Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā

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Gītā Bhāṣya of Bhagavad Rāmānujācārya

Edited by U.Ve. Sri Rama Rāmānuja Achari

Śrīmate Rāmānujāya Namaḥ

Contents

Forword

A Note on the Translation

1. Arjuna-viśāda Yogaḥ — Arjuna’s Grief

2. Sāṅkhya Yogaḥ — Communion through Knowledge

3. Karma Yogaḥ — Communion through Action

4. Jñāna Vibhāgha Yogaḥ — Communion through Wisdom

5. Karma Sanyāsa Yogaḥ Communion through Renunciation

6. Dhyāna Yogaḥ — Communion through Meditation

7. Adhyātma Yogaḥ — Communion through Knowledge & Realisation

8. Tāraka Brahma Yogaḥ — The Way to the Immutable Brahman

9. Rāja-vidyā Rāja-guhya Yogaḥ — The Regal Science & the Royal Secret

10. Vibhūti Yogaḥ — Manifestation of Divine Glories

11. Viśvarūpa Darśana Yogaḥ — The Vision of the Cosmic Form

12. Bhakti Yogaḥ — Communion Through Devotion

13. Prakṛti-puruṣa-viveka Yogaḥ — Differentiation between Spirit & Matter

14. Guṇa-traya-vibhāga Yogaḥ — The Threefold Division of the Modes of Material Nature

15. Puruṣottama Yogaḥ — The Mystery of the Omnipresent Supreme Being

16. Daivāsura Sampad Vibhāga Yogaḥ — The Division between the Divine & Non-Divine.

17. Śraddhā-traya-vibhāga-yogaḥ — The Three Classifications of Conviction

18. Mokṣa-sannyāsa-yogaḥ — Liberation Through Renunciation

APPENDIX # 1 Esoteric Interpretation of the Names mentioned in the First Chapter

APPENDIX # 2 Rāmānuja’s Polemics

Index to the first lines (Sanskrit)

Foreword

Many available in the bookstores and libraries throughout the world? The answer is that hy another translation and commentary on the Bhagavad Gita when there are already so of the three Vedānta Åcaryas only Śankara’s commentary supporting his Advaita (Non-dual) philosophy has been well propounded and perpetuated through the centuries, whereas Rāmānuja’s commentary from the point of view of Visishtadvaita (Qualified non-dualism) has been largely ignored or available only to the Tamil speaking public or to Sanskrit scholars. As far as I am aware there are only two English versions in print. One by M.R. Sampatkumaran, published by Ananthacharya Indological Research Institute in January 1985. The other is by Swami Adidevananda published by the Ramakrishna Math.

These two works are of impeccable scholarship being based on a phrase for phrase translation of the medieval Sanskrit. Unfortunately this approach results in an English text that is stilted, repetitious and incomprehensible to many people. My approach has been to be as true as possible to the original meaning but to be more creative in it’s formulation into contemporary English. I have relied heavily on these two scholarly works in making this work available to the lovers of the Gita. How well I have succeeded is for the discerning reader to judge.

Abbreviations Used

Sve. Up. — Śvetaśvatāra Upaṇiṣad

Mun. Up. — Muṇḍaka Upaṇiṣad

Chan. Up. — Chāṇḍogya Upaṇiṣad

Ka. Up. — Kaṭha Upaṇiṣad

Brh. Up. — Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaṇiṣad

B.S. — Brahma Sutras

V.P. — Viṣṇu Purāṇa

A Note on the Translation

It must be born in mind that Rāmānuja did not actually “translate” the Gita but paraphrased it in simpler Sanskrit. Much of the actual Commentary (Bhashya) is repetitive paraphrasing which I have left out whenever it does not elucidate the meaning of the verse. I have also taken the liberty of giving exhaustive footnotes to clarify points which many less scholarly readers would find difficult to understand. Apart from the archaic language, the other problem with Rāmānuja’s Bhashya is that he frequently launches into technically detailed refutations of the Advaitic position of Shankara Acharya. These arguments are coached in the technical terms and classical style of Vedic logic and debate, and while interesting, they tend to be daunting, confusing and tedious to those unschooled in logic and the art of debate (nyāya and tarka). In order to render the text more "user-friendly" I have taken the liberty of extracting these debates and assembling them in an appendix at the end of the work so that those who are interested may study them and others may continue enjoying the text itself. Throughout the Gita Rāmānuja quotes extensively and exhaustively from the Upanishads, Vedas and Puranas to support his particular interpretation of knotty points. I have again taken the liberty of substituting many of the actual quotes with their references in order to make the commentary less bulky.

There is quite a difference between “translating” and “interpreting”. Each and every Sanskrit word can be substituted by up to 10 different words in English — the word that we choose involves a certain amount of “interpreting” — which means that the translator can always be accused of bias and “spin” in his work. I humbly request the scholars to forgive any errors that I have made, and liberties that I may have taken in interpreting Bhagavad Rāmānuja’s work, and accept this presentation as an introduction to the study of Rāmānuja’s Bhashya. I encourage all those readers who are captivated by this imperfect treatise to approach a learned scholar and to study the Gita under him in order to rectify all the mistakes that I have made.

An important point to bear in mind is that Vedanta is an experiential methodology of investigating the highest truth. Every teaching needs to be applied in our own lives and to be integrated in order to personally experience it's veracity. Nothing of what Krishna says needs to be accepted simply because He is the speaker, rather it is accepted because it is an personally experiential Truth.

Rāmānuja has also summed up that according to Mīmāmsa (Vedic hermeneutics) in order for any Scriptural Text to be considered as authoritative it must fulfil certain conditions;

• It must conform to reality as we experience it.

• It must be logical and not contradict any of the other two other means of knowledge such as perception and inference.

• The content of the text must be internally consistent.

• The knowledge presented in the text must have a practical application.

And it is this practical application which is the true test of the Truth of Scripture.

Chapter 1 t

Arjuna-viśāda Yogaḥ

Arjuna’s Grief

Introduction

yat padāmbhoruha dhyāna vidhvasta śeṣa kalmaṣaḥ |

vastutām upayāto'ham yāmuneyam namāmi tam ||

I bow to the renowned Yamunacharya; by meditating upon whose lotus-like feet all my mental obstacles without exception were absolved, and I was thus led to enlightenment.

