BHAGAVAD-GITA 2:32

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 2:32

 

yadrcchaya copapannam

svarga-dvaram apavrtam

sukhinah ksatriyah partha

labhante yuddham idrsam

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

yadrcchaya--by its own accord; ca--also; upapannam--arrived at;

svarga--of the heavenly planets; dvaram--door; apavrtam--wide open;

sukhinah--very happy; ksatriyah--the members of the royal order;

partha--O son of Prtha; labhante--do achieve; yuddham--war;

idrsam--like this.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Partha, happy are the ksatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities

come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets.

 

PURPORT

 

As supreme teacher of the world, Lord Krsna condemns the attitude of

Arjuna, who said, "I do not find any good in this fighting. It will

cause perpetual habitation in hell." Such statements by Arjuna were

due to ignorance only. He wanted to become nonviolent in the discharge

of his specific duty. For a ksatriya to be on the battlefield and to

become nonviolent is the philosophy of fools. In the Parasara-smrti,

or religious codes made by Parasara, the great sage and father of

Vyasadeva, it is stated:

 

ksatriyo hi praja raksan

sastra-panih pradandayan

nirjitya para-sainyadi

ksitim dharmena palayet

 

"The ksatriya's duty is to protect the citizens from all kinds of

difficulties, and for that reason he has to apply violence in suitable

cases for law and order. Therefore he has to conquer the soldiers of

inimical kings, and thus, with religious principles, he should rule

over the world."

 

Considering all aspects, Arjuna had no reason to refrain from

fighting. If he should conquer his enemies, he would enjoy the

kingdom; and if he should die in the battle, he would be elevated to

the heavenly planets, whose doors were wide open to him. Fighting

would be for his benefit in either case.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.