GITA Summary, Chapter- 1 of 18 (Arjuna Vishada Yoga)

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Hare Krishna. Pranam to all Vaishnavas,

Hari: SriGanapathaye Nama:

I surrender unto the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, begging for His merciful blessings to, advise Gita-rahasya to His Bhaktas of this group .

The chapter-wise summary of all (18) chapters of Bhagavad Gita , will be posted in (18) parts, and saved in the Folder, ‘Gita’ in ’s FILES.

Below you can find the following sections :

 

Introduction

GITA Summary of Chapter – 1 of 18 (ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA)--------------

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita

Introduction

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita, emanated from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna Himself, is universally accepted as ‘Song of God’.

The central message of Gita is, complete surrender to Sri Krishna, followed by performance of ‘Sva-dharma’ (prescribed duties), as an offering to Him.

Sri Krishna says : "Arjuna, you are just a pretext for the celestial song to emanate from Me". Sage Vyasa describes, Gitamrta is like the milk drawn from the Upanishadic cows, having Arjuna as the calf by the cowherd Gopala, for the benefit of Humanity.

Gita contains all Vedic knowledge. Any serious , faithful and sincere in follower of Gita will attain parama- bhakti unto the lotus feet of Bhagavan Krishna, and becomes qualified to receive His grace. There is no doubt about this.

Bhagavan Krishna instructs His bhakta to take a vow on His behalf: (kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati ). This is because Sri Krishna infallibly protects the vow of His bhakta under all circumstances, but the vow which He Himself takes can be slackened by His bhakta’s distressful prayers. Therefore, Gita-advice is the display of His natural disposition of bhakta-vatsalya .

 

Gita 4.3 : “This very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are my devotee as well as My friend; therefore you can understand this ”.

Gita 2.22 : “ As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.”

Gita 2.3 : “The non-permanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course are like the occurrence of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perceptions and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed”.

Gita 3.33 : ” Those who are free from envy, who have complete faith in Me, and who always abide by this desire of Mine (to perform nishkama-karma) are liberated from the bondage of karma.”

Gita 4.11 : “All of them–as they surrender unto Me–I reward accordingly.”

Gita 4.40 : “Those who are ignorant, faithless and of a doubting nature are ruined. For the doubting person, there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next”.

Gita 7.15 : “Those miscreants and fools who are devoid of discrimination, who are the lowest among human beings, whose knowledge has been completely stolen by maya, and who have an ‘Asuric’ (demoniac) nature, do not surrender unto Me.”

Gita 9.11-12 : “When I appear in My human-like form, foolish people with mundane intelligence disrespect Me, because they cannot comprehend My nature as the Supreme Lord of all beings. The hopes of such foolish people for liberation, fruitful gain and the culture of jnana all go in vain. Thus, with their minds distracted, they adopt the deluded nature of Atheists and Asuras. “

Gita 9.22 : “However, for those bhaktas who are always absorbed in thoughts of Me, and who worship Me with one-pointed devotion by every means, I Myself achieve all their necessities and preserve what they have.”

Gita 9.23 : “O Kaunteya, those who worship other devatas with faith, actually worship Me alone, but in a way that is unauthorized .”

Gita 9.26-27 : “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I Myself will accept it . All that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer, as well as all your austerities , should be done as an offering to Me.”

Gita 9.30-31 :“Even if one commits the most sinful actions, if he is engaged in bhakti-yoga, he quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. Declare it boldly that, My bhakta never perishes.”

Gita 10.10 -11 :“Only out of compassion for My sincere bhaktas do I, dwelling within their hearts, destroy their ignorance, with true knowledge by which they can come to Me.”

Gita 11.33 : ”Rise up, therefore, to fight and achieve glory by conquering your enemies, and thereby enjoy an unrivalled kingdom. All these warriors are already slain by Me alone. O Savyasacin (Arjuna) just become My instrument .”

Gita 12.2/12.5 : “Those bhaktas, who , fix their mind on My Syamasundara personal form (Saguna-brahman), and constantly worship Me, are the best. Those who think of Me as ‘Nirguna-brahman’ experience great difficulty, for it is troublesome for the embodied jivas to attain steadiness in that which is unmanifest .”

