The
true spirit Geeta
Sholaka-1
The two armies had gathered on the
battlefield of Kurukshetra, well prepared to fight a war that was inevitable.
Still, in this verse, King Dhritarashtra asked Sanjay, what his sons and his
brother Pandu’s sons were doing on the battlefield? It was apparent that they
would fight, then why did he ask such a question?
The blind King Dhritarashtra’s
fondness for his own sons had clouded his spiritual wisdom and deviated him
from the path of virtue. He had usurped the kingdom of Hastinapur from the
rightful heirs; the Pandavas, sons of his brother Pandu. Feeling guilty of the
injustice he had done towards his nephews, his conscience worried him about the
outcome of this battle.
The words dharma kṣhetre, the land of dharma (virtuous
conduct) used by Dhritarashtra depict the dilemma he was experiencing.
Kurukshetra is described as kurukṣhetraṁ deva yajanam in the
Shatapath Brahman, the Vedic textbook detailing rituals. It means “Kurukshetra
is the sacrificial arena of the celestial gods.” Hence, it was regarded as
the sacred land that nourished dharma.
Dhritarashtra feared that the holy
land might influence the minds of his sons. If it aroused the faculty of
discrimination, they might turn away from killing their cousins and negotiate a
truce. A peaceful settlement meant that the Pandavas would continue being a
hindrance for them. He felt great displeasure at these possibilities,
instead preferred that this war transpires. He was uncertain of the
consequences of the war, yet desired to determine the fate of his sons.
Therefore, he asked Sanjay about the activities of the two armies on the
battleground.
Sholka-2
Sanjay understood Dhritarashtra’s
concern, who wanted an assurance that the battle would eventuate. Sanjay tried
to allay his worry by informing that the Pandava army was standing in a
military formation, ready for battle. Then he moved on to tell him what his son
Duryodhana was doing on the battlefield.
As King Dhritarashtra was blind, his
eldest son Duryodhana virtually ruled the kingdom of Hastinapur. In the
Mahabharata, he is described as very rude, egoistic, evil and cruel by nature.
Since his childhood, he had a strong dislike for the Pandavas and left no
opportunity to demean them. He was aware that to rule over the entire kingdom
of Hastinapur unchallenged he needed to eliminate them. However, standing on
the battlefield, when he saw the large Pandava army, he was baffled. He
had underestimated the Pandavas, the extent of military might they had gathered
was way beyond his expectation.
Duryodhana approached his guru
Dronacharya with the pretense of offering respect, but his actual purpose was
to palliate his own nervousness. His move towards his guru also reveals that
the mammoth military formation of the Pandava army unnerved him and he was now
fearful of the outcome of this war.
The next nine verses are spoken by
Duryodhan.
Shloka-3
Duryodhana asked Dronacharya
to look at the skillfully arranged military phalanx of the Pandava army led by
their commander-in-chief Dhristadyumna, King Dhrupad’s son. He was also one of
Dronacharya’s pupils. Duryodhana was subtly reminding his teacher of a mistake
he had committed in the past.
Many years back, Dronacharya
along with the Pandavas had defeated King Drupad in a battle and took away half
his kingdom. To avenge his defeat, Drupad performed a sacrifice to beget a son.
Dhristadyumna was born out of that sacrificial fire, with a boon that he would
kill Dronacharya in the future. Even though Dronacharya was aware, when he was
approached for Dhristadyumna’s military training, he very humbly accepted and
imparted all his knowledge impartially to his pupil.
Duryodhana was reminding
Dronacharya that even though Dhristadyumna was his pupil, he was also Drupad’s
son, with a boon to kill him. He wanted to ensure that as in the past,
Dhronacharya should not become lenient towards his pupils, now that, they were
on the battlefield.
Sholaka-4,
Sholaka-5,
Sholaka-6
Behold in their ranks are many
powerful warriors, like Yuyudhan, Virat, and Drupad, wielding mighty bows and
equal in military prowess to Bheem and Arjun. There are also accomplished
heroes like Dhrishtaketu, Chekitan, the gallant King of Kashi, Purujit,
Kuntibhoj, and Shaibya—all the best of men. In their ranks, they also have the
courageous Yudhamanyu, the gallant Uttamauja, the son of Subhadra, and the sons
of Draupadi, who are all great warrior chiefs.
Due to his anxiety, the
Pandava army seemed much larger to Duryodhan than it actually was. He had never
expected his opponents would mobilize an army of warriors with such military
prowess, who would be formidable in battle. Out of fear of the looming
catastrophe, he started enumerating the names of all the mahārathīs (warriors who were singly equivalent in
strength to ten thousand ordinary warriors) gathered on the Pandava side. They
were all exceptional heroes, and great military commanders, equivalent in valor
to his cousins Arjun and Bheem.
Sholaka-7
Dronacharya was a teacher of
military science and not really a warrior. However, he was on the battlefield
as one of the commanders of the Kaurava army. An impudent Duryodhana even
doubted the loyalty of his own preceptor. Cunning Duryodhana purposefully
addressed his teacher as dwijottama (best
amongst the twice-born, or Brahmins). His denigrating and vailed reminder for
Dronacharya was that, if he did not display his valor in this battle, he would
be considered a lowly Brahmin, who was only interested in the fine food and
lavish lifestyle at the king’s palace.
Then to cover up his vicious
words and boost his teacher’s and his own morale; Duryodhana started naming all
the great generals present on the Kaurava side, describing their valor and
military expertise.
Sholaka-8
There are
personalities like yourself, Bheeshma, Karna, Kripa, Ashwatthama, Vikarn, and
Bhurishrava, who are ever victorious in battle.
