रणे हन्युस्ते क्षेमतरं भवेत्॥४५॥
धातराष्टा रणे हन्युस्ते क्षेमतरं भवेत्॥४५॥
yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṁ śastrapāṇayaḥ ।
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustamme kṣemataraṁ bhavet ॥ 45 ॥
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustamme kṣemataraṁ bhavet ॥ 45 ॥
Better it would be for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, were to kill me, unresisting and unarmed, in the battle.
सञ्जय उवाच
एवमुाजुनः सङ्े रथोपस्थ उपािवशत्।
िवसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंिवग्नमानसः॥४६॥
एवमुाजुनः सङ्े रथोपस्थ उपािवशत्।
िवसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंिवग्नमानसः॥४६॥
sañjaya uvāca
evamuktvārjunaḥ saṅkhye rathopastha upāviśat ।
visṛjya saśaraṁ cāpaṁ śokasaṁvignamānasaḥ ॥ 46 ॥
evamuktvārjunaḥ saṅkhye rathopastha upāviśat ।
visṛjya saśaraṁ cāpaṁ śokasaṁvignamānasaḥ ॥ 46 ॥
Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus on the battlefield, Arjuna, casting aside his bow and arrows, sat down on the chariot seat, his mind overwhelmed with grief.
सञ्जय उवाच
तं तथा कृपयािवष्टमुपूणाकुलेक्षणम्।
िवषीदन्तिमदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः॥४७॥
तं तथा कृपयािवष्टमुपूणाकुलेक्षणम्।
िवषीदन्तिमदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः॥४७॥
sañjaya uvāca
taṁ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭamaśru pūrṇākulekṣaṇam ।
viṣīdantamidaṁ vākyamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ ॥ 47 ॥
taṁ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭamaśru pūrṇākulekṣaṇam ।
viṣīdantamidaṁ vākyamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ ॥ 47 ॥
Sanjaya said: To him, Arjuna, who was thus overwhelmed with compassion, whose eyes were full of tears and agitated, and who was despondent, Madhusudana (Lord Krishna) spoke these words.
सञ्जय उवाच
तं तथा कृपयािवष्टमुपूणाकुलेक्षणम्।
िवषीदन्तिमदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः॥१॥
तं तथा कृपयािवष्टमुपूणाकुलेक्षणम्।
िवषीदन्तिमदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः॥१॥
sañjaya uvāca
taṁ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭamaśru pūrṇākulekṣaṇam ।
viṣīdantamidaṁ vākyamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ ॥ 1 ॥
taṁ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭamaśru pūrṇākulekṣaṇam ।
viṣīdantamidaṁ vākyamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ ॥ 1 ॥
Sanjaya said: To him, Arjuna, who was thus overwhelmed with compassion, whose eyes were full of tears and agitated, and who was despondent, Madhusudana (Lord Krishna) spoke these words. (Note: This verse is identical to Chapter 1, Verse 47, serving as a transitional link from Chapter 1 to Chapter 2.)
ीभगवानुवाच
कुता कश्मलिमदं िवषमे समुपस्थतम्।
अनायजुष्टमस्वमकीितकरमजुन॥२॥
कुता कश्मलिमदं िवषमे समुपस्थतम्।
अनायजुष्टमस्वमकीितकरमजुन॥२॥
śrībhagavānuvāca
kutastvā kaśmalamidaṁ viṣame samupasthitam ।
anāryajuṣṭam-asvargyam-akīrtikaram-arjuna ॥ 2 ॥
kutastvā kaśmalamidaṁ viṣame samupasthitam ।
anāryajuṣṭam-asvargyam-akīrtikaram-arjuna ॥ 2 ॥
The Supreme Personality of Godhead (Lord Krishna) said: My dear Arjuna, how has this impurity come upon you at such a crucial time? It is not befitting an Aryan (a noble-minded person), nor does it lead to the higher planets, nor does it bring glory.
ैं मा स्म गमः पाथ नैतत्त्वुपपद्यते।
क्षुं हृदयदौबं त्योिष्ठ परन्तप॥३॥
क्षुं हृदयदौबं त्योिष्ठ परन्तप॥३॥
klaibyaṁ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitattvayyupapadyate ।
kṣudraṁ hṛdayadaurbalyaṁ tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa ॥ 3 ॥
kṣudraṁ hṛdayadaurbalyaṁ tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa ॥ 3 ॥
O Partha (Arjuna), do not yield to unmanliness. It does not befit you. Give up this petty weakness of heart and stand up, O conqueror of enemies!