Gita 18.56-57 : “ While engaging in your activities, just depend upon Me always and work under My protection. You will pass over all the obstacles by My grace.”

Gita 18.65-66 : “Offer your mind to Me; become My bhakta by hearing and chanting, etc, about My names, forms, qualities and pastimes; worship Me and offer obeisances to Me. In this way, you will certainly come to Me. I promise you this truthfully because you are very dear to Me. Completely abandoning all bodily and mental dharma, such as varna and asrama, fully surrender to Me alone. I shall liberate you from all reactions to your sins. Do not grieve.”

Gita 18.67 : “ You should never explain this Gita-sastra to anyone whose senses are uncontrolled, who is a non-devotee, who is devoid of a serving mood, or who is envious of Me.”

Gita 18.68: “ He who instructs this most confidential knowledge of Gita-sastra to My bhaktas will attain parama- bhakti unto Me, and becoming free from all doubts, he will finally attain Me.”

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita is a part of the Bhishma-parva of Mahabharata and contains (18) chapters, listed below :

Chapter-1 Arjuna Vishada Yoga Chapter-2 Sankhya Yoga

Chapter-3 Karma Yoga Chapter-4 Jnana Karma Sannyasa Yoga Chapter-5 Karma Sanyasa Yoga Chapter-6 Atma Samyamana Yoga Chapter-7 Jnana Vijnana Yoga Chapter-8 Akshara Brahma Yoga Chapter-9 Rajavidya Raja Guyha YogaChapter-10 Vibhuti Yoga Chapter-11 Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga Chapter-12 Bhakti Yoga ;Chapter-13 Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga Chapter-14 Gunathraya Vibhaga Yoga Chapter-15 Purushotthama YogaChapter-16 Daivasura Sampadadvibhaga Yoga Chapter-17 Shradhatraya Vibhaga YogaChapter-18 Moksha Sanyasa Yoga

GITA Summary of Chapter - 1 ( ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA )

Preface

Chapter-1 describes the events on the eve of the Kuruksetra battle . Arjuna surveyed at a glance the Kaurava army and saw his guru, relatives and friends. So, he was overwhelmed by grief. He became weak and the weapons fell down from his hand. He cried: "Oh! Krishna, how can I fight and kill those with whom I should have been living in happiness and harmony. Of what avail would be the victory at the expense of so

many lives? Is it not true according to ‘Sruti’ that after a war there will be corruption and injustice. Especially, it is said that women may be led astray from the path of virtue. When women become immoral, the generation would be immoral. I cannot fight even if I were to win the Lordship of all the three worlds. I am in a dilemma. Please steer me across the state of indecisiveness and instruct me what I should do?".

Summary

Sloka 1

Dhritarashtra uvaca:dharma-ksetre kuruksetre / samaveta yuyutsavahmamakah pandavas caiva / kim akurvata sanjaya

(Dhritarashtra said: O Sanjaya, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do, having assembled at the sacred land of Kuruksetra, desiring to fight?)

Sloka 2

sanjaya uvaca :drstva tu pandavanikam / vyudham duryodhanas tadaacaryam upasangamya / raja vacanam abravit

(Sanjaya said: O king, after surveying the Pandava army arrayed in militaryformation. Duryodhana then approached Dronacharya and spoke the following words.)Sloka 3

pasyaitam pandu-putranam / acarya mahatim camumvyudham drupada-putrena / tava sisyena dhimata

(O Acharya! Behold this great army of the Pandavas, arranged in a militaryphalanx by your intelligent disciple Dhristadyumna, son of Drupada.)