Sholaka-9
Also, there
are many other heroic warriors, who are prepared to lay down their lives for my
sake. They are all skilled in the art of warfare, and equipped with various
kinds of weapons.
Sholaka-10
The
commander-in-chief of the Kaurava army was Grandsire Bheeshma. Apart from being
an exceptional warrior, he had an extraordinary boon. He could choose the time
of his death, this meant he was practically invincible. Duryodhana felt that
under Bheeshma’s command their army was undefeatable. Whereas, the Pandava army
was secured by Duryodhana’s sworn enemy, Bheema. Hence, he started comparing
his Grandfather Bheeshma’s strength with his cousin Bheema.
Vinaash kale vipreet buddhi as the proverb goes, which means that when the end draws
near, egoistic people indulge in vainglory instead of being humble in
evaluating their situation. This tragic irony of fate is reflected here in
Duryodhana’s self-aggrandizing statement that; their army’s strength secured by
Bheeshma was unlimited.
However, both
Kauravas and Pandavas were Bheeshma’s grandchildren and as the oldest living
member of the Kuru family, he was concerned about their welfare. He was
compassionate towards the Pandavas, but was bound by his ethical commitment
towards the throne of Hastinapur and its subjects. Therefore, halfheartedly, he
led the Kaurava army against them.
Bheeshma was
also aware that in this holy war, along with all the great warriors of the
world the Supreme Lord Krishna Himself was present. Lord Krishna was with the
Pandavas, which meant Dharma was on
their side, and no power in the entire universe could make the side of Adharma win.
He had vowed to
protect the kingdom of Hastinapur and its subjects and to fulfill his responsibility
towards them Bheeshma led the Kaurava army, even though he was aware of their
wrongdoings. This decision of Bheeshma accentuates his strength of character
and enigmatic personality.
Sholaka-11
Therefore, I call upon all the
generals of the Kaurava army now to give full support to Grandsire Bheeshma,
even as you defend your respective strategic points.
Duryodhana urged all the Kaurava
generals to make sure they are around Grandsire Bheeshma and give him full
support while they defend their own respective positions in the military
phalanx. Duryodhana beheld Bheeshma’s unassailability as an advantage and
wanted to use it as strength and inspiration for his army.
Sholaka-12
Then, the
grand old man of the Kuru dynasty, the glorious patriarch Bheeshma, roared like
a lion, and blew his conch shell very loudly, giving joy to Duryodhana.
Bheeshma was aware that Duryodhana
had no chance of victory as the Supreme Lord Shree Krishna was on the opposite
side. However, he understood his grand-nephew’s anxiety and to cheer him up he
blew his conch shell loudly. In olden days, blowing of the conch shell in the
battlefield signaled the start of the war. This also conveyed to Duryodhana
that Bheeshma was ready to lead the Kaurava army and he would fight dutifully
and spare no pain.
Sholaka-13
Thereafter,
conches, kettledrums, bugles, trumpets, and horns suddenly blared forth, and
their combined sound was overwhelming.
On hearing
Bheeshma’s call for battle, everyone in the Kaurava army also started playing
various instruments eagerly, creating tumultuous sound. Shaṅkhāḥ meansconches, paṇav are-: drums, bhreyah bugles, and go-mukh are blowing horns.
All these instruments playing together created a loud pandemonium.
Sholaka-14
The uproar of
the Kaurava army had started to wane. Then from the Pandava side, seated on a
magnificent chariot the Supreme Lord Shree Krishna and Arjun, both blew their
conch shells intrepidly, which ignited the enthusiasm of the Pandava army as
well.
Here, Sanjay has
addressed Lord Shree Krishna as “Madhav”. It is a combination of two
words, Mā which refers to goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of
prosperity and dhav is used for husband.
Goddess Lakshmi is Lord Vishnu’s wife, who is one of the many forms of Shree
Krishna. This verse implies that the goddess of prosperity was with the
Pandavas, and by her grace, they would be triumphant in this war and reclaim
their kingdom soon.
The sons of King
Pandu are called Pandavas and it may be used for any of the five brothers. In
this verse, the Pandava being referred to is Arjun, the third among the five.
He was a mighty warrior and a superior archer. His magnificent chariot was a
gift from Agni, the celestial god of fire.
Sholaka-15
Hrishikesh blew his conch shell,
called Panchajanya, and Arjun blew the Devadutta. Bheem, the voracious eater
and performer of herculean tasks, blew his mighty conch, called Paundra. In this
verse, Shree Krishna is addressed as “Hrishikesh” which means the Lord of the
mind and senses. Shree Krishna is the Sovereign Master of everybody’s minds and
senses. Throughout his wonderful pastimes, he displayed complete control over
his mind and senses.
Sholaka-16
King Yudhishthir, blew the
Anantavijay, while Nakul and Sahadev blew the Sughosh and Manipushpak. The
excellent archer and king of Kashi, the great warrior Shikhandi,
Dhrishtadyumna, Virat, and the invincible Satyaki, Drupad, the five sons of
Draupadi, and the mighty-armed Abhimanyu, son of Subhadra, all blew their
respective conch shells, O Ruler of the earth. Yudhisthtira, the eldest
Pandava is being addressed here as “King.” He always displayed royal grace and
nobility, whether living in a palace or in a forest when in exile. He also got
this title by performing the Rājasūya
Yajña a royal sacrifice, which earned him tributes from all
the other kings of the world.