अजुन उवाच
कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्े ोणं च मधुसूदन।
इषुिभः प्रित योत्स्यािम पूजाहावरसूदन॥४॥
कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्े ोणं च मधुसूदन।
इषुिभः प्रित योत्स्यािम पूजाहावरसूदन॥४॥
arjuna uvāca
kathaṁ bhīṣmamahaṁ saṅkhye droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana ।
iṣubhiḥ prati yotsyāmi pūjārhāvarisūdana ॥ 4 ॥
kathaṁ bhīṣmamahaṁ saṅkhye droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana ।
iṣubhiḥ prati yotsyāmi pūjārhāvarisūdana ॥ 4 ॥
Arjuna said: O Madhusudana (Krishna), how can I, in battle, fight with arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of my worship, O killer of enemies?
गुरूनहा िह महानुभावान्
ेयो भोुं भैक्षमपीह लोके।
हाथकामांस्तु गुरूिनहैव
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुिधरप्रिदान्॥५॥
ेयो भोुं भैक्षमपीह लोके।
हाथकामांस्तु गुरूिनहैव
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुिधरप्रिदान्॥५॥
gurūnahatvā hi mahānubhāvān
śreyo bhoktuṁ bhaikṣamapīha loke ।
hatvārthakāmāṁstu gurūnihaiva
bhuñjīya bhogān rudhirapradigdhān ॥ 5 ॥
śreyo bhoktuṁ bhaikṣamapīha loke ।
hatvārthakāmāṁstu gurūnihaiva
bhuñjīya bhogān rudhirapradigdhān ॥ 5 ॥
It is better to live in this world by begging than to live at the cost of the lives of great souls who are our teachers. Even though they are desirous of worldly gain, if we kill them, we will enjoy our possessions stained with blood.
न चैतिः कतरन्नो गरीयो
या जयेम यिद वा नो जयेयुः।
यानेव हा न िजजीिवषामः
तेऽवस्थताः प्रमुखे धातराष्टाः॥६॥
या जयेम यिद वा नो जयेयुः।
यानेव हा न िजजीिवषामः
तेऽवस्थताः प्रमुखे धातराष्टाः॥६॥
na caitadvidmaḥ kataranno garīyo
yadvā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ ।
yāneva hatvā na jijīviṣāmaḥ
te'vasthitāḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ ॥ 6 ॥
yadvā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ ।
yāneva hatvā na jijīviṣāmaḥ
te'vasthitāḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ ॥ 6 ॥
We do not know which is better for us – to conquer them or to be conquered by them. The sons of Dhritarashtra, whom if we kill we would not wish to live, are standing before us on the battlefield.
कापण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः
पृािम ां धमसंमूढचेताः।
येयः स्यािन्निश्चतं ूिह ते
िशष्यस्तेऽहं शािध मां ां प्रपन्नम्॥७॥
पृािम ां धमसंमूढचेताः।
येयः स्यािन्निश्चतं ूिह ते
िशष्यस्तेऽहं शािध मां ां प्रपन्नम्॥७॥
kārpaṇyadoṣopahatasvabhāvaḥ
pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharmasaṁmūḍhacetāḥ ।
yacchreyaḥ syānniścitaṁ brūhi tanme
śiṣyaste'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam ॥ 7 ॥
pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharmasaṁmūḍhacetāḥ ।
yacchreyaḥ syānniścitaṁ brūhi tanme
śiṣyaste'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam ॥ 7 ॥
Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure due to miserly weakness. In this state, I ask You: what is certainly best for me? Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.
न िह प्रपािम ममापनुद्याद्
योकमुोषणिमयाणाम्।
अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृं
राज्यं सुराणामिप चािधपत्यम्॥८॥
योकमुोषणिमयाणाम्।
अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृं
राज्यं सुराणामिप चािधपत्यम्॥८॥
na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād
yacchokamucchoṣaṇamindriyāṇām ।
avāpya bhūmāvasapātanamṛddhaṁ
rājyaṁ surāṇāmapi cādhipatyam ॥ 8 ॥
yacchokamucchoṣaṇamindriyāṇām ।
avāpya bhūmāvasapātanamṛddhaṁ
rājyaṁ surāṇāmapi cādhipatyam ॥ 8 ॥
I can find no means to drive away this grief that is drying up my senses. Even if I were to obtain an unrivaled kingdom on earth with sovereignty like that of the demigods in heaven, it would not remove my sorrow.
