Skip to content

Bhagavad Gita Bhashya · Section 2 of 19

arjuna visha:da yo:go: na:ma prathamo:'dhya:yah

Original Sanskrit · click to toggle

उपोद्घाटः

Link copied

यत्-पदाम्भोरुह-ध्यान-विध्वस्ताशेष-कल्मषः।

Link copied

वस्तुताम् उपयातोऽहं यामुनेयं नमामि तम्॥

Link copied

श्रियः पतिर् निखिल-हेय-प्रत्यनीक-कल्याणैक-तानः स्वेतर-समस्त-वस्तु-विलक्षणानन्त-ज्ञानानन्दैक-स्वरूपः, स्वाभाविकानवधिकातिशय-ज्ञान-बलैश्वर्य-वीर्य-शक्ति-तेजः-प्रभृत्य्-असङ्ख्येय-कल्याण-गुण-गण-महोदधिः, स्वाभिमतानुरूपैक-रूपाचिन्त्य-दिव्याद्भुत-नित्य-निरवद्य-निरतिशय्ज्ज्वल्य-सौगन्ध्य-सौन्दर्य-सौकुमार्य-लावण्य-यौवनाद्य्-अनन्त-गुण-निधिर् दिव्य-रूपः, स्वोचित-विविध-विचित्रानन्ताश्चर्य-नित्य-निरवद्यापरिमित-दिव्य-भूषणः, स्वानुरूपासङ्ख्येयाचिन्त्य-शक्ति-नित्य-निरवद्य-निरतिशय-कल्याण-दिव्यायुधः, स्वाभिमतानुरूप-नित्य-निरवद्य-स्वरूप-रूप-गुण-विभवैश्वर्य-शीलाद्य्-अनवधिकातिशयासङ्ख्येय-कल्याण-गुण-गण-श्री-वल्लभः, स्व-सङ्कल्पानुविधायि-स्वरूप-स्थिति-प्रवृत्ति-भेदाशेष-शेषतैक-रति-रूप-नित्य-निरवद्य-निरतिशय-ज्ञान-क्रियैश्वर्याद्य्-अनन्त-गुण-गणापरिमित-सूरिभिर् अनवरताभिष्टुत-चरण-युगलः, वाङ्-मनसापरिच्छेद्य-स्वरूप-स्वभावः, स्वोचित-विविध-विचित्रानन्त-भोग्य-भोगोपकरण-भोग-स्थान-समृद्धानन्ताश्चर्यानन्त-महा-विभवानन्त-परिमाण- नित्य-निरवद्याक्षर-परम-व्योम-निलयः, विविध-विचित्रानन्त-भोग्य-भोक्तृ-वर्ग-परिपूर्ण-निखिल-जगद्-उदय-विभव-लय-लीलः, परं ब्रह्म पुरुषोत्तओ नारायणो ब्रह्मादि-स्थावरान्तं निखिलं जगत् सृष्ट्वा स्वेन रूपेणावस्थितः, ब्रह्मादि-देव-मनुष्याणां ध्यानाराधनाद्य्-अगोचरोऽपार-कारुण्य-सौशील्य-वात्सल्यौदार्य-महोदधिः, स्वयम् एव रूपं तत्-तत्-सजातीय-संस्थानं स्व-स्वभावम् अजहद् एव कुर्वंस् तेषु तेषु लोकेष्व् अवतीर्यावतीर्य तैस् तैर् आराधितः, तत्-तद्-इष्टानुरूपं धर्मार्थ-काम-मोक्षाख्यं फलं प्रयच्छन्, भू-भारावतारणापदेशेनास्मद्-आदीनाम् अपि संसार-दुःख-शमनाय समाश्रयणीयत्वायावतीर्योर्व्यां सकल-मनुज-नयन-विषयतां गतः, परावर-निखिल-जन-मनो-नयन-हारि-दिव्य-चेष्टितानि कुर्वन्, पूतना-शकट-यमलार्जुनारिष्ट-प्रलम्ब-धेनुक-कालिय-केशि-कुवलयापीड-चाणूर-मुष्टिक-तोसल-कंसादीन् निहत्य अनवधिक-दया-सौहार्दानुराग-गर्भावलोकनालापामृतैर् विश्वम् आप्याययन्, निरतिशय-सौन्दर्य-सौशील्यादि-गुणाविष्कारेणाक्रूर-मालाकारादीन् परम-भागवतान् कृत्वा, पाण्डु-तनय-युद्ध-प्रोत्साहन-व्याजेन परम-पुरुषार्थ-लक्षण-मोक्ष-साधनतया वेदान्तोदितं स्व-विषयं ज्ञान-कर्मानुगृहीतं भक्ति-योगम् अवतारयामास।