The Nature of The Supreme Being

Nārāyaṇa is the Consort of Sri, He is absolutely auspicious and is the antithesis of all that is evil. His essential nature consists of Being (sat), Consciousness (cit) and Bliss (ānanda) and these characteristics distinguish Him from all other beings. He is veritably a great ocean of innumerable auspicious attributes which are intrinsic to His nature and cannot be surpassed — some of them being; omniscience, omnipotence, sovereignty, energy, creativepotency and glory.

Nārāyaṇa has a divine form, which is both pleasing and appropriate. His form is inconceivable, indescribable , divine, eternal and immaculate. He is a repository of limitless perfections such as radiance, beauty, fragrance, tenderness, pervading sweetness and youthfulness. The Lord is adorned with suitable divine ornaments which are diverse, infinite, amazing, eternal, flawless, unlimited and holy.

Śrīman Nārāyaṇa possesses appropriate divine weapons. They are countless, of fantastic potency, eternal, impeccable and matchlessly auspicious. He is the Beloved of Śrī, whose eternal and immaculate nature, attributes, glory, sovereignty and virtues, unsurpassed and countless, are all agreeable and worthy of Him.

The feet of the Lord are constantly adored by countless numbers of perfected beings (Suris) whose nature, existence and activities are in accordance with His will and whose numerous qualities such as knowledge, action and glory are eternal, impeccable and unsurpassed. All of these beings work joyously in complete subservience to Śrīman Nārāyaṇa.

The nature and qualities of Śrīman Nārāyaṇa transcend all thought and words. He dwells in the divine and imperishable supreme Realm which abounds in manifold, wondrous and countless objects, means and places of enjoyment. It is an abode in consonance with His being and is infinite in its wondrous glory and magnitude. The projection, maintenance and dissolution of the entire cosmos filled with multifarious, variegated and innumerable objects is His transcendental pastime.

The Nature of the Incarnation

(the creator) down to plants and minerals. Being inaccessible in His transcendental form for 2 he Supreme Being, Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, projected the entire universe, beginning with Brahma meditation and worship by sentient beings including Brahma, gods, humans etc., and being an ocean of compassion and loving condescension, maternal affection and generosity — He took forms in the likeness of various kinds of beings. In this act of self-embodiment His own transcendental nature was not in any way compromised. Thus the Supreme Lord took birth in the world in order to receive the worship of devotees and in order to grant them their desired goals comprising of Dharma (righteousness, duty), Artha (material prosperity), Kama (Sense gratification) and Moksha (Liberation), each in accordance with his/her individual desires.

Under the pretext of relieving the earth of its burdens, but really in order to make Himself available for us (frail humans) to take refuge in Him, the Lord incarnated on the earth as Sri Krishna. He thus manifested Himself to all beings. He engaged in divine pastimes which captivated the minds and hearts of all, high and low. He vanquished demoniac beings such as Pūtana, Śakaṭa, the two Arjuna trees, Ariṣṭa, Prālambha, Dhenuka, Kaliya, Keśin, Kuvalaya-pīḍa, Cānura, Muṣṭika, Tośala and Kaṁsa. He spread joy and beatitude over the entire world with the nectar of His glances and speech, demonstrating His boundless compassion, friendliness and love for all.

He made Akrūra, Mālākāra and others the most ardent of devotees by the manifestation of His unsurpassed qualities of beauty and loving compassion.

With the ostensible intention of encouraging the sons of Pāṇḍu in their duty of engaging in war, He revealed the teaching of Bhakti (devotion) directed at Himself. This Yoga of Devotion was promulgated together with the subsidiary disciplines of jñāna (Meditation) and Karma (Selfless works). The Yoga of Devotion has been taught as the path to the ultimate goal of Liberation.

When the internecine war between the sons of Pāṇḍu and the descendants of Kuru broke out, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Being, the God of all gods, overwhelmed by His love for those devotees who had taken refuge in Him, took upon Himself the humble role of the charioteer of Arjuna, so that He could be seen by all the people. Even though the King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who was blind both physically and spiritually, knew that Kṛṣṇa was the Supreme Being, he expressed a desire to hear about the military competence of his son Suyodhana (Duryodhana) and questioned Sañjaya his chief minister thus: —

Dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca

dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ |

māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kim akurvata sañjaya || 1 ||

Dhrtarashtra said:

1. What did my people and the Pandavas do, O Sanjaya3, gathered together on the holy field of Kurukshetra, eager for battle?

Sañjaya uvāca

2 The term used is vāsalya which means the love of a cow for its calf. The image invoked is that of a cow spontaneously shedding milk on hearing the mooing of its calf.

3 Sañjaya was the son of a charioteer named Gavalgama, he was an extremely learned scholar in the Scriptures, generous and a staunch practitioner of Dharma being impartial and truthful. For these reasons Bhishma appointed him to be the second minister of the King Dhrtarashtra along with Vidura as the first.

dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ vyūḍhaṁ duryodhanas tadā | ācāryam upasaṅgamya rājā vacanam abravīt || 2 ||

Sanjaya said:

2. O King! Duryodhana , being moved by the sight of the Pandava army in battle array, approached his teacher Drona and said these words:

paśyaitām pāṇḍu-putrāṇām ācārya mahatīṁ camūm | vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā || 3 ||

Duryodhana said

3. Behold, O master, this mighty army of the Pandavas, commanded by their Field-Marshal the son of Drupada , who is your intelligent disciple.

atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjuna samā yudhi | yuyodhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ || 4 ||

4. There (in that army) are heroes, great archers like Bhima and Arjuna; Yuyudhana , Virata and Drupada a mighty warrior .

dhṛṣṭaketuś-cekitānaḥ kāśi-rājaśca vīryavān | purujit-kunti-bhojaśca śaibyaśca nara-puṅgavaḥ || 5 ||

5. Dhrshtaketu, Cekitana , and the valiant king of Kashi , Purujit and Kuntibhoja , and Saibya the best among men;

yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān | saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ || 6 ||

6. Yudhamanyu the valiant, and Uttamaujas the strong14; and also the son of Subhadra15, and the sons of Draupadi16, all mighty chariot-warriors.

asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye tān-nibodha dvijottama | nāyakāḥ mama sainyasya saṁjñārthaṁ tān bravīmi te || 7 ||