Slokas 4-6

atra sura mahesvasa / bhimarjuna-sama yudhiyuyudhano viratas ca / drupadas ca maha-rathahdhrstaketus cekitanah / kasirajas ca viryavanpurujit kuntibhojas ca / saibyas ca nara-pungavahyudhamanyus ca vikranta / uttamaujas ca viryavansaubhadro draupadeyas ca / carva eva maha-rathah

(Present in this army are mighty bowmen, equal in combat to Arjuna and Bhima, such as Satyaki, King Virata and the great warrior Drupada. Also present are Dhrstaketu and Cekitana, heroic Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, the most valiant Saibya, and other noble men such as the victorious Yudhamanyu, the powerful Uttamauja, Abhimanyu, as well as Pratibindhya and the other sons of Draupadi. All of these are maharathis.)

Sloka 7

asmakantu visista ye / tan nibodha dvijottamanayaka mama sainyasya / samjnrtham tan bravimi te

(O Dvija-uttama, best of the brahmanas, for your information I am alsomentioning the names of those outstanding warriors along with the commanders of my army.)

Slokas 8-9

bhavan bhismas ca karnas ca / krpas ca samitinjayahasvatthama vikarnas ca / saumadattir jayadrathahanye ca bahavah sura / mad-arthe tyakta-jivitahnana-sastra-praharanah / sarve yuddha-visaradah

(In my army there are heroes like your good self (Dronacharya), GrandsireBhishma, Karna, Kripacharya, Asvatthama, Vikarna, Bhurisrava, the son of Somadatta and Jayadratha, the King of Sindhu, all of whom are ever-victorious in battle. There are many other heroes who are prepared to give up their lives for my sake. All are equipped with varieties of astra-sastra and are expert in warfare.)Sloka 10

aparyaptam tad asmakam / balam bhismabhiraksitamparyaptam tv idam etesam / balam bhimabhiraksitam

(Our forces, though protected by Bhishma, are not sufficient. On the other hand the army of the Pandavas, under the careful protection of Bhima, is fullycompetent.)Sloka 11

ayanesu ca sarvesu / yatha-bhagam avasthitahbhismam evabhiraksantu / bhavantah sarva eva hi

(Therefore you must all remain in your strategically assigned positions at theentry points and give protection to Grandsire Bhishma in every respect.)Sloka 12

tasya sanjanayam harsam / kuru-vrddhah pitamahahsimha-nadam vinadyoccaih / sankham dadhmau pratapavan

(Then Grandsire Bhishma, the valiant elder of the Kuru dynasty, loudly blew his conch-shell making a sound like the roar of a lion and thus delighted the heart of Duryodhana.)Sloka 13

tatah sankhas ca bheryas ca / panavanaka-gomukhahsahasaivabhyahamyanta / sa sabdas tumulo'bhavat(Thereafter, conch-shells, kettledrums, small drums, mridangas, horns, trumpets and various other instruments were suddenly sounded, creating a tumultuous, fearsome sound.)Sloka 14

tatah svetair hayair yukte / mahati syandane sthitaumadhavah pandavas caiva / divyau sankhau pradadhmatuh

(Then Sri Krishna and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses, blew their divine conch-shells.)

Sloka 15

pancajanyam hrsikeso / devadattam dhananjayapaundram dadhmau maha-sankham / bhima-karma vrkodarah

(Hrishikesha Sri Krishna blew His conch-shell known as Panchajanya; Dhananjaya blew his conch known as Devadatta; and Bhima, the performer of Herculean tasks, blew his great conch known as Paundra.)Sloka 16

anantavijayam raja / kunti-putro yudhisthirahnakulah sahadevas ca / sughosa-manipuspakau

(Maharaja Yudhisthira, the son of Kunti, blew the conch named Anantavijaya; Nakula blew the Sughosa conch and Sahadeva blew the conch known as Manipuspaka.)

Slokas 17-18

kasyas ca paramesvasah / sikhandi ca maha-rathahdhrtadyumno viratas ca / satyakis caparajitahdrupado draupadeyas ca / sarvasah prthivi-patesaubhadras ca maha-bahuh / sankhan dadhmuh prthak prthak

(O King of the earth, Dhritarashtra! That great archer the King of Kasi, the maharathi Sikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna and the King of Virata, the unconquerable Satyaki, King Drupada, the sons of Draupadi and Abhimanyu, the son Subhadra, then loudly resounded their respective conch-shells on all sides.)