Link copied

तत्र पाण्डवानां करुणां च युद्धे प्रारब्धे स भगवान् पुरुषोत्तमः सर्वेश्वरेश्वरो जगद्-उपकृति-मर्त्य आश्रितवात्स्यल-विवशः पार्थं रथिनम् आत्मानं च सारथिं सर्व-लोक-साक्षिकं चकार। एवम् अर्जुनस्योत्कर्षं ज्ञात्वापि सर्वात्मनान्धो धृतराष्ट्रः सुयोधन-विजय-बुभुत्सया सञ्जयं पप्रच्छ---

Link copied

धर्म-क्षेत्रे कुरु-क्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः

Link copied

मामकाः पाण्डवाश् चैव किम् अकुर्वत सञ्जय

Link copied

सञ्जय उवाच

Link copied

दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस् तदा

Link copied

आचार्यम् उपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनम् अब्रवीत्

Link copied

पश्यैतां पाण्डु-पुत्राणाम् आचार्य महतीं चमूम्

Link copied

व्यूढां द्रुपद-पुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता

Link copied

अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुन-समा युधि

Link copied

युयुधानो विराटश् च द्रुपदश् च महारथः

Link copied

धृष्टकेतुश् चेकितानः काशिराजश् च वीर्यवान्

Link copied

पुरुजित् कुन्तिभोजश् च शैब्यश् च नर-पुङ्गवः

Link copied

युधामन्युश् च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश् च वीर्यवान्

Link copied

सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश् च सर्व एव महा-रथाः

Link copied

अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान् निबोध द्विजोत्तम

Link copied

नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान् ब्रवीमि ते

Link copied

भवान् भीष्मश् च कर्णश् च कृपश् च समितिञ्जयः

Link copied

अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश् च सौमदत्तिर् जयद्रथः

Link copied

अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मद्-अर्थे त्यक्त-जीविताः

Link copied

नाना-शस्त्र-प्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्ध-विशारदाः

Link copied

अपर्याप्तं तद् अस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्

Link copied

पर्याप्तं त्व् इदम् एतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम्१०

Link copied

अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथा-भागम् अवस्थिताः

Link copied

भीष्मम् एवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि११

Link copied

दुर्योधनः स्वयम् एव भीमाभिरक्षितं पाण्डवानां बलम्, आत्मीयं च भीष्माभिरक्षितं बलम् अवलोक्य आत्म-विजये तस्य बलस्य पर्याप्तताम् आत्मीयस्य बलस्य तद्-विजये चापर्याप्तताम् आचार्याय निवेद्य, अन्तर् विषण्णोऽभवत्॥१।२-११॥

Link copied

तस्य सञ्जनयन् हर्षं कुरु-वृद्धः पितामहः

Link copied

सिंह-नादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान्१२

Link copied

ततः शङ्खाश् च भेर्यश् च पणवानक-गोमुखाः

Link copied

सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस् तुमुलोऽभवत्१३

Link copied

तस्य विषादम् आलोक्य भीष्मस् तस्य हर्षं जनयितुं सिंह-नादं शङ्खाध्मानं च कृत्वा शङ्ख-भेरी-निनादैश् च विजयाभिशंसिनं घोषं चाकरयत्॥१।१२-१३॥

Link copied

ततः श्वेतैर् हयैर् युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ

Link copied

माधवः पाण्डवश् चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः१४

Link copied

ततस् तं घोषम् आकर्ण्य सर्वेश्वरेश्वरः पार्थ-सारथी रथी च पाण्डु-तनयस् त्रैलोक्य-विजयोपकरण-भूते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ त्रैलोक्यं कम्पयन्तौ श्रीमत्-पाञ्चजन्य-देवदत्तौ दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः॥१।१४॥

Link copied

पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनञ्जयः

Link copied

पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महा-शङ्खं भीम-कर्मा वृकोदरः१५