In this verse, Sanjay also called
Dhritarashtra the “Ruler of the earth.” The real reason for this appellation
was to remind him of his duties as the ruler of the country. With so many kings
and princes participating from both sides in this war, it was as if the entire
earth was split into two parties. It was definite that this mammoth war would
cause irreversible destruction. The only person who could stop the war at this
juncture was Dhritarashtra, and Sanjay wanted to know if he was willing to do
that.
Sholaka-17
The terrific sound thundered across
the sky and the earth, and shattered the hearts of your sons, O Dhritarasthra. Sanjay
conveyed to Dhritarashtra, that the tremendous sound of the various conch
shells from the Pandava army was shattering the hearts of his sons. Whereas, he
did not mention any such reaction from the Pandavas, when the Kauravas were
creating a commotion. The Kauravas were fearful, as their conscience pricked
them for their crimes and misdeeds. They were relying solely on their physical strength
to fight the war. However, the Pandavas were confident and felt protected, as
the Supreme Lord Shree Krishna was by their side, their victory was definite.
Sholaka-18
At that time, the son of Pandu,
Arjun, who had the insignia of Hanuman on the flag of his chariot, took up his
bow. Seeing your sons arrayed against him, O King, Arjun then spoke the
following words to Shree Krishna. Here Sanjay addresses Arjun by
another name, “Kapi Dhwaj,” which means “Monkey Bannered.” This denotes the
presence of the mighty Monkey God; Hanuman on Arjun’s chariot. It so happened
that, once Arjun became very boastful of his archery skills and quipped at
Shree Krishna. He said, “I do not understand why during Lord Rama’s time, the
monkeys worked so hard to make a bridge from India to Lanka with heavy stones?
If I was there, I would have made a bridge of arrows.” The Omniscient Lord
asked him, “Alright, go ahead show me your bridge.”
Very skillfully Arjun showered
thousands of arrows and made a huge bridge. Now, it was time to test it. Shree
Krishna called upon great Hanuman for the job. As soon as Hanuman started
walking on the bridge, it started crumbling under his feet. Arjun realized his
folly; his bridge of arrows could not have upheld the weight of Lord Rama’s huge
army. He asked for their forgiveness. Subsequently, Hanuman gave Arjun lessons
on being humble and never be proud of his skills. He also granted Arjun a boon
that, during the great war, he would seat himself on Arjun’s chariot.
Therefore, Arjun’s chariot flag carried the insignia of the great Hanuman.
Sholaka-19
Arjun was a
skilled warrior, and the most powerful Hanuman was sitting on top of his
magnificent chariot. Moreover, his devotion towards the Supreme Lord Shree
Krishna was such that, the Lord himself had agreed to be Arjun’s charioteer.
Here, Arjun was seated on the passenger seat giving instructions to Shree
Krishna, his charioteer. He addresses the Lord as Achyuta, the most dependable One and requests him to
place the chariot in the middle of the battlefield.
“Although I am
Supremely Independent, yet I become enslaved by My devotees. They are
very dear to Me, and I become indebted to them for their love.” Such is
the beauty of God’s bond with his devotees that He gets enslaved, beholden by
His devotees’ love.
Sholaka-20
Arjun was
fearless, the Supreme Lord was his charioteer. His outlook was that the
Pandavas were legitimately entitled to half the kingdom of Hastinapur, but the
wicked sons of Dhritarashtra, the Kauravas had not agreed to share. Arjun was
ready for battle, eager to get back what was rightfully theirs and punish them
for all their past wrongdoings.
His request for
the chariot to be placed in the middle of the battlefield was to take a closer
look at the Kaurava army. Arjun wanted to see all those who had taken the side
of injustice. He wanted to punish them equally, as they had chosen to be on the
wrong side, none of them would be spared.
Shloka-21
Sholaka-22
Here, Dhritarashtra is being addressed as Bharata by Sanjay, which means, “O
descendant of the great King Bharat.”
Sholaka-23
Shree Krishna called Arjun “Parth, son of Pritha, another name
for his mother Kunti.” Then he pointed at all the warriors like Bhishma, Drona
and other kings on the Kaurava side and deliberately used the word “Kuru” to
address them. It was to remind Arjun that both Kauravas and Pandavas were all
decedents of the great king Kuru. Therefore, the enemy he was so eager to kill
was actually his own family and relatives. The Omniscient Lord was sowing the
seed of delusion in Arjun’s mind, only to eliminate it later. He was preparing
the ground for the gospel he was about to preach - The Bhagavad Geeta, which
would benefit the future generations in the age of Kali.
Sholaka-24
There, Arjun could see stationed in both armies,
his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, cousins, sons,
nephews, grand-nephews, friends, fathers-in-law, and well-wishers.
Sholaka-25
Seeing all his relatives present
there, Arjun, the son of Kunti, was overwhelmed with compassion, and with deep
sorrow, spoke the following words.
Shree Krishna’s words had the
desired effect on Arjun. Looking at the armies on both sides of the battlefield,
his heart sank, they were all “Kurus” his relatives. The brave warrior
who wanted to punish the Kauravas for all their wickedness a few minutes back
suddenly became fearful. Comprehending the devastation this war would cause,
his valor started to diminish. Hence, Sanjay has called him Kaunteyah the son of Kunti,
denoting that Arjun had become softhearted, similar to his mother.
However, Arjun was now very confused and his mind filled with questions.
Sholaka-26
Sholaka-27
Arjun said: O Krishna, seeing my own
kinsmen arrayed for battle here and intent on killing each other, my limbs are
giving way and my mouth is drying up.
Arjun realized that all the warriors
on the battlefield ready to shed blood were none other than his own relatives,
friends, and family. He was filled with remorse and fearful of performing his
duty of fighting this war. The cause for these sentiments was his attachment
towards his bodily relatives. He became forgetful of his spiritual existence,
that he was not just the body. His affection for his bodily relatives had
blinded his consciousness.