7. O best of Brahmins, I shall familiarise you with our principle warriors - those who are the commanders of my army. I shall name them to refresh your memory.

bhavān bhīṣmaśca karṇaśca kṛpaśca samitiñjayaḥ | aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca saumadattas tathaiva ca || 8 ||

8. Yourself, Bhishma and Karna , the victorious Krpa , Ashvatthama , Vikarna and Jayadratha the son of Somadatta .

anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madārthe tyakta-jīvitāḥ | nānā-śāstra praharaṇāḥ sarve yuddha-viśāradāḥ || 9 ||

9. And there are many other heroes who are determined to give up their lives for my sake. They are all experts in weaponry and experienced in the art of warfare.

aparyāptaṁ tad asmakaṁ balaṁ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam | paryāptaṁ tvidam eteṣāṁ balaṁ bhīmābhirakṣitam || 10 ||

10. Inadequate is this force of ours, which is marshelled by Bhishma, while adequate is that force of theirs, which is marshelled by Bhima.

ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathā-bhāgam avasthitāḥ | bhīṣmam evābhi-rakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi || 11 ||

11. Therefore, do all of you guard Bhishma alone, stationed in your respective positions in the divisions of the army.

tasya sañjanayan harṣaṁ kuru-vṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ | siṁhanādaṁ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṁ dadhmau pratāpavān || 12 ||

(Sanjaya continued)

12. Then the valiant grandsire Bhishma, senior most of the Kuru clan, roaring like a lion, blew his conch with a view to encourage Duryodhana.

tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānaka-gomukhāḥ | sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdas-tumulo’bhavat || 13 ||

13. Then suddenly conches and kettle drums, trumpets, tabors and horns blared forth; and the sound was terrific. tataḥ śvetair-hayair-yukte mahati syandane sthitau | mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ || 14 ||

14. Then Sri Krishna and Arjuna, stationed in their great chariot yoked with white horses, blew their divine conches. pāñcajanyaṁ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṁ dhanañjayaḥ |

pauṇḍraṁ dadhmau mahā-śaṅkhaṁ bhīma-karmā vṛkodaraḥ || 15 ||

15. Sri Krishna blew his conch, Pañcajanya, Arjuna his, named Devadatta and Bhima of terrible deeds the great conch Paundra.

ananta-vijayaṁ rājā kuntī-putro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | nakulaḥ sahadevaśca sughoṣa maṇi-puṣpakau || 16 ||

16. King Yudhishtira the son of Kunti blew his conch Ananta-vijaya and Nakula and Sahadeva blew their conches Sughosha and Mani-pushpaka.

kāśyaśca parameṣ-vasaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ | dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiś-cāparājitaḥ || 17 ||

17. And the King of Kashi the supreme archer, Shikhandi the mighty warrior, Dhrshtadyumna and Virata; and Satyaki the invincible;

drupado draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivī-pate |

saubhadraśca mahā-bāhuḥ śaṅkhān dadhmuḥ pṛthak pṛthak || 18 ||

18. Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, and the strong-armed son of Subhadra — all, O King, blew their various conches again and again

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ hṛdayāni vyadārayat | nabhaśca pṛthivīṁ caiva tumulo’bhyanunādayan || 19 ||

19. And that tumultuous uproar, resounding through heaven and earth, rent the hearts of Dhrtarashtra’s sons.

Commentary

Duryodhana, after personally reviewing the forces of Pandavas marshalled by Bhima, and his own army marshalled by Bhishma, turned to Drona his teacher, and expressed his concern that his own army would be inadequate to conquer the Pandava forces — he was grief-stricken.

Observing Duryodhana's loss of confidence, Bhishma, in order to encourage him, roared like a lion, and then blowing his conch, made his army sound their conches and kettledrums, which made an uproar as a sign of their confidence of victory.

atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā dhārtarāsṭrān kapi-dhvajaḥ | pravṛtte śastra-sampāte dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ || 20 || hṛṣīkeśaṁ tadā vākyam idam āha mahī-pate |

20. Then Arjuna, who had Hanuman as his banner crest, on beholding the sons of Dhrtarashtra in array, took up his bow, as the (preliminary) clashing of weapons began;

21. And he spoke, O King, these words to Sri Krishna …....

arjuna uvāca senayor-ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me’cyuta || 21 || yāvad etān nirīkṣe’haṁ yoddhu-kāmān avasthitān | kair-mayā saha yoddhavyam asmin raṇa-samudyame || 22 ||

Arjuna said:

…….. Station my chariot, O Krishna, between the two armies,

22. So that I may have a good look at those who are standing eager to fight and know with whom I have to fight in this enterprise of war;

yotsyamānān avekṣehaṁ ya ete’tra samāgatāḥ | dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddher yuddhe priya cikīrṣavaḥ || 23 ||

23. I wish to see those gathered here ready to fight in this battle in order to please the evil-minded [Duryodhana] son of Dhrtarashtra.

sañjaya uvāca evam ukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata |

senayor-ubhayor madhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam || 24 || Sanjaya said:

24. O Dhrtarashtra, thus addressed by Arjuna, Sri Krishna stationed that best of chariots between the two armies, bhiṣma droṇa pramukhataḥ sarveṣāṁ ca mahīkṣitām | uvāca pārtha paśyaitān samavetān kurūn iti || 25 ||

25. While Bhishma and Drona and all the other kings looked on, and said, 'O Arjuna, behold these assembled Kauravas.'

tatrāpaśyat sthitān pārthaḥ pitṛn atha pita-mahān | ācāryān mātulān bhrātṛn putrān pautrān sakhīṁs tathā || 26 ||

26. Then Arjuna saw standing there, fathers and grand-fathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and comrades;

śvaśurān suhṛdaścaiva senayor-ubhayor api |

tān samīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvān bandhūn avasthitān || 27 || kṛpayā parayā’viṣṭho viṣīdann idam abravīt |

27. fathers-in-law and dear friends in both armies. When Arjuna saw all these kinsmen in array, 28. he was filled with deep compassion and said these words in despair...

arjuna uvāca dṛṣṭvemaṁ svajanaṁ kṛṣṇa yuyutsaṁ samupasthitam || 28 || sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṁ ca pariśuṣyati | vepathuśca śarīre me roma harṣaśca jāyate || 29 || Arjuna said:

O Krishna, seeing my kinsmen present here, eager for battle,

29. my limbs go weak, my mouth dries up, my body trembles and my hair stands on end.

gāṇḍīvaṁ sramsate hastāt tvak caiva pari-dahyate | na ca śaknomy-avasthātuṁ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ || 30 ||

30. The bow Gandiva slips from my hand and my skin is burning, I can stand no longer, my mind seems to reel. nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava | na ca śreyo’nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanam āhave || 31 ||

31. I see inauspicious omens, O Krishna, I foresee no good in killing my own kinsmen in battle.

na kāṅkṣe vijayaṁ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṁ sukhāni ca | kiṁ no rājyena govinda kiṁ bhogair jīvitena vā || 32 ||

32. I desire not victory, nor empire, nor pleasures. Of what use to us is an empire, O Krishna, or enjoyment or even life itself?

yeṣām arthe kāṅkṣitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca | ta ime’ vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁs tyaktvā dhanāni ca || 33 ||

33. Those for whose sake we desire the empire, enjoyment and pleasures, stand here ready for war, preparing to renounce life and wealth —

ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāṁs tathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ | mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinas tathā || 34 ||

34. Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers, uncles, fathers-in-law and grandsons, brothers-inlaw and other kinsmen —

etān na hantum icchāmi ghnato’pi madhusūdana | api trailokya rājyasya hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahīkṛte || 35 ||

35. These I would not slay, though they might slay me, even for the sovereignty of the three worlds -how much less for this earth O Krishna?

nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrān naḥ kiṁ prītiḥ syāj-janārdana | pāpam evāśrayed asmān hatvaitān ātatāyinaḥ || 36 ||

36. If we kill the sons of Dhrtarashtra, what joy will be ours, O Krishna? Blame alone will accrue to us if we kill these murderous felons .

tasmān nārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ dhārtarāṣṭrān svabandhavān | svajanaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava || 37 ||

37. Therefore, it is not befitting that we slay our kinsmen the sons of Dhrtarashtra. For if we kill our kinsmen, O Krishna , how indeed can we rejoice?

yady-apyete na paśyanti lobhopahata cetasaḥ | kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣaṁ mitra-drohe ca pātakam || 38 ||

38. Though these people, whose minds are overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of a clan and no blame in treachery to friends,

kathaṁ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ pāpād asmān nivartitum | kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣaṁ prapaśyadbhir janārdana || 39 ||

39. should we who see well the evil of destroying a family not know how to recoil from this crime, O Krishna? kula-kṣaye praṇaśyanti kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ | dharme naṣṭe kulaṁ kṛtsnam adharmo’bhibhavaty-uta || 40 ||

40. If the family is destroyed, its ancient traditions perish, and when traditions perish, unrighteousness overtakes the whole clan.

adharmābhi-bhavāt kṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kula-striyaḥ | strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇa-saṅkaraḥ || 41 ||

41. When unrighteousness prevails, O Krishna the women of the clan become corrupt; when women become corrupt, there arises intermixture of classes.

saṅkaro narakāyaiva kula-ghnānāṁ kulasya ca | patanti pitaro hyeṣāṁ lupta-piṇḍodaka-kriyāḥ || 42 ||

42. This mixing of classes leads the clan to hell along with its destroyers; for the spirits of their ancestors fall, degraded, deprived of the ritual offerings of rice-balls and water .

doṣair etaiḥ kula-ghnānāṁ varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ | utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāśca śāśvatāḥ || 43 ||

43. By the crimes of the clan-destroyers who bring about intermingling of classes, the ancient traditions of the clan and class are destroyed.

utsanna-kula-dharmāṇāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ janārdana | narake’niyataṁ vāso bhavatīty-anuśuśruma || 44 ||

44. For those whose family virtues are destroyed, dwelling in hell is ordained, O Krishna, thus have we heard. aho bata mahat pāpaṁ kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam | yad rājya sukha lobhena hantuṁ sva-janam udyatāḥ || 45 ||

45. Alas! we have resolved to commit a great crime in that we are ready to slay our kith and kin out of desire for sovereignty and enjoyments.

yadi mām apratīkāram aśastraṁ śastra-pāṇayaḥ |

dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyus tan-me kṣemataraṁ bhavet || 46 ||

46. If the well-armed sons of Dhrtarashtra should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me. evam uktvā’rjunaḥ saṅkhye rathopastha upāviśat | visṛjya saśaraṁ cāpaṁ śoka saṁvigna mānasaḥ || 47 || Sanjaya said:

47. Having spoken thus on the battle-field, Arjuna threw aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the seat of the chariot, his heart overwhelmed with grief.

Commentary

Sanjaya said to Dhrtarashtra:— “The high-minded Arjuna is extremely kind, deeply compassionate, dedicated to his family and supremely righteous. In spite of the repeated attempts of your people to destroy him and his brothers through cruel and murderous plots like burning in the lac-house etc., (MB. 1.154 - 163) which justified revenge on his part, with the help of the Supreme Being, nevertheless he declined to fight.”

He felt weak, overcome by his love and extreme compassion for his relatives. He was also filled with fear, not knowing what was Dharma (righteous) and what was Adharma (unrighteous). His mind was distracted by grief at the thought of losing his relatives. So he cast aside his bow and arrow and sat down on the floor of the chariot as if to fast to the death.

hariḥ oṁ tatsat

iti śrīmad-bhagavad-gītāsupaniṣatsu brahma-vidyāyāṁ yoga śāstre

śrī-kṛṣṇārjuna saṁvāde arjuna viśāda yogo nama prathamo’dhyāyaḥ

Thus in the Upanishad of the Glorious Bhagavad Gita

The science of the Eternal, the Scripture of Yoga

The dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna ends the first discourse entitled -

"Arjuna’s Grief.”