Link copied

अनन्त-विजयं राजा कुन्ती-पुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः

Link copied

नकुलः सहदेवश् च सुघोष-मणिपुष्पकौ१६

Link copied

काश्यश् च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महा-रथः

Link copied

धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश् च सात्यकिश् चापराजितः१७

Link copied

द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश् च सर्वशः पृथिवी-पते

Link copied

सौभद्रश् च महाबाहुः शङ्खान् दध्मुः पृथक् पृथक्१८

Link copied

स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत्

Link copied

नभश् च पृथिवीं चैव तुमुलो व्यनुनादयन्१९

Link copied

ततो युधिष्ठिरो वृकोदरादयश् च स्वकीयान् शङ्खान् पृथक् पृथक् प्रदध्मौः। स घोषो दुर्योधन-प्रमौखानां सर्वेषाम् एव भवत्-पुत्राणां हृदयानि बिभेद। अदयैव नष्टं कुरूणां बलम् इति धार्तराष्ट्रा मेनिरे। एवं तद्-विजयाभिकङ्क्षिणे धृतराष्ट्राय सञ्जयोऽकथयत्॥१।१५-१।१९॥

Link copied

अथ व्यवस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान् कपि-ध्वजः

Link copied

प्रवृत्ते शस्त्र-सम्पाते धनुर् उद्यम्य पाण्डवः२०

Link copied

हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यम् इदम् आह मही-पते

Link copied

सेनयोर् उभयोर् मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत२१

Link copied

यावद् एतान् निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धु-कामान् अवस्थितान्

Link copied

कैर् मया सह योद्धव्यम् अस्मिन् रण-समुद्यमे२२

Link copied

योत्स्यमानान् अवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः

Link copied

धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर् युद्धे प्रिय-चिकीर्षवः२३

Link copied

एवम् उक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत

Link copied

सेनयोर् उभयोर् मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम्२४

Link copied

भीष्म-द्रोण-प्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम्

Link copied

उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान् समवेतान् कुरून् इति२५

Link copied

स च तेन चोदितस् तत्-क्षणाद् एव भीष्म-द्रोणादीनां सर्वेषाम् एव महीक्षितां पश्यतां यथा चोदितम् अकरोत्। ईदृशी भवदीयानां विजय-स्थितिर् इति चावोचत्॥१।२५॥

Link copied

तत्रापश्यत् स्थितान् पार्थः पितॄन् अथ पितामहान्

Link copied

आचार्यान् मातुलान् भ्रातॄन् पुत्रान् पौत्रान् सखींस् तथा२६

Link copied

स तु पार्थो महा-मनाः परम-कारुणिको दीर्घ-बन्धुः परम-धार्मिकः स-भ्रातृको भवद्भिः अतिघोरैर् मारणैर् जतु-गृह-दाहादिभिर् असकृद्-वञ्चितोऽपि परम-पुरुष-सहायोऽपि हनिष्यमाणान् भवदीयान् विलोक्य बन्धु-स्नेहेन परया कृपया धर्माधर्म-भयेन चातिमात्र-स्विन्न-सर्व-गात्रः॥१।२६॥

Link copied

श्वशुरान् सुहृदश् चैव सेनयोर् उभयोर् अपि

Link copied

तान् समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान् बन्धून् अवस्थितान्२७

Link copied

कृपया परयाविष्टो विषीदन्न् इदम् अब्रवीत्

Link copied

दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम्२८

Link copied

सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति

Link copied

वेपथुश् च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश् च जायते२९

Link copied

गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात् त्वक् चैव परिदह्यते

Link copied

न च शक्नोम्य् अवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः३०

Link copied

निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव

Link copied

न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनम् आहवे३१

Link copied

न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च

Link copied

किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर् जीवितेन वा३२

Link copied

येषाम् अर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च

Link copied

त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस् त्यक्त्वा धनानि च३३

Link copied

आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास् तथैव च पितामहाः

Link copied

मातुलाः श्वशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस् तथा३४

Link copied

एतान् न हन्तुम् इच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन

Link copied

अपि त्रैलोक्य-राज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु मही-कृते३५

Link copied

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान् नः का प्रीतिः स्याज् जनार्दन

