Bhagavad Geeta Parama Saaram by Thirukullam Narasimha Raghavachariar Chapter 2 Part 1

[Guest guest]

Sanjaya: "Oh King Dhritaraashtra! Arjuna had dropped his bow and arrows

and squatted at the bottom of his chariot with a heavy heart and eyes

brimming with tears. "Aho pada matat paapam kartum vyavasthithaa

vayam", he yelled. In this way, he gave vent to his grief. The evil

spirit called "compassion" totally possessed Arjuna at this untimely

hour. Seeing Arjuna suffer in this way, the personification of mercy -

Madhusoodhana - the chastiser of the Madhu demon, began his preparations

to kill the demon of misplaced compassion in Arjuna by speaking the

following words."

 

Dhritaraashtra: "Sanjaya! What did Kannan say? Please elaborate

expeditiously."

 

Sanjaya: "Oh King! Listen to what the Supreme Lord said. "Do not show

mercy to enemies. Having taken birth in a noble family, and having

learnt the meaning of all the Sastras, you should not give in to

compassion at this inopportune time. Aryans, the possessors of true

knowledge, will not behave in this way. If you let grief take control

of you in this way, you will not attain an auspicious birth in your next

life. Ignominy will haunt you for the rest of your life in this birth.

Therefore, stop grieving! Partha! Don't be a coward! Shed fear! Are

the memories of being a eunuch during your one year incognito, still

haunting you? This behavior does not behoove an ideal man like you, who

has been gifted with magnificent strong arms and bravery to match. Get

rid of this ignoble cowardice and get up and fight in the war."

 

Dhritaraashtra: "What reply did Arjuna give to this?"

 

Sanjaya: "Because of untimely misplaced compassion towards his enemies,

Arjuna considered righteous action to be a sin. Therefore, he did not

get up to do battle as instructed by the Supreme Lord. He did not

understand that it was Kannan's resolve to make a war available as a

means to liberation for generations of Kshatriyas. Therefore Arjuna put

this question to the Supreme Lord. "Oh destroyer of foes! Bhishma and

Drona are such exalted personalities, that their feet are worthy of

being adorned with flowers. Their status is exalted. While I consider

not worshipping them to be a sin, you are asking me to aim arrows at

them! How can I take this to be good advice? You have also killed

demons like Madhu. But you did not treat your Acharya Sandipani Muni

and others of similar stature in the same fashion!"

 

Sri Bhagavan: "Will you be able to attain victory in battle by failing

to combat the Acharyas who have come to do battle with you? Without

victory can you win back your lost kingdom? Without a kingdom, can you

have the means of substinence? Without bodily necessities, how will you

keep body and soul together?"

 

Arjuna: "Krishna! How can I occupy the seats previously occupied by my

Acharyas after killing them? How can I enjoy the material comforts

which belonged to them, even though they may have been conceited and

over attached to material comforts? I shudder to imagine the scenes of

them vomiting blood after having been felled by my arrows. Won't I be

reminded of this scene every time I enjoy some material comforts.

Leading a life of a beggar is far superior to a life of comforts at this

price."

 

Sri Bhagavan: "Arjuna! Living off of alms is the proper means of

livelihood for a Brahmana. You are however a kshatriya. Therefore

isn't begging a sin for you?"

 

Arjuna: "Begging is a sin (for one who is a Kshatriya). Killing

Acharyas is also a sin. While contemplating the difference between the

two, killing of Acharyas appears to me, to be a far more heinous crime."

 

Sri Bhagavan: "Having started a war, if you decide not to fight in the

middle of it, won't all of you be killed by the sons of Dhritaraashtra?

(The sons of Dhritaraashtra were as blind in their attachment to the

possession of a kingdom as Dhritaraashtra was in his attachment to

fulfilling their desires. Therefore they will show no mercy in sparing

the lives of warriors not ready to do combat with them.)

 

Arjuna: "Let them all kill us. Will we be victorious over Duryodhana

and company? Or will they be victorious over us? Will auspicious

tidings befall us, if we overcame them in battle? Let us look

objectively at which of the two propositions is superior (us killing

them versus them killing us). The very people, by killing whom, we will

have no interest in living, have become our enemies and are ready to

confront us on the battlefield. What can I do? Oh Krishna! I am

unable to decide on the correct course of action! I am not able to

think of a means to get rid of this grief. As a result, I stand bereft

of all courage. Please advise me about the course of action that is in

my best interest, since you are omniscient (all knowing). I am your

disciple. Please accept me as such and tell me what is best for me."

 

Sri Bhagavan: "Dhananjaya! Just sit back and ponder. You will

understand what is in your best interest. Or else seek somebody else's

assistance. They will tell you what is best for you. Besides, even if

you are My disciple, I am not willing to lecture an adamant upstart, who

is not willing to heed My words."

 

Arjuna: "Oh Lord of All (Sarveshwara)! I am ignorant and helpless. I

have no refuge other than You. I have no means other than turning to

You for help. I will act per Your desire. Therefore you should

enlighten me about the means to get rid of my grief, for I am a servant

who is surrendered to You."

 

Dhritaraashtra: "What is the intention behind Arjuna approaching this

issue in this manner?"

 

Sanjaya: ""My grief will not be subdued even by obtaining Lordship of

the three worlds. You have to protect me by enlightening me with the

concept of tattva (reality), hita (the means to obtain a desired result)

and Purushaartha (ultimate objective)." Thus prayed Arjuna the one who

had conquered sorrow and laziness and who was blessed with the ability

to destroy enemies, to the Master of the senses, Hrishikesa. Having

made this entreaty, Arjuna maintained silence, giving Sri Bhagavan an

opportunity to talk.

 

Bhagavan Himself caused the confusion in Arjuna's mind:-

 

While departing for Kurukshetra and while blowing the conch shell, the

same Arjuna who had no doubts about what is right and wrong, had his

senses confused by the will of the Master of the senses Hrishikesa.

With a view to using Arjuna as a pretext, He confused Arjuna's mind and

thereby made the esoteric knowledge of the Upanishads available to all

living entities, when Arjuna surrendered to Him.

 

The clear headed Arjuna was thus confused by the Supreme Lord, who has

forever sworn to protect the truth. Sri Krishna then made Arjuna

surrender to Him for the sake of removing the confusion and to lead a

life righteous life after understanding Dharma.

 

Bhagavaan could have made Arjuna fight the battle, just by His mere

will. The fact that He did not do so, but chose to reveal the Geeta,

makes it clear that the likes of us have the responsibility to

understand the Saastra and abide by its principles. Until this point,

we have the prelude to the incarnation of Srimad Bhagavad Geeta.

 

The next part is the avataaram of the Srimad Bhagavad Geeta. It is very

interestingly written. If you enjoyed the above post please support Sri

Ranganatha Temple which made this possible. Send your tax deductible

check to Sri Ranganatha Temple. P O Box 120, West Nyack, NY 10994. or

visit

 

http://dileepan.busi.utc.edu/ahboard.html

 

for monthly direct debits from your bank account. Please visit Sri

Ranganatha Temple homepage at

 

http://www.geocities.com/~ahobilam/ranga.html

 

and enjoy the beauty of this archa avataram from the comfort of your

home or office.

 

adiyen

jaganath.