In the materialistic concept, we
consider ourselves to be only the body, which is emotionally attached to all
its bodily relatives. As this attachment is based on ignorance it carries with
it the physical burdens of life like pain, sorrow, grief, and death. Only the
death of the physical body can end these materialistic attachments.
We are more than just the physical
body; our eternal souls are beyond life and death. Tangled in the various
attachments of the material world, we keep forgetting that the Supreme Lord is
our only permanent relative. He is the Father, Mother, Friend, Master, and
Beloved of our soul.
Sholaka-28
Sholaka-29
Sholaka-30
Sholaka-31
My whole body shudders; my hair is
standing on end. My bow, the Gāṇḍīv, is
slipping from my hand, and my skin is burning all over. My mind is in quandary
and whirling in confusion; I am unable to hold myself steady any longer. O
Krishna, killer of the Keshi demon, I only see omens of misfortune. I do not
foresee how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in this battle.
Here Arjun has addressed Shree
Krishna as Keśhava, killer of
a demon called Keshi. Yet, for Arjun the thought of killing his own relatives
troubled him to such an extent that, his body started to tremble. He was unable
to even hold his magnificent bow Gāṇḍīv, which
could emit sounds that petrified even the most powerful enemies. Arjun had
become so disillusioned that superstition started gripping him. He could only
see bad omens indicating severe devastation. Thus, he felt it would be a sin to
engage in such a battle.
Sholaka-32
Sholaka-33
O Krishna, I
do not desire victory, kingdom, or the happiness accruing to it. Of what avail
will be a kingdom, pleasures, or even life itself, when the very persons for
whom we covet them, are standing before us for battle?
Taking away someone’s life itself is
immoral, and killing a relative is considered even more sinful. Arjun was in a
dilemma, what would he gain with victory achieved by such a heinous act? It
would not give him any joy; as he would have lost all the people who mattered
to him.
Detachment to worldly assets is a
commendable virtue. Even though Arjun’s thoughts were moral and virtuous, they
were not spiritual sentiments. They were budding out of compassion and
attachment towards his relatives. Spiritual sentiments bestow peace, harmony,
and happiness to a soul. However, Arjun’s situation was not such he was
disillusioned, confused, and losing control over his body and mind.
Sholaka-34
Sholaka-35
Teachers,
fathers, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, grandsons, fathers-in-law,
grand-nephews, brothers-in-law, and other kinsmen are present here, staking
their lives and riches. O Madhusudan, I do not wish to slay them, even if they
attack me. If we kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, what satisfaction will we
derive from the dominion over the three worlds, what to speak of this Earth?
Arjun looked at the vast gathering
of warriors on the battlefield and started considering his relationships with
them. His teachers, Dronacharya and Kripacharaya; grand uncle Bheeshma and
Somadutta; Bhurishrava (Somdatta’s son); Kuntibhoj, Purujit, Shalya, and
Shakuni his maternal uncles. The hundred Kauravas were his uncle Dhritarashra’s
sons; their sons, grandsons, and several other relatives had all assembled
there prepared for a battle till death.
Twice in
this verse, Arjun used the word api which
means “even though.” He addresses Shree Krishna as Madhusudan, the killer of a demon
named Madhu and says, “O Madhusudan, I do not wish to kill them even though I
am aware they are eager to do so.” Again, he says, “Even though for the sake of
victory over the three worlds we fight, what joy would we get by killing our
own folks?”
Sholaka-36
Sholaka-37
O Maintainer
of all living entities, what pleasure will we derive from killing the sons of
Dhritarasthra? Even though they may be aggressors, sin will certainly come upon
us if we slay them. Hence, it does not behoove us to kill our own cousins, the
sons of Dhritarashtra, and friends. O Madhav (Krishna), how can we hope to be
happy by killing our own kinsmen?
Similar to the previous verses,
Arjun continues to explicate his unwillingness to kill his relatives by using
the words “even though” again. Addressing Shree Krishna as Janardhana,
sustainer of the populace, he said, “Even though I am aware that they are
willing to attack us, I feel it would be a sin to kill my uncle Dhritarashtra’s
sons.”
Then addressing him as Madhav,
Goddess Lakshmi’s husband, Arjun said, “It is not proper on our part to kill
our cousins and relatives, how can we ever be happy by doing such a deed?”
Under most
circumstances killing or taking someone’s life is considered a grave sin, which
subsequently causes guilt and repentance. The Vedas state: mā hinsyāt sarvā bhūtāni “Do
not kill any living being.” Unless absolutely necessary in an extreme
situation, violence in any form is a sin and non-violence a superior virtue. In
Arjun’s case, even though the enemy’s wrong deeds were unpardonable, he was not
willing to kill them considering it to be immoral.
However, according to Vasiṣhṭh Smṛiti (verse 3.19) under six circumstances it is acceptable to
kill; in order to protect themselves from such enemies who have: set fire to
their property, tried to poison them, conspired to murder, loot their wealth,
kidnap or dishonor their women, or seize their kingdom. Even the Manu Smṛiti (8.351) mentions that it is not considered a sin if someone
kills an attacker in self-defense.
Sholaka-38
Their
thoughts are overpowered by greed and they see no wrong in annihilating their
relatives or wreaking treachery upon friends. Yet, O Janardan (Krishna), why
should we, who can clearly see the crime in killing our kindred, not turn away
from this sin?
Arjun was a proclaimed warrior, but
due to his righteous nature, he tried to avoid violence whenever possible. This
side of his character is well revealed in an incident that took place towards
the end of the Mahabharat war.
