BHAGAVAD GEETA:Chapter-2-3./Post-23.Swami Advayanandaji.

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BHAGAVAD GEETA 

Chapter - 2

Discourse – 2 (72 Slogas)

“Yoga of the SUPREME SELF”

Sri Veda Vyasaji

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Friday, 25 Aug 2023. 06:20.

Slogam - 3: “Yield Not to Impotence

Post - 23.

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Slogam - 3: “Yield Not to Impotence

1 Klaibyam maa sma gamah, Paartha, = Yield not to impotence, O Partha!

2 na etat tvayi upapadyate; = It does not befit thee.

3 kshudram hridaya-daurbalyam = This mean weakness of heart –

4 tyaktvaa uttishtha, Parantapa. = cast it off! Stand up, O scorcher of foes!

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Krishna and Arjuna were of the same age, and they were close friends. This may help us to understand Sri Krishna’s frankness. In the fewest of words, Krishna tells Arjuna what he expects of him in these circumstances. The Lord’s words are direct, and go to the root of the solution. The only way to deal with delusion is to “cast it off”, not nurture it.

By simply addressing Arjuna with two different terms, opposite in nature, Sri Krishna addresses two major aspects of his personality:

1-2 Partha: 

“descendent of Kunti”. Sri Krishna, in order to bring about the desired 

change in Arjuna, starts by appealing to the quality of courage inherited from his mother.

Arjuna’s decision to withdraw from battle is shown to be unbefitting of his glorious lineage.

Acharyaji paraphrased the Lord’s words: “Your mother (Kunti) was a brave woman. 

Arjuna, you come from a great family whose sons, including you, are all Devatas. Look what has come over you now! That Gandiva bow in your hand was held by Brahma for 1000 years, and another 500 years by Varuna. This very chariot was a special gift to you for the war. Be a man, Arjuna! Show manliness in your behaviour. Don’t be a eunuch.” 

3-4 Parantapa: 

“Scorcher of one’s foes”. Having invoked Arjuna’s lineage, Sri Krishna now turns to his personal qualities quite apart from his inherited one. Weakness of heart has never been Arjuna’s quality, and is unbefitting to the occasion.

Acharyaji again re-phrased the Lord’s words in proper context as follows: 

“You, on your own merit, apart from your heritage, have been a terror to others in battle. You are no mean warrior yourself. Weakness of heart is meanness. I know elephants do not get up in a hurry, but when they do they can be devastating.”

Despite being so powerful, Arjuna has succumbed to a ‘small’ weakness of delusion. 

Is this really telling us that delusion is a greatly underestimated foe of man? We think it is too small to deserve our attention, yet it could be our greatest weakness

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Next

2.2 ARJUNA ON THE DEFENSIVE

(Slogas 4-10, 7 No.)

Slogam - 4: Arjuna on the Defensive

To be continued

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