BHAGAVAD GEETA:Chapter-2-6./Post-27.Swami Advayanandaji.

Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF)

A successful and true celebration of Sanskrit! ✨

The CIF Shodha Sansthan Sanskrit Fest was very well-attended, bringing together 500 students from 30 schools in Kerala over the course of two days.

The event was graced by Swami Advayananda, and the judging panel consisted of eminent personalities in the field of Sanskrit, including Dr. C. N Ratnam (Retd. Professor, Maharajas College Ernakulam), Prof. Jyotsana Gangadharan (Associate Professor Govt. Sanskrit College, Tripunithura), Dr. Sarita Maheswaran (Govt. Sanskrit College, Tripunithura), Dr. Vinod Kumar K.P (Assistant Professor, Department of Sahitya Govt. Sanskrit College, Thripunithura) and Sri. Anil Narayanan (Assistant Professor, Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth).

Dr. P.N. Sudarshanan (CIFSS Director) welcomed the participants, and Dr. V. R Manoj (Dy. Director CIFSS) proposed the vote of thanks. 

The participants competed in various Sanskrit events, including Bhagavad Gita Parayanam, Poem Recitation, Essay Writing, Elocution, Story telling, Akshara Sloka and Group Song. The festival celebrated Sanskrit language and culture, encouraging the continued use of the language and its appreciation among the youth. A grand prize distribution ceremony honoured the winners and participants, making the event a resounding success.

Bhavans Varuna Vidyalaya secured overall championship and Chinmaya Vidyalaya Kolazhy was placed as the runner up.

Swami Sharadananda Acharya CIF delivered the benedictory address, with Prof. Gauri Mahulikar (Academic Director) presiding over the event as the Chief Guest. Dr. L. Sampath Kumar (HOS Linguistics & Literature studies, CVV) was one among dignitaries to present Certificates and Trophies to the winners.

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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, 15 Sep 2023. 06:30.

Slogam - 6: Arjuna’s Intellect Disengaged

Post - 27.

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Slogam - 6: Arjuna’s Intellect Disengaged

1

Na cha etat vidmaah  =  I can scarcely say which 

katarat nah gareeyah  =  for us (the Pandavas) will be better:

2

yat vaa jayema yadi  =  that we should conquer them, 

vaa nah jayeyuh;  =  or that they should conquer us.

3

yaan eva hatvaa na  =  After slaying whom 

jijeevishaamah te  =  we would wish not to live, they

4

avasthitaah pramukhe  = stand facing us –

Dhaartaraashtraah.  =  namely, the sons of Dhritarasht.

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1-3 

“To Do or Not to Do” – that is Arjuna’s dilemma, and it is typical of the indecisive 

mind. Acharyaji quoted two selected verses from Hindu scriptures which throw light on 

Arjuna’s wavering mind.

“Even if it is one’s Guru, if a principle is violated, the necessary 

action has to be taken to correct it.”

“A small child, a Brahmana and even a Guru, who have become 

Atatayins (felons) should without hesitation not be spared due 

punishment, including capital punishment.”

There is a time and place for such assessments; it should have been done long 

before the battle is declared, and in the boardroom in consultation with others.

Acharyaji quoted a verse from the Tirukkurral: “Before entering an action, decide: i) 

if it is right; ii) if you have the capacity for it; iii) what your opponent’s power is; and iv) who 

is supporting who.” In today’s management terms, this would be a SWOT analysis, i.e. 

gauging one’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

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LIGHT ON ARJUNA’S DILEMMA:

Arjuna’s indecision is the message conveyed in this verse. It indicates that Arjuna is 

being dominated by his mind, the natural quality of which is to be indecisive. The intellect, 

which is the decision-making instrument, has clearly been disengaged and is not available to 

him. This adds to his predicament greatly. It means that personal considerations 

predominate in his thinking, rather than the principles for which the war was declared.

Arjuna himself had made the following statement prior to the war. Speaking to 

Duryodhana once, he said, “You speak arrogantly. Whose strength are you taking support 

from (referring to Bhishma and Drona)? We shall take their life in this battle.” *In the war 

Arjuna eventually killed Bhishma, and Drishtadyumna killed Dronacharya.] He had taken this

resolve on behalf of his brothers. For such a strong-minded person to resort to ‘beggary’ 

now is tantamount to Nishiddha Karma (forbidden action).

It is easy for us as observers to see and assess Arjuna’s difficult condition. For Arjuna 

himself, entangled as he is in emotionally-charged thoughts, it is a near impossibility. From 

the security of our study room, we see how engulfed Arjuna is in his mind, and what 

confusion he is steeped in. Would we have done better than Arjuna? Could we have the 

same detached view of ourselves in the thick of our own trials as we expect Arjuna to have?


For Arjuna there is light at the end of the tunnel – from the very depths of his own 

mental anguish, out of the womb of pain that he is experiencing, there emerges something 

that saves him from disgrace . . .

*****

Next

Slogam - 7: Arjuna Surrenders to Krishna

To be continued

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