Duryodhana was badly injured, and
only a handful of warriors were remaining on the Kaurava side. Ashwatthama was
one of them. He wanted to avenge his father Dronacharaya and his friends
Kauravas' death. He sneaked into the Pandava camp at night while everyone was
fast asleep and went on a carnage. Several warriors including
Draupadi’s five sons were killed in this attack. The Pandavas, along with
Draupadi and Shree Krishna were away that night. When they returned to the
camp, they were devasted. Arjun went after Ashwatthama, caught him and threw
him at the feet of Draupadi, who was grieving the death of her young sons.
Bheem was raged and wanted to kill Ashwatthama right way, but Draupadi was a
soft-hearted lady of forgiving nature. She said that Ashwatthama was their Guru
Drona’s son and a Brahmin, therefore, they should forgive him. Arjun was unsure
what to do next and wanted guidance from Shree Krishna, who then said, “A
respect-worthy Brahmin must be forgiven even if he may have temporarily fallen
from virtue. But a person who approaches to kill with a lethal weapon
must certainly be punished.” Arjun understood what the Lord meant; he did
not kill Ashwatthama. Instead, he cut his brahmin’s tuft, removed the jewel of
immense power from his forehead, and let him go.
ṛitvikpurohitāchāryair mātulātithisanśhritaiḥ
bālavṛiddhāturair vaidyair jñātisam bandhibāndhavaiḥ
(Manu Smṛiti 4.179)
“One should not squabble with, the
Brahmin who performs the fire sacrifice, the family priest, teacher, maternal
uncle, guest, dependent children, elders, doctor or relatives.”
Arjun was aware that killing one’s
own relatives was a great sin. He said to Shree Krishna, “Greed has blinded
them (Kauravas) and they do not realize that it is a great sin to kill their
own relatives and friends, but why should we do the same thing, when we can
avoid this transgression?”
Sholaka-39
kula-kṣhaye—in the destruction of a dynasty; praṇaśhyanti—are vanquished; kula-dharmāḥ—family traditions; sanātanāḥ—eternal; dharme—religion; naṣhṭe—is destroyed; kulam—family; kṛitsnam—the whole; adharmaḥ—irreligion; abhibhavati—overcome; uta—indeed
kula-kshaye
pranashyanti kula-dharmah sanatanah
dharme nashte kulam kritsnam adharmo ’bhibhavaty uta
When a
dynasty is destroyed, its traditions get vanquished, and the rest of the family
becomes involved in irreligion.
The elder members of the family bear
age-old traditions, customs, ideals and noble values of a community, which they
pass on to their next generations. These traditions help nurture moral values
in families and build religious propriety in a society. If the elders die
early, their valuable knowledge goes with them and in the absence of proper
guidance, the next generation sways away from the virtuous path. Therefore,
Arjun was of the opinion that the elders of a family should be spared.
Sholaka-40
Sholaka-41
With the
preponderance of vice, O Krishna, the women of the family become immoral; and
from the immorality of women, O descendent of Vrishni, unwanted progeny are
born.
Women
occupied a very high status in Vedic society. For families to be religious, and
societies to be moral, it is necessary that their women be virtuous.
According to the Manu Smṛiti: yatra nāryas tu pūjyante ramante tatra devatāḥ (3.56)
“Societies where women are worshiped, for they are chaste and virtuous, the
celestial gods are joyous.”
Arjun became concerned and started
comprehending, “What would happen to the society in the absence of guidance and
protection of elders? The women of the family may get misled.” Therefore, Arjun
said to Shree Krishna that if the women of the family turn towards immorality,
and commit adultery, they would bear illegitimate children. This would not only
destroy peace and happiness of the future generations but also deprive the
ancestors of their Vedic rites. Family traditions will be abandoned and the
welfare of society will be at stake.
Sholaka-42
An increase in unwanted children
results in hellish life both for the family and for those who destroy the
family. Deprived of sacrificial offerings, the ancestors of such corrupt
families also fall.
Sholaka-43
Through the evil deeds of those who
destroy the family tradition and thus give rise to unwanted progeny, a variety
of social and family welfare activities are ruined.
Sholaka-44
O Janardan (Krishna), I have heard
from the learned that those who destroy family traditions dwell in hell for an
indefinite period of time.
Sholaka-45
Alas! How strange it is that we have
set our mind to perform this great sin with horrifying consequences. Driven by
the desire for kingly pleasures, we are intent on killing our own kinsmen. It
would be better if, with weapons in hand, the sons of Dhritarashtra kill me
unarmed and unresisting on the battlefield.
Arjun was surprised; despite being
aware that this war would only bring misfortune to all, those who were in the
battlefield and the families they would leave behind; they were all hankering
to commit this sin. He started with the word “aho,” which means ‘alas’. He had enumerated all the
possible catastrophes that were imminent if this war took place, but he was
ignoring the very fact that if the wrongdoers were not punished, it would cause
greater damage to the society.
Often, we keep
blaming the circumstances or others but turn a blind eye towards our own
weaknesses. Arjun’s justification for not killing his greedy cousins and
relatives was driven by his own attachment and compassion towards them. Even
though he felt it was a sin to kill them, as they were his relatives, he did
not realize that his sentiments were actually materialistic and not
transcendental. Blinded by compassion, he had forgotten his dharma as a warrior; that he
was beyond this material body. His delusion had come to a point where he was
willing to drop his weapons and allow his enemy to kill him unarmed.
Sholaka-46
Sanjay said: Speaking thus, Arjun
cast aside his bow and arrows, and sank into the seat of his chariot, his mind
in distress and overwhelmed with grief.
