BHAGAVAD GEETA: 53 - Swami Advayanandaji.

Chinmaya Mission :

Swami Swaroopananda was warmly welcomed by all the members of Chinmaya Mission Singapore during his recent visit to Singapore last week. Swamiji expounded on the ability to change our destiny by harnessing the power of the mind and the need to cultivate the right attitude when performing all actions. The emphasis is on having the right intention behind our actions which beautifies all our actions.

During the Nirvana Shatkam morning talks Swamiji gave insights into how when the mind gets blown away i.e hushed the knowledge of the infinite, that state of enlightenment where all sorrows are blown away with the direct discovery of our nature which is realized (nirvana). 

During the informal question and answer sessions and meetings with sevaks/sevikas Swamiji emphasized the need to stay inspired and keep the flame of knowledge glowing by keeping it relevant to the times and age group the sevaks/sevikas are catering to.

================================================================

BHAGAVAD GEETA 

Chapter - 2

Discourse – 2 (72 Slogas)

“Yoga of the SUPREME SELF”

Sri Veda Vyasaji

================================================================

Thursday, 25 Jan 2024 06:30.

2.7   ARJUNA’S SWADHARMA CLARIFIED 

( Slogas : 31-38,   8 No.) 

Post - 53.

==============================================================

2.7   ARJUNA’S SWADHARMA CLARIFIED :

(Slogas:  31-38, /8 No.) 

ARJUNA, SOON AFTER hearing his Friend’s scathing response to his arguments 

made in the previous Chapter, still defended them on the basis of three main points: 

i) Bhishma and Drona: 

These are his revered grandfather and Acharya respectively – 

who are worthy of his worship. How could he kill them in battle? 

ii) Maha-Anubhavan: 

by killing these noble great men, there would sit upon his soul 

a lifelong guilt which he would never be able to wipe out – all his enjoyments would be 

“stained with their blood”! Dharma and Moksha would not be his any longer, only Artha and 

Kama would remain. 

iii) The Accrual of Demerit: 

The consequence of all the killing in the war would heap 

loads of sin upon him, from which he would never recover. 

These three arguments relate to his sense of duty. They cause him to have great 

indecision about his own duty or Swadharma. Sri Krishna (in verse 2.11) calls these three 

arguments as Prajnaa Vaadaan – “wise-sounding words”, but in reality considers them to 

be words of delusion and foolishness.  

Arjuna the patient did not ask about Atma Jnana;. It was Sri Krishna the doctor who 

decided to spend His first 20 verses (11-30) on a strong dosage of Atma Jnana. He had to 

wipe off Arjuna’s tears, get rid of that stultifying grief sitting all over him. However, even for 

the subject of Swadharma, it was necessary for Him to have given Arjuna that opening blitz 

of Atma Jnana. Against the clear background of the knowledge of the Self, it is easier to 

understand one’s duty. 

The Lord now takes up the question of Swadharma directly. The thought uppermost 

in Arjuna’s mind is: “I am confused as to duty. Tell me decisively what is good for me (2.7).” 

In this section of eight slogas, that confusion is exhaustively answered. 

================================================================

Slogam - 31: The Kshatriya’s Call to Duty

1 

Swadharmam api cha avekshya  =  Further, looking at your own duty, 

2 

na vi-kampitum arhasi;   =  you ought not to waver

 3 

dharmyaat hi yuddhaat shreyah;  =  for, indeed, higher than a righteous war

 4 

anyat kshatriyasya na vidyate.   =  there is nothing other for a Kshatriya. 

================================================================

1

 This is the direct answer to Arjuna’s question. Arjuna’s quandary as to his duty is 

answered here explicitly. One senses that when Arjuna received this answer his ears must 

have straightened up and his eyes must have glistened. This is just what he was looking for. 

2

 Na Vikampa: ‘Do Not Waver’. Arjuna’s personality had received such a shaking up 

that it needed this comforting reassurance from the Lord. It has been the most trying time 

of his life. He has virtually been pulled out from the ditch, so to speak. One may excuse him 

for wavering a little before settling down once again. Sri Krishna says the needful to restore 

him in the shortest time possible. 

And as Arjuna hears these words, they must have sent a thrill through his whole 

frame. We can almost see his hands reaching out for his bow that lay on the floor of the 

chariot. We can even feel the strength return to those sinewy arms of his! 

3

 A righteous war – there is nothing better than this that a Kshatriya could ask for. 

How would a warrior of Arjuna’s calibre react to words like these? They must have sounded 

like sweet music to his ears. They would surely have also reminded him of his mother, Kunti, 

whom Sri Krishna had invoked several times to instill her power of forbearance in him. 

Dharmyah: “filled to the brim with Dharma”. This word is more emphatic than just 

Dharma. Only the blessed get an opportunity like this to die for one’s country for a worthy 

cause. There cannot be more righteousness than this for any soldier going to war. 

4

 Acharyaji at this stage quoted a passage from the Mahabharata where the duty of 

a Kshatriya is clearly expounded. The Kshatriya’s most important concern is to preserve 

righteous law and order in the State. The quoted passage says that has to be done even if 

the transgressors are one’s own Guru, as is the case here. It is the duty of a King to see to 

law and order first and foremost. That is what society has entrusted in his hands. 

*****

Next

Slogam -32:

 An Open Door to Heaven

To be continued

================================================================