holy Bhagwad Gita

अर्जुन उवाच |
कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्ख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन |
इषुभि: प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन || 4||

 

2.4: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?

Commentary: In response to Shree Krishna’s call for action, Arjun presents his confusion.  He states that Bheeshma and Dronacharya are worthy of his respect and adoration.  Bheeshma was the embodiment of chastity, and remained a lifelong celibate to fulfill the vow he had made to his father.  Arjun’s military preceptor, Dronacharya, was a genius in the science of warfare, and it was from him that Arjun mastered the art of archery.  Kripacharya was another respectable person on the other side, whom Arjun had always held in veneration.  To treat these men of high merit as enemies now seemed abominable to the noble-minded Arjun.  If even arguing with these venerable elders was improper, then how could he ever think of attacking them with weapons?  His statement thus implies, “O Krishna, please do not doubt my courage.  I am prepared to fight.  But from the perspective of moral duty, my duty is to respect my teachers and to show compassion to the sons of Dhritarashtra.”

xoxo

holy Bhagwad Gita

श्रीभगवानुवाच |
कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम् |
अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन || 2||








2.2: 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.




Commentary: The word Ārya in our sacred books does not refer to any race or ethnic group.  The Manu Smṛiti defines an Aryan as a highly evolved and cultured person.  “Aryan” connotes goodness, like the term “perfect gentleman.”  The aim of the Vedic scriptures is to induce humans to become Aryans in all respects.  Shree Krishna finds Arjun’s present condition in conflict with that ideal, and so reprimands him by calling attention to his confusion in how to live up to this ideal state of being under the current circumstances.

The Bhagavad Gita, or “Song of God,” effectively begins from here because Shree Krishna, who was quiet until now, starts speaking in this verse.  The Supreme Lord first begins by inducing in Arjun a hunger for knowledge.  He does this by pointing out that his state of confusion is dishonorable and inappropriate for virtuous persons.  He then goes on to remind Arjun of the consequences of delusion, which are pain, infamy, failure in life, and degradation of the soul.

Rather than comforting him, Shree Krishna is making Arjun uncomfortable about his current state.  We all feel uncomfortable when we are confused because it is not the natural condition of the soul.  That feeling of discontentment, if properly channeled, can become a powerful impetus to search for true knowledge.  The suitable resolution of doubt helps a person acquire a deeper understanding than before.  Thus, God sometimes deliberately puts a person in turmoil, so that he or she may be forced to search for knowledge to remove the confusion.  And when the doubt is finally resolved, that person reaches a higher level of understanding.

XOXO

holy Bhagwad Gita

Chapter 2 verse 1

 

सञ्जय उवाच |

तं तथा कृपयाविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् |

विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदन: || 1||

 

2.1: Sanjay said: Seeing Arjun overwhelmed with pity, his mind grief-stricken, and his eyes full of tears, Shree Krishna spoke the following words.

 

 

 

 

 

Sanjaya says that when Krishna saw Arjuna in such a state with tears in his eyes he spoke:

 

“Arjuna how these impure thoughts have come to you .It does not befit you.”

 

Arjuna in complete turmoil completely surrenders by sitting with his head bowed, his bows and arrows set aside. He has tears in his eyes and he seeks guidance.

 

Lord Krishna asks Arjuna with a lot of love the reason for so much confusion as it does not suit one who knows the value of life.

 

 

Here we can see Lord Krishna reprimanding his favorite disciple Arjuna.

 

Though Arjuna was from a learned background and well versed, why was he behaving with total body consciousness?

 

When we are on the path, and as we learn and know some things spiritually, and yet we end up taking wrong decisions or making some mistake we face lot of turmoil.

 

 

The question that comes on our mind is that even after having the knowledge how I made a mistake…

 

See even when we are on the path, we are in different stages.

 

Like suppose we have to merge with the sun then some will be just absorbing the rays of the sun, while some would be feeling the warmth and might be nearer to the sun while very few might be within the sun.

 

 

 

This is a journey. Each on a different level of consciousness and so the reactions and actions will be based on that.

 

 

 

At times even though we have traversed much ahead on the journey, some situation might come up where we for a while completely forget who we are and thinking we are this body we react.

 

This is when Krishna will intervene and ask us why we are behaving in such a foolish manner.

 

 

 

This happens when the soul has travelled a little ahead on the path, is seeking and surrenders with all humility unto the supreme.

 

 

 

So however and wherever we are on the journey, let us remember to surrender to the supreme energy with utmost humility.

 

Then we need never fear as to what the consequence will be…as Lord Krishna will definitely take care of us by guiding us.

xoxo 

 

 

 

holy Bhagwad Gita

सञ्जय उवाच |
एवमुक्त्वार्जुन: सङ्ख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत् |
विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानस: || 47||

1.47: 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.

Sanjaya says that saying all the above, Arjuna puts down his bow and arrow and sits on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.
This ends the 1st chapter of the Gita.
Arjuna is the prime example where the conditioning that has affected shows strongly.
He believes and acts as per the knowledge he has received from his elders and guru.
The deductions are not of his own mind and neither of Lord Krishna.
Though Krishna is on his side, Arjuna has fears, worries and deductions.
Why is this so? It is because he fails to see his true self and is speaking in complete body consciousness.
What is body consciousness? It means thinking that ‘I am the body’ which is completely wrong.
The body belongs to me is the correct understanding.
Though Arjuna is learned he is at this moment of war bound by the conditioning of body consciousness and fails to see who he is.
We too are the same. Even though we all know that we are the soul, eternal…yet we have fears and worries.
We too have our own deductions based on the knowledge we have received from our elders.
Yet, we must not forget that we have a mind and an intellect and we must use it instead of blindly following on the path shown to us by our elders.
The indication is not that elders are wrong, but they too might be following on the path shown to them and in return showing you the path.
Is that the right one? If only we ask this simple question, Krishna would answer our questions like he will do in the forthcoming chapters.
Let us not judge anyone. Instead let each of us take up this task of shedding the conditioning of our mind.
We are not using our intellect. The intellect too has its limitations, yet it has information and as we grow spiritually this intellect turns into viveka.

If we do not question, do not wonder, do not seek answers we will be just living our life as per the rules and regulations preset by society and dying.

Then again taking birth and doing the same thing. Punarapi jananam Punarapi maranam….
The cycle of birth and death of the body will continue…
Are we not trapped in this? Don’t we want a release?
Don’t we want to feel free by knowing and experiencing who we actually are?
Or do we remain trapped in body consciousness and take birth after birth… never realizing the true self?
A question we all need to ponder over as this chapter ends…the answers coming from Krishna in the next chapter which has 72 verses is a treat one could wait for…
How was the first chapter? Is it not a wonder in itself that we have completed the first chapter and truly rearing to go for the next one as we all want to bask in the wisdom that Krishna will reveal?….

xoxo

holy Bhagwad Gita

 

उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन |
नरकेऽनियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम || 44||

1.44: O Janardan (Krishna), I have heard from the learned that those who destroy family traditions dwell in hell for an indefinite period of time.

XOXO