Arjun’s reluctance to fight the war
had now reached its climax. He had now surrendered to his grief and slumped
into deep dejection. His condition was the creation of his own material
attachments and caused his dereliction of duty. This was a completely
unexpected behavior from someone who was considered the epitome of devotion and
self-surrender to God. In fact, before the battle, when both parties were
mobilizing their armies; given a choice between the entire armed Yadu army and
the unarmed Lord Shree Krishna; Arjun chose the Lord, as he had complete faith
in him.
At this
point let us consider who Arjun really was. He was definitely not a novice,
bereft of spiritual knowledge. His celestial father was Indra, the king of
heaven. Arjun had been to his abode and received several boons from him and
other celestial beings. In his past life, Arjun was Nar, part of the twin descensions
the Nar-Narayan;
where Nar was the
perfected soul situated in transcendental knowledge and Narayan the Supreme Lord.
Then why in the battlefield of Kurukshetra, a grand warrior of such stature was
dropping his weapons? What was the cause of his misery?
For the benefit of future
generations, Shree Krishna wanted to bring forth the knowledge of the Bhagavad
Gita. By intentionally confusing Arjun, the Lord had created this opportunity.
In this chapter, Arjun put forth to the Lord several arguments and
justifications why he should not fight this war, and in the subsequent chapters
Shree Krishna has elaborated upon why Arjun’s arguments were inappropriate, and
the way forward.
Sānkhya Yog
The Yog of Analytical Knowledge
In this chapter, Arjun reiterates to
Shree Krishna that he is unable to cope with his current situation, where he
has to kill his elders and teachers. He refuses to take part in such a battle
and requests Shree Krishna to be his spiritual teacher and guide him on the
proper path of action. Then the Supreme Lord starts imparting divine knowledge
to Arjun. He begins with the immortal-nature of the soul, which is eternal and
imperishable. Death only destroys the physical body, but the soul continues its
journey. Just as a person discards his old clothes and adorns new ones,
the soul keeps changing bodies from one lifetime to another.
The Lord then reminds Arjun that his
social responsibility as a warrior is to fight for upholding righteousness. He
explains that performing one’s social duty is a virtuous act that can take him
to the celestial abodes, while dereliction only leads to infamy and
humiliation.
At first,
Shree Krishna tries to motivate Arjun at a mundane level. Then he moves deeper
and starts explaining to Arjun the Science of Work. He asks Arjun to perform
his deeds without any attachment to their fruits. This science of working
without desire for rewards is called the yog of the intellect or buddhi-yog. He further
advises that the intellect should be used to control the desire for rewards
from work. By working with such intent, the bondage-creating karmas get
transformed into bondage-breaking karmas and a state beyond sorrows can be
attained.
Arjun is curious to know more about
those who are situated in divine consciousness. Shree Krishna, therefore,
describes how persons who have attained transcendence are free from attachment,
fear, and anger. They are undisturbed and equipoised in every situation. With
their senses subdued, they keep their minds always absorbed in God. He also
explains the progression of afflictions of the mind—such as greed, anger, lust,
etc. and advises how these can be overcome.
But one who controls the mind, and
is free from attachment and aversion, even while using the objects of the
senses, attains the Grace of God.
O Parth, such is the state of an
enlightened soul that having attained it, one is never again deluded. Being
established in this consciousness even at the hour of death, one is liberated
from the cycle of life and death and reaches the Supreme Abode of God is unable
to cope with his current situation, where he has to kill his elders and
teachers. He refuses to take part in such a battle and requests Shree Krishna
to be his spiritual teacher and guide him on the proper path of action. Then
the Supreme Lord starts imparting divine knowledge to Arjun. He begins with the
immortal-nature of the soul, which is eternal and imperishable. Death only
destroys the physical body, but the soul continues its journey. Just as a
person discards his old clothes and adorns new ones, the soul keeps changing
bodies from one lifetime to another.
The Lord then reminds Arjun that his
social responsibility as a warrior is to fight for upholding righteousness. He
explains that performing one’s social duty is a virtuous act that can take him
to the celestial abodes, while dereliction only leads to infamy and
humiliation.
At first,
Shree Krishna tries to motivate Arjun at a mundane level. Then he moves deeper
and starts explaining to Arjun the Science of Work. He asks Arjun to perform
his deeds without any attachment to their fruits. This science of working
without desire for rewards is called the yog of the intellect or buddhi-yog. He further
advises that the intellect should be used to control the desire for rewards
from work. By working with such intent, the bondage-creating karmas get
transformed into bondage-breaking karmas and a state beyond sorrows can be
attained.
Arjun is curious to know more about
those who are situated in divine consciousness. Shree Krishna, therefore,
describes how persons who have attained transcendence are free from attachment,
fear, and anger. They are undisturbed and equipoised in every situation. With
their senses subdued, they keep their minds always absorbed in God. He also
explains the progression of afflictions of the mind—such as greed, anger, lust,
etc. and advises how these can be overcome.
Sholaka-1
Sanjay said: Seeing Arjun
overwhelmed with pity, his mind grief-stricken, and his eyes full of tears,
Shree Krishna spoke the following words.
Sholaka-2
The Supreme Lord said: My dear
Arjun, how has this delusion overcome you in this hour of peril? It is not
befitting an honorable person. It leads not to the higher abodes, but to
disgrace.
Sholaka-3
O Parth, it does not befit you to
yield to this unmanliness. Give up such petty weakness of heart and arise, O
vanquisher of enemies.