Sloka 19

sa ghoso dhartarastranam / hrdayani vyadarayatnabhas ca prthivincaiva / tumulo 'bhyanunadayan

(Reverberating between earth and sky, the tumultuous sound of those conches shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhritarashtra.)Sloka 20

atha vyavasthitan drstva / dhartarastran kapi-dhvajahpravrtte sastra-sampate / dhanur udyamya pandavahhrsikesam tada vakyam / idam aha mahi-pate

(O King, after seeing your sons in military array, Kapi-dhvaja, Arjuna, raised his bow and prepared to shoot his arrows. He then spoke the following words to Sri Hrishikesa.)Slokas 21-23

arjuna uvaca :

senayor ubhayor madhye / ratham sthapaya me 'cyutayavad etan nirikse 'ham / yoddhu-kaman avasthitankair maya saha yoddhavayam / asmin rana-samudyameyotsyamanan avekse 'ham / ya ete 'tra samagatahdhartarastrasya durbuddher / yuddhe priya-cikirsavah

(Arjuna said: O Achyuta [O infallible one]! Please place my chariot between the two armies so I may observe all who desire to fight in this great battle. I want to see all those warriors, the well-wishers of the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra, who have assembled here.)Slokas 24-25sanjaya uvaca :

evam ukto hrsikeso /gudakesena bharatasenayor ubhayor madhye / sthapayitva rathottamambhisma-drona-pramukhatah / sarvesam ca mahiksitamuvaca partha pasyaitan / samavetan kurun iti

(Sanjaya said: O Bharata, having thus been addressed by Gudakesa (Arjuna),Hrishikesa Sri Krishna drew the excellent chariot into the midst of both armies in the presence of all the kings and prominent personalities like Bhishma, Drona and others. He then said: O Partha, just behold this assembly of Kurus.)

Sloka 26tatrapasyat sthitan parthah / pitrn atha pitamahanacaryan matulan bhratrn / putran pautran sakhims tathasvasuran suhrdas caiva / senayor ubhayor api

(There, in the midst of both armies, Arjuna saw his paternal uncles,grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, cousins, nephews, grandsons, friends, fathers-in-law and well-wishers.)

Sloka 27tan samiksya sa kaunteyah / sarvan bandhun avasthitankrpaya parayavisto / visidann idam abravit

(Seeing all his friends and relatives standing near him on the battlefield,Kaunteya, lamenting and overwhelmed with compassion for them, spoke thus.)

Sloka 28drstvemam svajanan Krishna / yuyutsun samavasthitansidanti mama gatrani / mukhanca parisusyati

(Arjuna said: O Krishna, seeing all my kinsmen assembled here with a desire to fight, I feel my limbs weakening and my mouth becoming dry.)

Sloka 29vepathus ca sarire me / roma-harsas ca jayategandivam sramsate hastat / tvak caiva paridahyate

(My body is trembling and my hair is standing on end. My Gandiva bow is slipping from my hand and my skin is burning.)Sloka 30na da saknomy avasthatum / bhramativa ca me manahnimittani ca pasyami / viparitani kesava

(O Keshava, I am unable to remain standing. My mind appears to be reeling and I detect only inauspicious omens)

Sloka 31na ca sreyo 'nupasyami / hatva svajanam ahavena kankse vijayam Krishna / na ca rajyam sukhani ca

(O Krishna, I do not see how anything auspicious can arise from killing my own kinsmen in battle. Nor do I desire victory, the resulting kingdom, or even happiness.)

Slokas 32-34kim no rajyena govinda / kim bhogair jivitena vayesam arthe kanksitam no / rajyam bhogah sukhani cata ime 'vasthita yuddhe / pranams tyaktva dhanani caacaryah pitarah putras / tathaiva ca pitamahahmatulah svasurah pautrah / syalah sambandhinas tathaetan na hantum icchami / ghnato 'pi madhusudana

(O Govinda! Of what use to us is a kingdom, enjoyment or even life itself, when those for whom we desire them; teachers, uncles, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives, are all standing before us in battle array, ready to give up their lives and wealth? Therefore, O Madhusudana, even if they kill me, I still do not wish to kill them.)

