SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA: 2.4. Swami Advayananda.

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Wednesday 22, January 2025, 09:30.
BHAGAVAD GEETA 2-4.
Discourse 2 | Yoga of the Supreme Self - (72 Slogas) 
2.2   ARJUNA ON THE DEFENSIVE: (Slogas: 4-10, 7 No.)
Swami  Advayananda.

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2.2   ARJUNA ON THE DEFENSIVE: (Slogas 4-10, 7 No.) 

ARJUNA IS NOW GIVEN a second chance to respond – a second “bite at the cherry”. 

His words this time round is to be weighed against the initial response of Sri Krishna, which is not very palatable or sweet to his Ego, but which is precisely the cure needed by his Soul.  

Arjuna has just received a hammering to his ego from his friend, Sri Krishna. It was not sympathetic or complimentary. They were tough blows. It was as if Krishna had said to him, “I do not expect you to do this. You are bringing disgrace to Me also.” 

Throughout Chapter 1, Sri Krishna had remained silent. Arjuna was waiting for a reaction from Krishna, his Friend. Instead, he got a reaction from Krishna, the Teacher. Arjuna’s first reaction is to go on the defensive. He is unable to correct himself at once. He needs some more time, more explanation of the Lord’s course of action. 

Arjuna picks up, point for point, each of the three criticisms levelled at him by Sri Krishna. He lays his dilemma squarely and honestly before Sri Krishna. He is in that inter mediate zone in which he is unsure whether to take Krishna as his friend or as his teacher. 

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Slogam - 4: Arjuna on the Defensive

Arjuna Uvaacha: Arjuna said: 

1 

Katham Bheeshmam aham sankhye = How shall I engage in battle with Bhishma  

2 

Dronam cha Madhusoodana; = and Drona, O Madhusudana, 

3 

ishubhih prati-yotsyaami = and fight them with arrows, (for they are) 

4 

poojaa-arhau, Arisoodana. = worthy of worship, O destroyer of enemies?

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1-2

 The feeling for his teachers is too strong in him. He just cannot see how he could bring himself to kill his own teachers Bhishma and Drona. He has always held them in the highest regard. They deserve to be worshipped, not killed; how could he pierce them with his arrows? Both Bhishma and Drona had the boon that they could not die except by them own consent. Bhishma was a Naishtik Brahmachari, a lifelong celibate, which gave him tremendous spiritual strength, and made him worthy of reverence. 

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3-4

 We see that Arjuna’s response challenges all three words which Sri Krishna used to describe his despondency. It shows how attentively Arjuna was listening to Sri Krishna; it shows how deeply affected he was by Sri Krishna’s words; in the process, it also shows the literary brilliance of Sage Vyasaji, and the analytical brilliance of Acharyaji. 

i) Was he being unworthy? Which worthy person would attack his own teachers? 

ii) Was he denying himself entry into heaven? What right has a person to gain entry 

in heaven, if he does the atrocious deed of killing his own teachers? 

iii) Was he disgraceful? What could be more disgraceful than to kill one’s own teacher? 

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We also had a taste of the analytical brilliance of Acharyaji. He brought to us attention the subtle distinctions that separate three types of logic: 

i) Factual logic: This type always checks out the correctness of all facts before coming to conclusions. 

ii) Emotional logic: This is swayed heavily by emotion (which is really an effect of delusion) and is invariably accompanied by wet eyes. 

iii) Legal logic: This is devoid of any foundation of truth. It is a ruthless application of logic that can be twisted to suit one’s desired conclusion, as typically used by lawyers. Arjuna’s logic fits into the second category, whereas Sri Krishna’s is from the first. 

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Arjuna is perplexed because his vision is limited to his small circle; Sri Krishna is viewing things from the larger standpoint. His circle is all-encompassing. The two views are bound to differ. Only from a wide perspective, can Truth be seen. 

We see more of Arjuna’s limited vision in the slogas that follow…  

Firstly, the change of meter in the next four verses conveys to us the heavy load of emotion carried by Arjuna. When we depart from the Truth, emotions and sentiments hold sway over us. Emotional logic has great convincing power. As much as Arjuna is convinced of this logic, Sri Krishna is unmoved by it because He knows it starts with a wrong premise. 

Arjuna’s premise is: “One should never engage in war with relatives or teachers.” Such a premise is incorrect as truth and justice override such considerations. 

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Slogam - 5: The “Bread of Beggary” 

Continued

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