BHAGAVAD-GITA 2:14

[Guest guest]

BHAGAVAD-GITA 2:14

 

matra-sparsas tu kaunteya

sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah

agamapayino 'nityas

tams titiksasva bharata

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

matra-sparsah--sensory perception; tu--only; kaunteya--O son of Kunti;

sita--winter; usna--summer; sukha--happiness; duhkha--and pain;

dah--giving; agama--appearing; apayinah--disappearing;

anityah--nonpermanent; tan--all of them; titiksasva--just try to

tolerate; bharata--O descendant of the Bharata dynasty.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress,

and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and

disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense

perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them

without being disturbed.

 

PURPORT

 

In the proper discharge of duty, one has to learn to tolerate

nonpermanent appearances and disappearances of happiness and distress.

According to Vedic injunction, one has to take his bath early in the

morning even during the month of Magha (January-February). It is very

cold at that time, but in spite of that a man who abides by the

religious principles does not hesitate to take his bath. Similarly, a

woman does not hesitate to cook in the kitchen in the months of May

and June, the hottest part of the summer season. One has to execute

his duty in spite of climatic inconveniences. Similarly, to fight is

the religious principle of the ksatriyas, and although one has to

fight with some friend or relative, one should not deviate from his

prescribed duty. One has to follow the prescribed rules and

regulations of religious principles in order to rise up to the

platform of knowledge, because by knowledge and devotion only can one

liberate himself from the clutches of maya (illusion).

 

The two different names of address given to Arjuna are also

significant. To address him as Kaunteya signifies his great blood

relations from his mother's side; and to address him as Bharata

signifies his greatness from his father's side. From both sides he is

supposed to have a great heritage. A great heritage brings

responsibility in the matter of proper discharge of duties; therefore,

he cannot avoid fighting.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.