SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA: 2.9. Swami Advayananda.

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Wednesday 09, April 2025, 11:00.
2.2   ARJUNA ON THE DEFENSIVE 
(Slogas 4-10,   7 No.)
Slogam - 9: “I Will Not Fight” 
Swami  Advayananda.

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Slogam - 9: “I Will Not Fight”: 

Sanjaya Uvaacha: =  Sanjaya said: 

1 

Evam uktvaa Hrisheekesham =  Having spoken thus to Hrishikesha (Krishna), 

2 

Gudakeshah parantapah; =  the “Conqueror of sleep” or “Destroyer of foes” 

3 

na yotsya iti Govindam  = said to Govinda thus: “I will not fight!” 

4 

uktvaa tooshneem babhoova ha. =  Saying this, he became silent

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Slogam-10. “Arjuna Chaitanya” is Born: 

5 

Tam uvaacha Hrisheekeshah = To him (Arjuna), the “Master of senses” spoke, 

6 

prahasan iva Bhaarata; =  as if smiling, O Descendent of Bharata (Dhritarashtra), 

7 

senayoh ubhayoh madhye =  whilst in the midst of the two armies, and while 

8 

visheedantam idam vachah. =  overwhelmed by despondency, the following words: 

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With these two slogas ends the full report of Arjuna’s condition. We are at the dawn  of a new phase of the Geeta – the teaching of Sri Krishna is about to begin. Sri Veda Vyasa separates the two portions by allowing two verses to Sanjaya as a “Programme Director”! 

1-4

In the first slogam Sanjaya closes the curtains on Arjuna’s despondency. 

5-8

In the second, Sanjaya lifts up the curtain to usher in the wisdom teaching of the  Lord that will end seventeen chapters later with an Arjuna healed of his despondency, and revivified to enter the fray as the vintage Arjuna we know him to be.

  


By devices such as this, we see the brilliance of Veda Vyasa as a literary craftsman who keeps our pulse beating as he unfolds the human drama lodged within the Geeta. 

Visheedantam: Since verse 1.26 (i.e. 32 slogas ago), Arjuna has not recovered from  his “despondency”. We have seen many sides of this despondency, but at root it is one of 

delusion; he is seeing things out of context due to delusion, and that has taken the form of attachment to his kith and kin. The moral arguments he poses need not be taken literally; 

they are out of context with the war situation. They are offshoots of his “Delusion”. 

On the spiritual ladder Dhritarashtra stands in contrast to Arjuna. Arjuna has just begun climbing up; Dhritarashtra seems to be plunging down heedlessly.

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THE BIRTH OF “ARJUNA CHAITANYA”: 

What Sri Krishna had said in two slogas (2.2 and 2.3) was aimed at an Arjuna who had just cast away his bow and arrow and was plunged in despair. It was a shock treatment  to a patient who had become “lifeless” on the battlefield. 

The Krishna we are going to hear from the next slogam has a new tone in His voice. He is Prahasan, “as if smiling”. The content is going to be unchanged. His message is repeated, 

but his manner of doing so is now welcoming. The few words that Arjuna has just uttered have pleased the Lord. It is exactly what Sri Krishna had wished for. The context has changed  now. He is speaking to a different Arjuna; Arjuna is now a disciple, not a ‘friend’.  

With a little bit of imagination, we can presume that while Sanjaya is busy with his “change of scene” speech, Sri Krishna drew Arjuna close to Him and whispered into his ear 

the Mantra of initiation. Then He handed over two pieces of yellow cloth to him. To the new “Arjuna Chaitanya”, Krishna gives a warm smile, welcoming him as a new Brahmachari (initiate) into the spiritual world! 

Krishna smiles when about to say these words. Could He be smiling mockingly? No, there is now no need to add salt to Arjuna’s wounds. A spiritual Teacher does not devastate 

his disciple; he educates him. The three blows earlier were given to His friend Arjuna. Now, to the disciple Arjuna, he has to give knowledge. Every Teacher is most pleased when he is called upon to do that. That is the true significance of the Lord’s smile.

“Now My job begins,” says a smiling Krishna. What job? His Job as an Avatara! 

Bharata: Addressing Dhritarashtra by this name, Sanjaya is conveying to him a subtle message: “One of your own people is going to be listening to the Lord’s message. Does that 

not make you proud? And listen to what message He is going to give – Fight, Arjuna! 

You can stop that needless killing even at this late hour if you call back your armies. Won’t you do that for the sake of your country, for Bharat Mata?”

*****

2.3   THE GEETA PHILOSOPHY COMMENCES 

INTRODUCTION TO THE GEETA TEACHING 

Continued

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