Sholaka-4
Arjun said: O Madhusudan, how can I
shoot arrows in battle on men like Bheeshma and Dronacharya, who are worthy of
my worship, O destroyer of enemies?
Sholaka-5
It would be better to live in this
world by begging, than to enjoy life by killing these noble elders, who are my
teachers. If we kill them, the wealth and pleasures we enjoy will be tainted
with blood.
Sholaka-6
We do not even know which result of
this war is preferable for us—conquering them or being conquered by them. Even
after killing them we will not desire to live. Yet they have taken the side of
the sons of Dhritarasthra, and now stand before us on the battlefield.
Sholaka-7
I am confused about my duty, and am
besieged with anxiety and faintheartedness. I am Your disciple, and am
surrendered to You. Please instruct me for certain what is best for me.
Sholaka-8
I can find no means of driving away
this anguish that is drying up my senses. Even if I win a prosperous and
unrivalled kingdom on the earth, or gain sovereignty like the celestial gods, I
will be unable to dispel this grief.
Sholaka-9
Sanjay said: Having thus spoken,
Gudakesh, that chastiser of enemies, addressed Hrishikesh: “Govind, I shall not
fight,” and became silent.
Sholaka-10
O Dhritarashtra, thereafter, in the
midst of both the armies, Shree Krishna smilingly spoke the following words to
the grief-stricken Arjun.
Sholaka-11
The Supreme Lord said: While you
speak words of wisdom, you are mourning for that which is not worthy of grief.
The wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.
Sholaka-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.
Sholaka-13
Just as the embodied soul
continuously passes from childhood to youth to old age, similarly, at the time
of death, the soul passes into another body. The wise are not deluded by this.
Sholaka-14
O son of Kunti, the contact between
the senses and the sense objects gives rise to fleeting perceptions of
happiness and distress. These are non-permanent, and come and go like the
winter and summer seasons. O descendent of Bharat, one must learn to tolerate
them without being disturbed.
Sholaka-15
O Arjun, noblest amongst men, that
person who is not affected by happiness and distress, and remains steady in
both, becomes eligible for liberation.
Sholaka-16
Of the transient there is no
endurance, and of the eternal there is no cessation. This has verily been
observed and concluded by the seers of the Truth, after studying the nature of
both.
Sholaka-17
That which pervades the entire body,
know it to be indestructible. No one can cause the destruction of the
imperishable soul.
Sholaka-18
Only the material body is
perishable; the embodied soul within is indestructible, immeasurable, and
eternal. Therefore, fight, O descendent of Bharat.
Sholaka-19
Neither of them is in knowledge—the
one who thinks the soul can slay and the one who thinks the soul can be slain.
For truly, the soul neither kills nor can it be killed.
Sholaka-20
The soul is neither born, nor does
it ever die; nor having once existed, does it ever cease to be. The soul is
without birth, eternal, immortal, and ageless. It is not destroyed when the
body is destroyed.
Sholaka-21
O Parth, how can one who knows the
soul to be imperishable, eternal, unborn, and immutable kill anyone or cause
anyone to kill?
Sholaka-22
As a person sheds worn-out garments
and wears new ones, likewise, at the time of death, the soul casts off its
worn-out body and enters a new one.
Sholaka-23
Weapons cannot shred the soul, nor
can fire burn it. Water cannot wet it, nor can the wind dry it.
Sholaka-24
The soul is unbreakable and
incombustible; it can neither be dampened nor dried. It is everlasting, in all
places, unalterable, immutable, and primordial.
Sholaka-25
The soul is spoken of as invisible,
inconceivable, and unchangeable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the
body.
Sholaka-26
If, however, you think that the self
is subject to constant birth and death, O mighty-armed Arjun, even then you
should not grieve like this.
Sholaka-27
Death is certain for one who has
been born, and rebirth is inevitable for one who has died. Therefore, you
should not lament over the inevitable.
Sholaka-28
O scion of Bharat, all created
beings are unmanifest before birth, manifest in life, and again unmanifest on
death. So why grieve?
Sholaka-29
Some see the soul as amazing, some
describe it as amazing, and some hear of the soul as amazing, while others,
even on hearing, cannot understand it at all.
Sholaka-30
O Arjun, the soul that dwells within
the body is immortal; therefore, you should not mourn for anyone.
Sholaka-31
Besides, considering your duty as a
warrior, you should not waver. Indeed, for a warrior, there is no better
engagement than fighting for upholding of righteousness.
Sholaka-32
O Parth, happy are the warriors to
whom such opportunities to defend righteousness come unsought, opening for them
the stairway to the celestial abodes.
Sholaka-33
If, however, you refuse to fight
this righteous war, abandoning your social duty and reputation, you will
certainly incur sin.
Sholaka-34
People will speak of you as a coward
and a deserter. For a respectable person, infamy is worse than death.
Sholaka-35
The great generals who hold you in
high esteem will think that you fled from the battlefield out of fear, and thus
will lose their respect for you.
Sholaka-36
Your enemies will defame and
humiliate you with unkind words, disparaging your might. Alas, what could be
more painful than that?
Sholaka-37
If you fight, you will either be
slain on the battlefield and go to the celestial abodes, or you will gain
victory and enjoy the kingdom on earth. Therefore arise with determination, O
son of Kunti, and be prepared to fight.
Sholaka-38
Fight for the sake of duty, treating
alike happiness and distress, loss and gain, victory and defeat. Fulfilling
your responsibility in this way, you will never incur sin.
Sholaka-39
Hitherto, I have explained to you
Sānkhya Yog, or analytic knowledge regarding the nature of the soul. Now
listen, O Parth, as I reveal Buddhi Yog, or the Yog of Intellect. When you work
with such understanding, you will be freed from the bondage of karma.