Link copied

पापम् एवाश्रयेद् अस्मान् हत्वैतान् आततायिनः३६

Link copied

तस्मान् नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान् स्व-बान्धवान्

Link copied

स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव३७

Link copied

यद्य् अप्य् एते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहत-चेतसः

Link copied

कुल-क्षय-कृतं दोषं मित्र-द्रोहे च पातकम्३८

Link copied

कथं न ज्ञेयम् अस्माभिः पापाद् अस्मान् निवर्तितुम्

Link copied

कुल-क्षय-कृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर् जनार्दन३९

Link copied

कुल-क्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुल-धर्माः सनातनाः

Link copied

धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नम् अधर्मोऽभिभवत्य् उत४०

Link copied

अधर्माभिभवात् कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुल-स्त्रियः

Link copied

स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय जायते वर्ण-सङ्करः४१

Link copied

सङ्करो नरकायैव कुल-घ्नानां कुलस्य च

Link copied

पतन्ति पितरो ह्य् एषां लुप्त-पिण्डोदक-क्रियाः४२

Link copied

दोषैर् एतैः कुल-घ्नानां वर्ण-सङ्कर-कारकैः

Link copied

उत्साद्यन्ते जाति-धर्माः कुल-धर्माश् च शाश्वताः४३

Link copied

उत्सन्न-कुल-धर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन

Link copied

नरके नियतं वासो भवतीत्य् अनुशुश्रुम४४

Link copied

अहो बत महत् पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्

Link copied

यद् राज्य-सुख-लोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनम् उद्यताः४५

Link copied

यदि माम् अप्रतीकारम् अशस्त्रं शस्त्र-पाणयः

Link copied

धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस् तन् मे क्षेमतरं भवेत्४६

Link copied

एवम् उक्त्वार्जुनः सङ्ख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्

Link copied

विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोक-संविग्न-मानसः४७

Link copied

सर्वथाहं न योत्स्यामीत्य् उक्त्वा बन्धु-विश्लेष-जनित-शोक-संविग्न-मानसः पार्थः स-शरं चापं विसृज्य रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्॥१।४७॥

Link copied

इति श्रीमद्-रामानुजाचार्य-विरचिते गीता-भाष्ये प्रथमोऽध्यायः॥१॥

Link copied

English · simplified from Thibaut (1904)

Lecture 1 — The Theme of Arjuna's Melancholy (in Sanskrit: Arjuna-visha:da-yoga)

The Bhagavad Gi:tha opens not with a teaching but with a collapse. On the field of Kurukshetra, between two armies drawn up for battle, the warrior Sri: Arjuna lets fall his bow and sits down in sorrow. His grief — triggered by the sight of kinsmen, teachers, and elders arrayed as enemies — is the occasion that calls forth the whole Gi:tha. Bhagavad Ramanuja treats this collapse as a spiritual crisis: Arjuna mistakes the body for the self, he confuses rightful duty with unrighteousness, and he takes refuge in a pity that looks noble but is in truth rooted in delusion.

Link copied

Proem — Salutations and the purpose of the Gi:tha

Bhagavad Ramanuja opens his commentary by bowing at the feet of his own preceptor-lineage, beginning with the great Yamunacharya, whose summary verse gives the keynote of the entire chapter: "The Gi:tha was introduced to Partha who sought refuge, fearing right's wrong, by misplaced love and pity caught."

Link copied

The invocatory verse placed at the head of the commentary addresses the devotee's heart directly: "To the feet of Blessed Ramanuja, do I resort as my Refuge — Bhagavad Ramanuja, Mercy's Ocean, who, from his love of the lotus-feet of Achyuta, regarded everything else as trivial." Achyuta — "He who does not abandon those who trust Him" — is itself a theological pledge: the Lord is the One who never forsakes the soul that has taken refuge.

Link copied

Ramanuja then lays down a sublime meditation on the Lord of Sri:. Sri:man Na:ra:yana, consort of Sri: Lakshmi, is described as the sole Reservoir of all illustrious attributes and the antithesis of all evil (heya). He possesses jna:na (wisdom), a:nanda (bliss), bala (strength), aisvarya (sovereignty), vi:rya (constancy), sakthi (power), and tejas (lustre) — the six chief qualities. His divine form is a mine of effulgence, beauty, and eternal youth. He is adorned with transcendental ornaments and accoutred with divine weapons, ever attended by the Nitya-su:ris — the eternally free souls who sing His praise. He dwells in the imperishable firmament (akshara), and the whole universe is but His li:la: (sovereign play) in its three modes of projection, sustentation, and dissolution.

Link copied

Though the Lord, having created the cosmos from Brahma down to the immovable mineral kingdom, retired into His own Self — so that even to the meditations of Brahma and the devas He became incognizant — yet, moved by infinite mercy, He willed to assume bodies resembling those of His creatures. These are His avatha:ras, His descents. Never abandoning His essential divine nature, He enters our world to grant the four aspirations: dharma, artha, ka:ma, and moksha. The object of every incarnation is to relieve the earth of sin's burden and to make Himself accessible to people even of our sinful description.