Chapter 2 t

Saṅkhya Yogaḥ

Communion through Knowledge

sañjaya uvāca taṁ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭaṁ aśā-pūrṇā-kulekṣaṇam | viṣīdantam idaṁ vākyam uvāca madhusūdanaḥ || 1 || Sanjaya said:

1. To him, who was thus overcome with pity, whose eyes were filled with tears, who was despondent and bewildered, Sri Krishna spoke these words:

śrī bhagavān uvāca

kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ viṣame samupasthitam | anāryājuṣṭam asvargyam akīrtikaram arjuna || 2 ||

The Blessed Lord said:

2. Whence comes this unworthy weakness in a crisis, O Arjuna? It is unseemly for a noble person, it is disgraceful and obstructive to the attainment of heaven.

klaibyaṁ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitat-tvayyupapadyate | kṣudraṁ hṛdaya daurbalyaṁ tyaktvottiṣṭha paraṅtapa || 3 ||

3. Yield not to unmanliness , O Arjuna, it does not become you. Cast off this base faint-heartedness and arise, O scorcher of foes!

arjuna uvāca

kathaṁ bhīṣmam ahaṁ saṅkhye droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana | iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāv-arisūdana || 4 || Arjuna said:

4. O Krishna, O Destroyer of enemies, how can I fight with arrows in battle against Bhishma and Drona who are worthy of reverence?

gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān śreyo bhoktuṁ bhaikṣyam apīha loke | hatvārtha kāmāṁs tu gurūn ihaiva bhuñjīya bhogān rudhira-pradigdhān || 5 ||

5. It is better even to live on a beggar's fare in this world than to slay these most venerable teachers. If I should slay my teachers, even though they may be degraded by desire for wealth, I would be enjoying only blood-stained pleasures.

na caitad vidmaḥ kataran no garīyo yadvā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ | yān eva hatvā na jijīviṣāmas te’vasthitāḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭhrāḥ || 6 ||

6. We do not know, which of the two is better for us— our vanquishing them, the very sons of Dhrtarashtra, or their vanquishing us. After slaying them we would not wish to live, even though they are standing in array against us.

kārpaṇya doṣopahata svabhāvaḥ pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma samūḍha cetasaḥ | yacchreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me śiṣyas te śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam || 7 ||

7. With my heart stricken by the weakness of pity, with my mind perplexed about my duty, I request you to teach me conclusively what is good for me. I am your disciple. Instruct me who have taken refuge in you.

na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād yacchokam ucchoṣaṇam indriyāṇām | avāpya bhūmāv-asapatnam-ṛddham rājyaṁ suraṇām api cādhipatyam || 8 ||

8. Even if I should win unchallenged sovereignty of a prosperous earth or even the kingdom or lordship over the Devas, I do not feel that it would dispel the grief that burns up my senses.

sañjaya uvāca

evam uktvā hṛṣīkeśaṁ guḍakeśaḥ paraṅtapa | na yotsya iti govindam uktvā tūṣṇīṁ babhūva ha || 9 || Sanjaya said;

9. Having spoken thus to Sri Krishna, Arjuna, the conqueror of sleep and the scorcher of foes, said, 'I will not fight' and became silent.

Commentary

Thus, the Lord, the Supreme Being, introduces the teaching regarding the Self for the sake of Arjuna whose natural courage was lost due to love and misplaced compassion. Arjuna considered the war to be unrighteous even though it is the greatest duty for warriors (Kṣatriyas). He then took refuge in Sri Krishna to learn what the correct course of action was. Sri Krishna understood that Arjuna's delusion would only be overcome by the knowledge of the real nature of the Self, and the knowledge that war (action) is an ordained duty [for Kshatriyas] which, when performed without attachment to the fruits thereof is a means for Self-realisation.

tam uvāca hṛṣikeśaḥ prasanniva bhārata |

senayor ubhayor madhye viṣīdantaṁ idaṁ vacaḥ || 10 ||

10. O King, to him who was thus grieving between the two armies, Sri Krishna spoke the following words, as if smiling.

Commentary

‘as if smiling,’ [by way of ridicule] — Arjuna was speaking about duty (dharma) which was based on the awareness of the concept of the Self being distinct from the body, but he was torn between contradictory ideas and had suddenly renounced action while standing between the two armies preparing for battle. Sri Krishna spoke to Arjuna ‘as if in jest’, the discourse beginning with; — "There never was a time when I did not exist" (2:12), and ending with "I will release you from all hindrances to self-realisation; grieve not!" (18:66)— which deals with the real nature of the individual Self [jivātman], of the Supreme Self [Paramātman], and of the paths of works (Karma), knowledge (Jñāna) and devotion (Bhakti) which constitute the means for attaining the highest spiritual goal.

śrī bhagavān uvāca

aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñāvādāṁśca bhāṣase | gatāsūn agatāsūṁśca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ || 11 ||

The Blessed Lord said

11. You grieve for those who should not be grieved for; yet you speak words of apparent wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the dead nor for the living.

Commentary

"Your grief is misplaced, and your contrived justification is based on teachings about the nature of the body and the Self such as: — "The ancestors become degraded, deprived of the ritual offerings of food and water"(1:42). — But for those who have truly realised the nature of the body and the Self, there is no reason for such grief.

Those who know the real truth will not grieve for physical bodies from which the life force has departed, nor for the Selves from which the principle of life cannot depart.

Hence, you are caught in this dilemma — profound sorrow at the thought of killing the Kauravas and at the same time you’re in a quandary about righteousness and unrighteousness, which arises from awareness that the Self is [somewhat] different from the body. Therefore you do not [really] know the true nature of the body nor of the Self. Nor do you know about duties (dharma) like warfare etc., nor of the fact that this war [which is an incumbent duty in the present context], if fought without any selfish motive for results, is a means for Self-realisation."

na tvevāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ | na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve vayamataḥ param || 12 ||

12. There never was a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor any of these temporal kings. Nor will there be any time in future when all of us shall cease to be.

Commentary

“I, [Krishna] who am, as you know, the eternal Lord of all, was never non-existent, but have always existed. There never was a time when these Selves (jīvas) like you [and the others], who are subject to My sovereignty, did not exist. You have always existed, and 'all of us' — I and you, shall never cease to be 'in the future'; we shall always exist. Just as there is certainly no doubt that I, the Supreme Self and Lord of all, am eternal, likewise, you [and all others] who are embodied Jīvas, should never doubt your eternality either.”

The foregoing teaching implies that the difference between the Lord who is the sovereign over all, and the individual jīvas; as also the differences among the individual jīvas themselves, are real. This has been declared by the Lord Himself because different terms like 'I', 'you', 'these', 'all' and 'we' have been used by the Lord while explaining the truth of eternality in order to remove the misunderstanding of Arjuna who is deluded by ignorance.