सञ्जय उवाच
एवमुा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तप।
न योत्स्य इित गोिवन्दमुा तूीं बभूव ह॥९॥
एवमुा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तप।
न योत्स्य इित गोिवन्दमुा तूीं बभूव ह॥९॥
sañjaya uvāca
evamuktvā hṛṣīkeśaṁ guḍākeśaḥ parantapa ।
na yotsya iti govindamuktvā tūṣṇīṁ babhūva ha ॥ 9 ॥
evamuktvā hṛṣīkeśaṁ guḍākeśaḥ parantapa ।
na yotsya iti govindamuktvā tūṣṇīṁ babhūva ha ॥ 9 ॥
Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus to Hrishikesha (Krishna), Gudakesha (Arjuna), the conqueror of enemies, declared, "I shall not fight," and fell silent.
तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसिन्नव भारत।
सेनयोरुभयोमे िवषीदन्तिमदं वचः॥१०॥
सेनयोरुभयोमे िवषीदन्तिमदं वचः॥१०॥
tamuvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ prahasanniva bhārata ।
senayorubhayormadhye viṣīdantamidaṁ vacaḥ ॥ 10 ॥
senayorubhayormadhye viṣīdantamidaṁ vacaḥ ॥ 10 ॥
O Bharata (Dhritarashtra), Hrishikesha (Lord Krishna), smiling, as it were, spoke these words to the despondent Arjuna, in the midst of the two armies.
ीभगवानुवाच
अशोानन्वशोचं प्रावादांश्च भाषसे।
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्त पताः॥११॥
अशोानन्वशोचं प्रावादांश्च भाषसे।
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्त पताः॥११॥
śrībhagavānuvāca
aśocyānanvaśocastvaṁ prajñāvādāṁśca bhāṣase ।
gatāsūnagatāsūṁśca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ ॥ 11 ॥
aśocyānanvaśocastvaṁ prajñāvādāṁśca bhāṣase ।
gatāsūnagatāsūṁśca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ ॥ 11 ॥
The Supreme Personality of Godhead (Lord Krishna) said: While speaking learned words, you are lamenting for that which is not worthy of lamentation. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.
न ेवाहं जातु नासं न ं नेमे जनािधपाः।
न चैव न भिवष्यामः सव वयमतः परम्॥१२॥
न चैव न भिवष्यामः सव वयमतः परम्॥१२॥
na tvevāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ ।
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve vayamatāḥ param ॥ 12 ॥
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve vayamatāḥ param ॥ 12 ॥
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
देिहनोऽस्मन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा।
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तधरस्तत्र न मुह्यित॥१३॥
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तधरस्तत्र न मुह्यित॥१३॥
dehino'sminyathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā ।
tathā dehāntaraprāptirdhīrastatra na muhyati ॥ 13 ॥
tathā dehāntaraprāptirdhīrastatra na muhyati ॥ 13 ॥
Just as the embodied soul continuously passes from boyhood to youth to old age in this body, similarly the soul passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change. This chunk marks a pivotal transition in the Bhagavad Gita, moving from Arjuna's intense emotional distress to Lord Krishna's initial divine instructions. The verses begin with Arjuna's final pleas in Chapter 1, highlighting his profound moral dilemma, fear of societal decay, and desire to avoid fratricide, even to the point of preferring death. His despair is so complete that he casts aside his weapons, declaring his refusal to fight, a moment vividly described by Sanjaya. The scene then shifts dramatically into Chapter 2, where Lord Krishna begins to address Arjuna's despondency. Krishna's opening remarks are a gentle but firm rebuke, questioning the source of Arjuna's weakness and urging him to shed this unmanliness. Arjuna, now having entirely surrendered, openly admits his confusion of duty and declares himself Krishna's disciple, earnestly seeking guidance. This surrender is crucial, as it signifies Arjuna's readiness to receive transcendental knowledge. Krishna's first teaching lays the foundation of Sanatana Dharma, explaining the eternal nature of the soul. He clarifies that wise individuals do not grieve for either the living or the dead because the soul is immortal, merely transitioning between bodies, akin to changing clothes. This fundamental principle of the soul's imperishability and continuous journey forms the core of Krishna's upcoming philosophical discourse, preparing Arjuna to transcend his immediate emotional attachments and comprehend a higher reality.