Link copied

As Sri: Krishna, He destroyed the demonic oppressors of society — Putana, Sakata, Yamala and Arjuna (the twin trees), Arishta, Pralamba, Dhenuka, Kaliya, Kesi, Kuvalayapida, Chanura, Mushtika, Thosala, Kamsa — and delighted the worlds with looks and language overflowing with the nectar of amity and love. Saints such as Akrura and Malakara became most godly — very saints — simply enraptured by His condescending deportment and presence.

Link copied

Ramanuja's language here is deliberately theologically dense. The Lord has five aspects: para (transcendent), vyu:ha (emanatory), vibhava (incarnational), antharya:min (indweller), and archa:vatha:ra (the icon-presence at consecrated shrines). Incarnations as Sri: Rama and Sri: Krishna belong to the vibhava aspect. The su:ris who ever sing His praise correspond to what the Gnostic Christian tradition called the "Eternal Inheritances." His beloved Sri: — Sri: Lakshmi — is sradhdha: herself: the mediatrix by whom the soul approaches the Lord.

Link copied

Under the pretext of persuading Sri: Arjuna to fight, Sri: Krishna now promulgates the doctrine of bhakti-yoga — the path of loving devotion which is the burden of all Vedanta teaching, led up to by jna:na (wisdom) and karma (works). Through bhakti, the Lord is revealed as the sole Object of love and also the Means by which devotees attain the climax of their ambition: moksha, final liberation from all conditioned existence. This is why, when Kauravas and Pandavas faced each other in war, Bhagavan — God of gods — appeared as the Charioteer of Sri: Arjuna, allowing Himself to be overpowered by love for His faithful dependent, so that the whole universe might witness His condescension.

Link copied

Verses 1–11 (The armies assemble; the conches sound)

Verse 1.1. Dhritarashtra said: "O Sanjaya! What did my people and the Pandavas do, assembled on the plains of Kurukshetra, the land of dharma, to carry on war?"

Link copied

Though blind both physically and spiritually, Dhritarashtra inquires anxiously about the fortunes of his son Duryodhana.

Link copied

Verse 1.2–11. Sanjaya narrates how Duryodhana, surveying the Pandava forces marshalled by Dhrishtadyumna, approaches his teacher Drona and points out the great heroes: Yuyudhana, Virata, Drupada, Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana, the king of Kasi, Purujit, Kunti-bhoja, Saibya, Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadra, and the sons of Draupadi. He then names his own commanders: Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, Asvatthama, Vikarna, and Saumadatti, asking them all to fortify Bhishma.

Link copied

Duryodhana's anxiety is visible. Perceiving this, Bhishma lets out a lion's roar and blows his conch, setting off a tumult of drums, trumpets, and cowhorns.

Link copied

Verses 12–19 (The divine conches answer)

Verse 1.14–19. Thereupon Sri: Krishna (Madhava) and Sri: Arjuna (Pandava), seated in their great war-chariot drawn by white horses, blow their divine conches. Hrishikesa sounds the Pa:nchajanya — made from the bones of the giant Pancajana of the ocean; Dhananjaya sounds the Devadatta; Bhima the Paundra; Yudhishthira the Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadeva the Sughosha and Manipushpaka. Kasya, Sikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, Satyaki, Drupada, the Draupadeyas, and the son of Subhadra each blew their conches. The din rent the hearts of Dhritarashtra's men and filled earth and sky.

Link copied

Ramanuja notes the theological weight: the Charioteer is no ordinary man but the Lord of all lords, the Treasury of wisdom, strength, lordliness, constancy, power, and lustre; Him, to whom the triple cosmos is but sport; Him, the Supreme Governor — who, out of condescending love for His faithful, took the role of Charioteer and stationed the car between the two armies at Sri: Arjuna's bidding.

Link copied

Verses 20–30 (Arjuna's request and his weakening)

Verse 1.20–25. Sri: Arjuna asks Hrishikesa to draw up the chariot between the two armies so that he may see those who stand ready to fight. Krishna complies and says: "See then, Partha, these Kurus assembled here."

Link copied

Verse 1.26–27. Sri: Arjuna sees there his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, comrades, fathers-in-law, friends, and kinsmen arrayed in both armies.

Link copied

Ramanuja pauses here on the full weight of this survey. Sri: Arjuna is no ordinary warrior observing a strange enemy; he is the intimate of every man on both sides. Every face he sees is the face of a relation. The Charioteer who has stationed the car between the armies has done so precisely that this recognition might dawn — and, with it, the crisis that will call forth the entire teaching of the Gi:tha.