[For the detailed argument please see appendix.] dehino’smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā | tathā dehāntara prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati || 13 ||

13. Just as the embodied Self passes through childhood, youth and old age [pertaining to that body], so [at death] it passes into another body. A wise man is not confused thereby.

Commentary

Because of the conviction that the Self is eternal, one does not grieve, when passing through the various physical transformations such as childhood, youth and old age etc., thinking that the Self is changing. Similarly, the wise, do not grieve when the Self passes into another body different from the present one.

The eternal jīvas being conditioned by beginingless Karma, become endowed with bodies according to their particular Karmas . To overcome this bondage [of transmigration caused by Karma], embodied beings should perform their duties like war and other vocations and rites prescribed by the Scripture and which are appropriate to their social circumstances without attachment to the results of those actions . Even to such aspirants for liberation, contacts with sense-objects give pleasure and pain, arising from cold, heat and all such other things. But these experiences are to be endured as long as the works enjoined by the Scriptures are being performed.

The Lord explains the significance immediately: —

mātrā sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa sukha-duḥkhadāḥ | āgamāpāyino’nityās tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata || 14 ||

14. The contact of senses with their objects, O Arjuna, give rise to feelings of cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go, they are impermanent, endure them, O Arjuna.

Commentary

As sound, touch, form, taste and smell along with their basis (the sense organs), are the effects of subtle elements [within the mind], they are called Mātras (tanmātras = “measurements”). The experience of these [objects of the senses] through means of the ears and other senses gives rise to feelings of pleasure and pain, in the form of heat and cold, softness and hardness etc. You should remain unperturbed by these contrasts while you discharge your prescribed duties [such as warfare]. When the Karmas, which cause bondage, are destroyed, this 'coming and going' (transmigration) will end.

The Lord now explains the purpose of this endurance:

yaṁ hi na vyathayantyete puruṣaṁ puruṣarṣabha | sama duḥkha sukhaṁ dhīraṁ so’mṛtatvāya kalpate || 15 ||

15. One who is unaffected by these, O chief of men, and to whom pain and pleasure are the same, that steadfast person alone is worthy of immortality.

Commentary

That person alone attains liberation, who, considers pain as inevitable as pleasure, and who engages in Duty without attachment to the results, and who is unperturbed by the blows of weapons which may be light or serious. A person like you, who cannot cope with grief will not obtain liberation. As the jīvas are immortal, what is to be done here, is to transcend the pairs of opposites — this is the meaning.

nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ | ubhayor api dṛṣṭo’ntas tvanayos tattva darśibhiḥ || 16 ||

16. The unreal can never come into being, the real never ceases to be. The conclusion about these two is discerned by the seers of truth.

Commentary

'The unreal' refers to the physical body which can never be eternal. 'The real' refers to the Self (jīva), which can never cease to exist. The final conclusion about these;— the body and the jīva, which we perceive, has been correctly realised by the seers of the Truth. The analysis has reached a definitive conclusion, therefore the term 'conclusion' (anta) is used here. The gist is this: — non-existence (ie., perishableness) is the real nature of the body which is in itself insentient matter. Existence (ie., imperishableness) is the real nature of the sentient jīva.

[Here follows the justification for describing the body as 'unreal' and as having 'never come into being.' — Ed.]

Non-existence has, indeed, the character of destructibility, and what is Existent (Real) has the character of indestructibility, as Bhagavan Parāśara has said: —

'O Brahmin, apart from consciousness nothing else exists anywhere and at any time. Thus have I taught you what is real existence— how consciousness is real, and all else is unreal' (V.P. 2.12 vs. 43-45).

'The Supreme Reality is considered as imperishable by the wise. There is no doubt that what can be obtained from a perishable substance is also perishable.

'That entity which is never changed or modified by a change in time etc., is real! What is that entity, O King? (It is the jīvātman who retains its knowledge)' (V.P. 2.13.100).

It is seen from the foregoing that this (i.e., perishableness of the body and imperishableness of the jīva) is the reason for designating the jīva as 'existence' (Sattva) and the body as 'non-existence' (asattva). This verse has no bearing on the doctrine of satkaryavada as such a theory has no relevance here.

avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam | vināśam avyayasyāsya na kaścit kartum arhati || 17 ||

17. Know that to be indestructible by which all this [material universe] is pervaded. None can cause the destruction of that — The Immutable.

Commentary

Know that the jīva, in its essential nature is imperishable. The whole of insentient matter, which is different (from the jīva) is pervaded ie. penetrated by the jīva.

Because of the extreme subtlety & pervasiveness of the jīva , it cannot be destroyed; for every substance other than the jīva is capable of being pervaded by the jīva because it is grosser than the jīva. Destructive agents like weapons, water, wind, fire etc., pervade the substances to be destroyed and disintegrate them. Even hammers and such other instruments generate air currents through violent contact with the objects and thereby destroy the objects. So, the essential nature of the Self being more subtle than anything else leads to the conclusion that it is imperishable.

antavanta ime dehā nityasy-oktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ | anāśino’prameyasya tasmāt yuddhyasva bhārata || 18 ||

18. These bodies of the jīva (the embodied Self) are said to have an end, while the jīva itself is eternal, indestructible and incomprehensible. Therefore, fight O Bharata (Arjuna).

Commentary

The root 'di˙' means 'to grow’, hence bodies are known as dehas, because they are characterised by growth [and are compounds]. They have an end because they are naturally perishable; just as jars and such other things which are characterised by being compounds are seen to have an end. The bodies of the embodied jīva, which are made of a combination of elements, serve the purpose of experiencing the effects of Karmas, as stated in Brh. Up. 4:4:5;

'Auspicious embodiments are obtained through good actions'

Such bodies perish when the Karmas are exhausted. Furthermore the jīva is imperishable. Why? Because it cannot be quantified, it is the subject of all knowledge and can never be conceived of as the object of knowledge.

Besides, the jīva is not composed of any parts, because when one perceives:— 'I am the knower' — there is an awareness of unity throughout the body which is composed of different parts. It therefore follows that something other than the body is the perceiver and experiencer of the body and other external objects. Therefore the jīva or Self is considered as eternal because:—

(1) It is not a compound

(2) It is the knowing subject

(3) It pervades everything

The body on the contrary is perishable, because:—

(1) it is a compound,

(2) it is an instrument for experiencing the fruits of Karma (3) it undergoes constant change, and (4) it can be pervaded.

ya enaṁ vetti hantāraṁ yaścainaṁ manyate hatam | ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṁ hanti na hanyate || 19 ||

19. One who deems the Self a slayer, and one who thinks of it as slain — both are ignorant; for the Self neither slays nor is slain.