Sloka 35api trailokya-rajyasya / hetoh kinnu mahi-krtenihatya dhartarastran nah / ka pritih syaj janardana

(O Janardana, if we kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, even for the sake of sovereignty over the three worlds [the upper, middle and lower planetary systems in the material universe], what to speak of this earth, what satisfaction will we derive?)

Sloka 36papam evasrayed asman / hatvaitan atatayinahtasman narha vayam hantum / dhartarastran sa-bandhavansvajanam hi katham hatva / sukhinah syama madhava

(O Madhava, we will only incur sin by killing all these aggressors. Therefore, it is improper to kill Duryodhana and our other relatives. How could we be happy by slaying our own kinsmen?)

Slokas 37-38yadyapy ete na pasyanti / lobhopahata/cetasahkula-ksaya-krtam dosam / mitra-drohe ca patakamkatham na jneyam asmabhih / papad asman nivarttitumkula-ksaya-krtam dosam / prapasyadbhir janardana

(O Janardhana, the intelligence of Duryodhana and others has been polluted by greed to attain the kingdom. Thus, they are unable to conceive of the lawlessness that arises from destroying the dynasty, or the sin incurred by betraying their friends. But why should we, who have such knowledge, engage in such improper acts as these?)

Sloka 39kula-ksaye pranasyanti / kula-dharmah sanatanahdharme naste kulam krtsnam / adharmo 'bhibhavaty uta

(When a dynasty is destroyed, the ancient dharmic traditions of the family handed down through that dynasty are also destroyed. Upon the destruction of dharma, the entire dynasty becomes overpowered by adharma.)

Sloka 40adharmabhibhavat Krishna / pradusyanti kula-striyahstrisu dustasu varsneya / jayate varna-sankarah

(O Krishna, when a dynasty is overpowered by adharma, the women of that dynasty become degraded. O descendant of Vrishni, when women become degraded and unchaste varna-sankarah (unwanted progeny) are born.)

Sloka 41sankaro narakayaiva / kula-ghnanam kulasya capatanti pitaro hy esam / lupta-pindodaka-kriyah

(Such unwanted progeny certainly force hellish conditions upon both the family and the destroyers of the dynasty. Indeed, their forefathers, bereft of oblations of sanctified food and water, must also suffer the same fate.)

Sloka 42dosair etaih kula-ghnanam / varna-sankara-karakaihutsadyante jati-dharmah / kula-dharmas ca sasvatah

(Due to the evil deeds of these destroyers of the dynasty, the dharmic principles of teaching in accordance with timeless family tradition are sunk into oblivion.)

Sloka 43utsanna-kula-dharmanam / manusyanam janardananarake niyatam vaso / bhavatity anususruma

(O Janardana, I have heard that those who abolish their dynasty's dharmic principles suffer in hell for an unlimited period of time.)

Sloka 44aho bata mahat-papam / karttum vyavasita vayamyad rajya-sukha-lobhena / hantum svajanam udyatah

(Alas! How amazing it is that we are determined to engage in this great sin. Driven by greed for royal happiness, we are prepared to slay our own kinsmen.)

Sloka 45yadi mam apratikaram / asastram sastra-panayahdhartarastra rane hanyus / tan me ksemataram bhavet

( If the fully-armed sons of Dhritarashtra were to kill me unarmed and unresisting on the battlefield, even that would be more auspicious for me.)

Sloka 46sanjaya uvaca :evam uktvarjunah sankhye / rathopastha upavisatvisrjya sa-saram capam / soka-samvigna-manasah

(Sanjaya said: Having spoken these words in the midst of the battlefield, Arjuna, his mind distracted by lamentation, sat down on the chariot and cast aside his bow and arrows.)

Thus end the First Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita, which gives pleasure to the bhaktas and is accepted by all saintly persons.

Ohm Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya!!!

SriKrishnaDasa Rajeev

(To Continue in next part ..)

 

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