Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse Brief Explanation - II 1:27 II

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II 1:27 II

 

taan sameekshya sa kaunteyah, saarvan bandhun avasthitaan

kripayaa parayaavisto, visheedannidam abraveet (Gita 1:27)

 

Arjuna, the son of Kunti, seeing all these relations present there

and standing at their appointed places was possessed by extreme

timidity and cowardice and being in deep despair and feeling

dejected he uttered the following words.

 

From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 12 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

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Chapter 1, Verse 27 is as follows;

 

Taan = those

Sameekshya = having seen

SaH = he

KaunteyaH = Arjuna

Sarvaan = all

Bandhun = relatives

Avasthitaan = standing

Krupayaa = by pity

Parayaa = deep

AaviShthaH = filled

ViSheedan = sorrowfully

Idam = this

Abraveet = said

 

English translation:-

 

He, the son of Kunti, gazing at those kinsmen thus posted in

positions, filled with deep pity uttered these words in sorrow.

 

A crisis is brewing in the mind of Arjuna. Rather than behaving like

a matured warrior, he starts behaving like an immature child. His

stout-heartedness is suddenly replaced by tender-heartedness.

Ultimately, he becomes a victim to the twisted logic of futility of

war that was advocated to Paandavaas by Sanjay as per the

instructions from King Dritarashtra.

 

Instead of seeing evil-minded war-mongers in the army of Kauravaas,

Arjuna now sees his dear preceptors, relatives, acquaintances and

friends. The feelings of love, affection and reverence for them

overpower Arjuna's all rational faculties. The very thought of

impending and inevitable doom and gloom of his loved ones; shatters

Arjuna's resolve to fight the righteous war. Finally, his distorted

and myopic vision lands him into a state of debilitating pity and

utter sorrow.

 

This dramatic change in his outlook and disposition is certainly not

outcome of his ability of discrimination but rather the lack of it.

Such a loss of discrimination (called A-Viveka in Sanskrit), that is

born of ignorance (called A-Gyaana in Sanskrit) is indeed the gateway

to the sudden fall and degradation (called AdhaH-Patana in Sanskrit)

of even such a fine human being of the calibre and stature of Arjuna.

 

Arjuna had an impeccable track record of emerging victorious even in

fights with King of Gandharvas i.e. Chitraratha, Lord Shankara and

King of gods i.e. Lord Indra. He had no doubts about his own

abilities to wage war with anyone nor was he worried about his

victory. What reduced him to shambles was the dejected feeling after

thinking over the consequences of war for the family, tribe, and

country. And that he himself will be held responsible for their

total destruction in the annals of history.

 

Thanks & Best Regards,

Shrikant Joshi

--

Dear sadhakas,

Shrikantji is doing a fine job of quoting from recent memory. He

quoted about Napoleon, and now about Lord Tennyson. Hre is a full

text of Charge of the Light Brigade

 

The Charge of the Light Brigade

 

I Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death, Rode the six hundred.

`Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!' he said:

Into the valley of Death. Rode the six hundred.

 

II 'Forward, the Light Brigade!', Was there a man dismay'd?

Not tho' the soldier knew, Some one had blunder'd:

Their's not to make reply, Their's not to reason why,

Their's but to do and die:

Into the valley of Death, Rode the six hundred.

 

III Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them, Volley'd and thunder'd;

Storm'd at with shot and shell, Boldly 0 they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell

Rode the six hundred.

 

IV Flash'd all their sabres bare, Flash'd as they turn'd in air

Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while

All the world wonder'd: Plunged in the battery-smoke

Right thro' the line they broke; Cossack and Russian

Reel'd from the sabre-stroke, Shatter'd and sunder'd.

Then they rode back, but not; Not the six hundred.

 

V Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them,

Cannon behind them Volley'd and thunder'd;

Storm'd at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell,

They that had fought so well,Came thro' the jaws of Death,

Back from the mouth of Hell, All that was left of them,

Left of six hundred.

 

VI When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made!

All the world wonder'd. Honour the charge they made!

Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred!

 

Namaskar to all,

Suhas Gogate

 

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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