Commentary

Though the root 'han' (to slay) is directed at the Self [in the context], it signifies causing the separation of the jīva from the body and not the destruction of the jīva. Scriptural injunctions like 'You shall not cause injury to beings' (?) and 'A Brahmin shall not be killed' (?) indicate acts which are forbidden because they cause the separation of the jīva from the body.

mriyate vā kadācin nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ | ajo nityaḥ śāśvato’yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre || 20 ||

20. The jīva is never born; it never dies; having been existent in the past, it will never cease to be [in the future]. Unborn, eternal, abiding and primeval, it is not slain when the body is slain.

Commentary

As the jīva is eternal for the reasons mentioned [above], and hence free from evolutionary changes, all the transitions of the insentient [body] like birth, growth, change and death, do not affect the jīva. The statement, 'It is never born, it never dies' is in the present tense, this means that birth and death which are presently being experienced by all embodied beings, do not [in fact] affect the jīvātman. The Statement 'Having been existent once, it will never cease to be' means that this jīva, having emerged at the beginning of a Kalpa will not cease to exist at the end of the Kalpa [ie., it will emerge again at the beginning of the following Kalpa unless it is liberated]. In other words — 'birth' at the beginning of a Kalpa in bodies such as those of Brahma and others, and 'death' at the end of a Kalpa as stated in the Scriptures, do not affect the jīva. Hence, the jīvas in all bodies, are unborn, and therefore eternal. The jīva is ever abiding, unconnected like matter is, with invisible modifications taking place. It is primeval;— this means that it existed from time immemorial; it is ever new ie, it is capable of being experienced always afresh.

vedāvināśinaṁ nityaṁ ya enam ajam avyayam | kathaṁ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṁ ghātayati hanti kam || 21 ||

21. If one knows this Self to be indestructible, unborn, unchanging and hence eternal— how and whom, O Arjuna, does he cause to be killed, and whom does one kill?

Commentary

How can a [realised] person be said to cause the death of the Self — be it the jīvātman existing in the bodies of gods, animals or plants? In other words the feeling of remorse:— 'I am the cause of the death of these, I kill these jīvas', is based solely upon ignorance about the true nature of the Self.

Let it be granted for argument's sake, that killing merely achieves a separation of the eternal jīvas from their temporary bodies. Even then, when the bodies, which are instruments for the experiencing of agreeable pleasures, perish, there is still no reason for sorrow at this separation.

vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya navāni gṛhṇāti naro’parāṇi | tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāny-anyāni saṁyāti navāni dehī || 22 ||

22. As a person casts off worn-out garments and puts on others that are new, so does the embodied Self cast off its worn-out bodies and enter into others that are new.

Commentary

The Scriptures declare that those who give up their bodies in a righteous war will obtain a more auspicious birth than before. The casting aside of worn-out garments and taking new and beautiful ones, can only be a cause of joy, as is generally experienced in this world. Once again Sri Krishna emphasises for easy understanding, the indestructibility of the jīva and confirms it thus:

nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ | na cainaṁ kledayanty-āpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ || 23 ||

23. Weapons do not cut the jīva, fire does not burn it, waters do not wet it, and wind does not dry it.

acchedyo’yam adāhyo’yaṁ akledyo’śoṣya eva ca | nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur acalo’yam sanātanaḥ || 24 ||

24. It cannot be cut; it cannot be burnt; it cannot be wetted and it cannot be dried, it is eternal, allpervading, stable, immovable and primeval.

avyakto’yam acintyo’yam avikāryo’yam ucyate | tasmād evaṁ viditvainaṁ nānuśocitum arhasi || 25 ||

25. This jīva is said to be unmanifest, inconceivable and unchanging. Therefore, knowing it thus, it does not befit you to grieve.

Commentary

The jīva cannot be demonstrated by those means of knowledge (Pramanas ) by which gross objects can be demonstrated; hence it is said to be unmanifest. The jīva is different in kind from objects susceptible to cutting etc., therefore It is inconceivable. Not having any of the nature, elements and constituent parts of any other [known] object, the jīva cannot even be conceived of, therefore it is unchanging and incapable of modifications. Thus, knowing this jīva to be possessed of the above mentioned qualities, it is not proper for you to feel grief for it.

atha cainaṁ nitya jātam nityaṁ vā manyase mṛtam | tathāpi tvaṁ mahābāho naivaṁ śocitum arhasi || 26 ||

26. Or, if you consider this Self to be repeatedly born and repeatedly dying, even then, O Maha-bahu (Mighty-armed-one), it does not become you to feel grief.

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca | tasmād aparihārye ‘rthe na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi || 27 ||

27. For death is indeed certain for everything that is born, and re-birth is certain for that which has died; therefore you should not grieve for what is unavoidable.

Commentary

Everything that is produced is certain to be destroyed — it has been proven to be unavoidable. Similarly, whatever has perished will inevitably be remanifest. How, it may be asked, should this be understood — that there is re-birth for that [entity] which has perished? Origination, annihilation etc., are merely particular states of existence. With regard to an entity which has entered into a stage known as origination, its transition into the opposite condition is called ‘annihilation’. All evolving entities pass through an inevitable sequence of evolutionary stages. For example, clay exists as a lump, jug, a potsherd, and (finally) powder. Here, ‘annihilation’ refers to the transition to a succeeding stage by something which existed previously in a preceding stage. And the annihilation of one particular state is really birth for the next stage in the sequence.

avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyakta-madhyāni bhārata | avyakta nidhanānyeva tatra kā parivedana || 28 ||

28. O Arjuna! All beings [in the universe] have a beginning that is unknown, a known middle and an unknown end. Why should there be anguish in relation to any of them?

Commentary

Humans and other sentient beings exist as substances of which the previous states are unknown, their middle states in their present forms are known, and their future states are unknown. As they all thus follow a natural precession, there is no cause for grief.