Link copied

Verse 1.28–30. Overcome by compassion, Sri: Arjuna speaks in sorrow: "Beholding my own people standing to fight, O Krishna, my limbs quake, my mouth dries up, my frame quivers, my hair stands on end. The Gandiva bow slips from my hand; my skin burns; my legs totter; my head swims."

Link copied

Verses 31–46 (The lament: caste, ancestors, the web of consequence)

Verse 1.31–35. "Kesava, I perceive inauspicious omens; what good can come from slaughtering my own people? I desire no victory, no empire, no delights. What use, Govinda, is rule or enjoyment, or even life, when those for whom we would enjoy them stand risking their lives for this contest — teachers, sires, sons, grandsons, uncles, brothers-in-law, cousins? Madhusudana, I would rather be killed by them than kill them, even if the three worlds were my reward."

Link copied

Verse 1.36–38. "Janardana, what satisfaction comes from slaying the hosts of Dhritarashtra? To slay them would only bring sin upon us. Though their hearts, overrun with greed, fail to see the ruin of their race and the treachery of betraying friends, how should we — who can see the danger of the extinction of a clan — not know to avoid this sin?"

Link copied

Verse 1.40–44. Sri: Arjuna develops the elaborate social argument: when a race declines, so does its dharma; when dharma declines, unrighteousness (adharma) spreads; when unrighteousness holds sway, family women become corrupted; from corruption of women comes the intermingling of castes (varna-sankara); such intermingling is damnation to both the caste-breakers and the castes themselves. Deprived of the offerings of food, water, and rites, the manes (pitharah) of these men fall. By such faults, the ancient dharmas of race and caste are disregarded and broken. For those from whom clan-laws have departed, the scripture teaches that naraka (hell) is the inevitable residence.

Link copied

Verse 1.45–47. "Alas! Coveting possessions and enjoyments, how strange that we were about to commit an atrocious sin by massacring our kinsmen. It would be a far greater benefit if, unresisting and unarmed, I were killed on the battlefield by the armed hosts of Dhritarashtra." So saying, agitated with grief, Sri: Arjuna let go his arrowed bow and sat down in his chariot between the two armies.

Link copied

Ramanuja observes the subtle inversion of wisdom inside this lament. Sri: Arjuna speaks of ancestors falling from their spiritual stations, of the collapse of clan-dharma, of the intermingling of castes, of hell — language that seems to presuppose a clear spiritual vision. He speaks, in fact, as if he knew the difference between body and soul. Yet his whole action — the dropping of the bow, the refusal of rightful kshathriya duty, the flight from his own ordained svadharma — belongs to a man who does not know this distinction. He is confusing body with a:thman; he imagines that bodies dying means souls perishing; he imagines that withholding his bow is itself a virtue when it is in truth the abdication of a righteous duty. This is why the Lord, in the next lecture, will begin precisely at this point — the nature of the a:thman — rather than with any immediate advice about the battle.

Link copied

Ramanuja's summation

Sanjaya reports Partha's condition to Dhritarashtra. Bhagavad Ramanuja's commentary crystallises the spiritual picture here: Sri: Arjuna is the most noble-minded, the most compassionate, the eternal kinsman, the most virtuous — and yet, though he knows that with Paramapurusha Himself present beside him the destruction of Dhritarashtra's people is certain, he still looks on them with feelings of friendship, overcome by pity and by fear that righteousness may suffer. Shrinking within himself, he declares: "In no case whatsoever shall I fight." He then becomes most dejected, grieved at the thought of separation from kin, letting go his arrowed bow, and sits down in his chariot.

Link copied

This is the crisis that Sri: Krishna will meet. Sri: Arjuna's pity is not the compassion of a sage but the confusion of a man who does not yet know the distinction between body and a:thman, nor the scope of lawful kshathriya duty, nor the proper orientation of action towards moksha. His lament sounds wise — he speaks of ancestors, castes, clan-law, hell — but it is spoken out of delusion. Sri: Krishna's smile in the next lecture will answer it.

Link copied

Thus closes the First Lecture, the Book of Sri: Arjuna's Mood of Melancholy, in the colloquy between Sri: Krishna and Sri: Arjuna, in the Science of Yo:ga, in the Divine Knowledge of the Upanishads — the Bhagavad Gi:tha — with the commentary of Bhagavad Ramanuja.

Link copied
Join our community