Sholaka-40
Working in this state of
consciousness, there is no loss or adverse result, and even a little effort
saves one from great danger.
Sholaka-41
O descendent of the Kurus, the
intellect of those who are on this path is resolute, and their aim is
one-pointed. But the intellect of those who are irresolute is many-branched.
Sholaka-42
Sholaka-43
Those with limited understanding,
get attracted to the flowery words of the Vedas, which advocate ostentatious
rituals for elevation to the celestial abodes, and presume no higher principle
is described in them. They glorify only those portions of the Vedas that please
their senses, and perform pompous ritualistic ceremonies for attaining high
birth, opulence, sensual enjoyment, and elevation to the heavenly planets.
Sholaka-44
With their minds deeply attached to
worldly pleasures and their intellects bewildered by such things, they are
unable to possess the resolute determination for success on the path to God.
Sholaka-45
The Vedas deal with the three modes
of material nature, O Arjun. Rise above the three modes to a state of pure
spiritual consciousness. Freeing yourself from dualities, eternally fixed in
Truth, and without concern for material gain and safety, be situated in the
self.
Sholaka-46
Whatever purpose is served by a
small well of water is naturally served in all respects by a large lake.
Similarly, one who realizes the Absolute Truth also fulfills the purpose of all
the Vedas.
Sholaka-47
You have a right to perform your
prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions.
Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, nor
be attached to inaction.
Sholaka-48
Be steadfast in the performance of
your duty, O Arjun, abandoning attachment to success and failure. Such
equanimity is called Yog.
Sholaka-49
Seek refuge in divine knowledge and
insight, O Arjun, and discard reward-seeking actions that are certainly
inferior to works performed with the intellect established in divine knowledge.
Miserly are those who seek to enjoy the fruits of their works.
Sholaka-50
One who prudently practices the
science of work without attachment can get rid of both good and bad reactions
in this life itself. Therefore, strive for Yog, which is the art of working
skillfully (in proper consciousness).
Sholaka-51
The wise endowed with equanimity of
intellect, abandon attachment to the fruits of actions, which bind one to the
cycle of life and death. By working in such consciousness, they attain the
state beyond all suffering.
Sholaka-52
When your intellect crosses the
quagmire of delusion, you will then acquire indifference to what has been heard
and what is yet to be heard (about enjoyments in this world and the next).
Sholaka-51
When your intellect ceases to be
allured by the fruitive sections of the Vedas and remains steadfast in divine
consciousness, you will then attain the state of perfect Yog.
Sholaka-52
Arjun said : O Keshav, what is the
disposition of one who is situated in divine consciousness? How does an
enlightened person talk? How does he sit? How does he walk?
Sholaka-53
The Supreme Lord said: O Parth, when
one discards all selfish desires and cravings of the senses that torment the
mind, and becomes satisfied in the realization of the self, such a person is
said to be transcendentally situated.
Sholaka-56
One whose mind remains undisturbed
amidst misery, who does not crave for pleasure, and who is free from
attachment, fear, and anger, is called a sage of steady wisdom.
Sholaka-57
One who remains unattached under all
conditions, and is neither delighted by good fortune nor dejected by
tribulation, he is a sage with perfect knowledge.
Sholaka-58
One who is able to withdraw the
senses from their objects, just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into its
shell, is established in divine wisdom.
Sholaka-59
Aspirants may restrain the senses
from their objects of enjoyment, but the taste for the sense objects remains.
However, even this taste ceases for those who realizes the Supreme.
Sholaka-60
Sholaka-61
Sholaka-62
Sholaka-63
Sholaka-64
Sholaka-65
Sholaka-66
Sholaka-67
Sholaka-68
Sholaka-69
Sholaka-70
Sholaka-71
Sholaka-72
The senses are so strong and
turbulent, O son of Kunti, that they can forcibly carry away the mind even of a
person endowed with discrimination who practices self-control.
They are established in perfect
knowledge, who subdue their senses and keep their minds ever absorbed in Me.
While contemplating on the objects
of the senses, one develops attachment to them. Attachment leads to desire, and
from desire arises anger.
Anger leads to clouding of judgment,
which results in bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, the
intellect gets destroyed; and when the intellect is destroyed, one is ruined.
But one who controls the mind, and
is free from attachment and aversion, even while using the objects of the
senses, attains the Grace of God.
By divine grace comes the peace in
which all sorrows end, and the intellect of such a person of tranquil mind soon
becomes firmly established in God.
But an undisciplined person, who has
not controlled the mind and senses, can neither have a resolute intellect nor
steady contemplation on God. For one who never unites the mind with God there
is no peace; and how can one who lacks peace be happy?
Just as a strong wind sweeps a boat
off its chartered course on the water, even one of the senses on which the mind
focuses can lead the intellect astray.
Therefore, one who has restrained
the senses from their objects, O mighty armed Arjun, is firmly established in
transcendental knowledge.
What all beings consider as day is
the night of ignorance for the wise, and what all creatures see as night is the
day for the introspective sage.
Just as the ocean remains
undisturbed by the incessant flow of waters from rivers merging into it,
likewise the sage who is unmoved despite the flow of desirable objects all
around him attains peace, and not the person who strives to satisfy desires.
That person, who gives up all
material desires and lives free from a sense of greed, proprietorship, and
egoism, attains perfect peace.
O Parth, such is the state of an
enlightened soul that having attained it, one is never again deluded. Being
established in this consciousness even at the hour of death, one is liberated
from the cycle of life and death and reaches the Supreme Abode of God.
