Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse Brief Explanation - II 1:26 II

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II 1:26 II

 

tatrapasyat sthitan parthah, pitrn atha pitamahan

acaryan matulan bhratrn, putran pautran sakhims tatha

svasuran suhridas caiva, enayor ubhayor api (Gita 1:26)

 

Standing there, Arjuna then saw in both armies, his uncles, grand-

uncles, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, cousins, sons,

grandsons, friends, fathers-in-law, well- wishers, as well.

 

From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 11 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

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Chapter 1, Verse 26 is as follows;

 

Tatra = there

Apashyat = saw

Sthitaan = stationed

PaarthaH = Arjuna

Pitrun = fathers

Atha = and

Pitaamahaan = grandfathers

Aachaaryaan = teachers

Maatulaan = maternal uncles

Bhraatrun = brothers

Putraan = sons

Pautraan = grandsons

Sakheen = friends expecting something in return / comrades

Tathaa = too

Shwashuraan = fathers-in-law

SuhridaH =friends with pure hearts expecting nothing in return /

benefactors

Cha = and

Eva = also

SenayoH = in armies

UbhayoH = both

Api = also

 

English translation:-

 

Standing there, Arjuna behold in both the armies, paternal uncles,

grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, cousins, sons, grandsons,

comrades, fathers-in-law and benefactors.

 

Upon the prompting by Lord Krishna, Arjuna saw all the preceptors,

relatives, friends and acquaintances. But the tragedy was that he

saw them as individuals and personalities and not as warriors. Arjun

forgot the basics that for a soldier, there is nothing personal in

any war. Other than executing one's obligatory duty of fighting in

total perfection, there is no other personal, hidden agenda for any

warrior.

 

Rather than rising above the tide of petty emotions and affinity of

personal relationships, Arjuna was drawn into the whirlpool of

emotions of pity and compassion. Arjuna for the first time realised

the miseries and tragedies of a fratricidal war and its catastrophic

effects on human lives.

 

No doubt, there is a popular Sanskrit saying that " Yuddhasya Kathaa

RamyaaH Na Tu YuddhaH " i.e. war stories are very interesting but not

the war itself.

 

Arjuna was never worried about his own ability to win any war. But

he was not ready to cause any harm to his own kinsmen. As an

analogy, consider the practice followed by medical professionals

today. A doctor avoids giving medical treatment to his close

relative. A surgeon avoids performing medical operation on his close

relative. The mental involvement in the well being of a patient, who

happens to be a relative, dissuades them from taking any drastic

decision, which they would easily take with other unrelated

patients. Therefore, in such cases, they resort to consultation of

unrelated doctors and surgeons for related patients.

 

Human intellect is driven by objective analysis, which we term as

rationality; where as human mind is driven by subjective analysis,

which we term as emotionality. As long as human intellect and human

mind are in perfect synchronism, there is harmony and singular goal

of attainment of unity with the Self i.e. Aatman – the eternal,

enlivening principle that invigorates a human body.

 

The sight of his preceptors, relatives, friends and acquaintances

drives Arjuna into a sudden overpowering emotional, mental stupor

that completely wipes out the very `Raison d'être' i.e. the rational

or the justification of the righteous war, in his modified

perspective.

 

As an analogy, consider the famous monologue in Shakespeare's Hamlet;

 

" To be or not to be, that is the question;

whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

 

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles "

 

The thoughts of renunciation of war are gathering a storm in

Arjuna's mind, without realising that it will amount to total

abdication of his `Kshatra Dharma' i.e. obligatory duty as a warrior.

 

It is Lord Krishna's divine purpose to pull Arjuna out of his mental

stupor and convert from the status of `Na Yotsye' i.e. I will not

fight this war to `Karishye Vachanam Tava' i.e. I will follow your

advice and fight the war.

 

Thanks & Best Regards,

Shrikant Joshi.

---

 

Shree Hari

Ram Ram

Thank you Shri Shrikantji Joshi for taking the initiative to support

this divine work and to Mrs. K Asani for requesting shloka

explanation on a daily basis.

From Gita Talk Moderators

Ram Ram