āścaryavat paśyati kaścid enam āścaryavad vadati tathaiva cānyaḥ | āścaryavac cainam anyaḥ śṛṇoti śātvāpy-enaṁ veda na caiva kaścit || 29 ||

29. One regards this Self as a wonder, likewise another speaks of it as a wonder; still another hears of it as a wonder; and even after hearing of it, one knows it not.

Commentary

Among the innumerable beings of the universe, someone, who by deep meditation has removed the effect of error (karma) and has accumulated great merit, may realise this Self which is wonderful and distinct in kind from every other existing thing. Such a person tells someone else about it. Thus, another person hears of it, and even after hearing of it, no one knows it exactly as it really is. The term 'ca' (and) implies that even amongst the sages, the preceptors and students, one with authentic realisation, authentic teaching and authentic hearing, is a rarity.

dehī nityam avadhyo’yaṁ dehe sarvasya bhārata | tasmāt sarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi || 30 ||

30. The jīva in all bodies, O Arjuna, is eternal and indestructible, therefore, it is not proper for you to feel grief for any being.

Commentary

All living beings from gods down to plants, even though they possess different external forms, are all similar and eternal in their real nature, as described above. Inequality and destructibility pertain only to the physical bodies. Therefore, it is not proper for you to grieve over any being from the gods down to plant life, let alone for Bhishma and such others.

sva-dharmam api cāvekṣya na vikampitum arhasi |

dharmyāddhi yuddhāc-chreyo ‘nyat kṣatriyasya na vidyate || 31 ||

31. Furthermore, considering also your own duty, it does not befit you to falter, because to a Kshatriya, there is no greater merit than a righteous war.

Commentary

To a Kshatriya, there is no greater good than engaging in a righteous war motivated by a just cause. It will be declared later on in the Gita: —

'Valour, non-defeat (by the enemies), fortitude, adroitness and also not fleeing from battle, Generosity, Lordliness; — these are the duties of the Kshatriya born of his very nature.' (18:43).

In the Agnisomiya sacrifice no real harm is caused to the animal victim; for according to the Vedic Texts, the victim — a goat, after abandoning an inferior body, will attain a higher rebirth, with a beautiful body. The Text pertaining to immolation declares: —

'O animal, by this (immolation) you never die, you are not destroyed. You will pass through happy paths to the realm of the gods, where the virtuous, not the sinful reach. May the god Savitar give you a suitable place.' (Yajñ, 4.6.9.46; Taitt. Br. iii 7.2).

Likewise the attainment of more beautiful bodies by those who die here in this war [which is like a sacrifice] has been declared in the Gita (2.22). Hence, just as a surgeon makes an incision and performs other surgical procedures for the purpose of curing a patient, the immolation of the sacrificial animal in the Agnisomiya and other sacrifices contributes to its welfare.

yadṛcchayā copapannaṁ svarga dvāram apāvṛtam | sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha labhante yuddham īdṛśam || 32 ||

32. Happy are the Kshatriyas, O Arjuna, to whom a war such as this comes of its own accord; it opens the gates to heaven.

Commentary

Only fortunate warriors, ie., those with a store of merit from past actions, will have the opportunity to participate in such a war as this, which has come unsought, which is the means for the attainment of immeasurable bliss, and which gives an unobstructed pathway to heaven.

atha-cet tvam imaṁ dharmyaṁ saṅgrāmaṁ na kariṣyasi | tataḥ sva-dharmaṁ kīrtiṁ ca hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi || 33 ||

33. But if you do not fight this righteous war, you will be turning away from your duty and honour, and will be incurring blame.

akīrtiṁ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te’vyayām | saṁbhāvitasya cākīrtir maraṇād-atiricyate || 34 ||

34. Furthermore, people will for ever recall your everlasting disgrace, and for an honourable man, dishonour is worse than death.

Commentary

You will then incur not merely the loss of all happiness and honour, but will be the object of contempt by all people. The qualified [critics] and even the unqualified, for the rest of time will ridicule you, saying, 'When the battle began Arjuna ran away.' If it be asked — ‘So what?’, the reply is:— ‘To one who is honoured by all, for courage, prowess, valour, etc., the disgrace arising from being accused of the opposite of these attributes, is worse than death’. In other words it would be better for you to die than to endure such disgrace.

If it is asked — ‘How could dishonour accrue to me, who am a hero, but have withdrawn from the battle only out of love and compassion for my relatives?’ the reply is as follows:—

bhayād raṇād uparataṁ mansyante tvāṁ mahārathāḥ | yeṣāṁ ca tvaṁ bahu-mato bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam || 35 ||

35. The great warriors will think that you have fled from the battle in fear. These men who held you in high esteem will then speak disparagingly of you.

Commentary

Great warriors like Karna, Duryodhana, etc., hitherto held you in high esteem as a worthy opponent. Now, by refraining from combat when it has already begun, you will appear to be a despicable coward. These great warriors will assume that you have withdrawn from fear, because courageous adversaries do not turn away from battle through affection and compassion for relatives but only through fear of their opponents.

Moreover;—

avācya vādāṁśca bahūn vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ |

nindantas tava sāmarthyaṁ tato duḥkhataraṁ nu kim || 36 ||

36. Your enemies, slandering your prowess, will use words which should never be uttered. What could be more painful than that?

Commentary

Moreover, your enemies will make many slanderous and disparaging remarks about your ability, saying — 'How can this Arjuna stand before heroes like us, even for a moment? His [boasted] skill should be displayed anywhere else other than in our presence.' Can there be anything more painful to you than this? You yourself will understand that death is preferable to being subjected to such disparagement.

hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṁ jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīn | tasmād uttiṣṭha kaunteya yuddhāya kṛta-niścayaḥ || 37 ||

37. If slain, you shall gain heaven; if victorious, you shall enjoy the earth. Therefore, arise O Arjuna and resolve to fight.

Commentary

Therefore this war is a duty — when done without attachment to the results, it will become the means for attaining supreme bliss. Therefore, arise, be assured that engagement in war [here your incumbent duty] is the means for attaining the supreme goal — Liberation. This course of action alone is suitable for you O son of Kunti — this is the purport.

Sri Krishna then explains to the aspirant for liberation how to behave in war. sukha-duḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau | tato yuddhāya yujyasva nainaṁ pāpam avāpsyasi || 38 ||

38. Considering

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