Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse Brief Explanation - II 1:35 II

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II 1:35 II

 

etaan na hantum icchaami, ghnato 'pi madhusudana

api trailokya-raajyasya, hetoh kim nu mahee-krte (Gita 1:35)

 

Though myself slain by them, I would not, O Madhusudana (Krishna),

seek to slay them even for the sake of sovereignty of the three

worlds, then for the sake of the earth, what is point of slaying

them?

 

From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 14 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

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Chapter 1, Verse 35 is as follows;

 

Etaan = these

Na = not

Hantum = to kill

Ichchhaami = wish / consent

GhnataH = killed by them

Api = even if

Madhusoodan = O Krishna!

Api = even

Trailokya = the three Worlds

Raajyasya = dominion over

HetoH = for the sake of

Kim = how

Nu = then

Maheekrute = for the sake of the Earth

 

English translation:-

 

These I do not consent to kill, even though I might be killed by

them. O Krishna, not even for the sovereignty of the three Worlds,

then what about only for the sake of this Earth?

 

The three Worlds refer to the Earth, the Heaven and the intermediate

region between them. Some would like to include the Hell as well. So

be it.

 

Maharshee Veda Vyaasa has uncanny knack of selecting the most

appropriate proper nouns and adjectives in every verse of Shreemad

Bhagawad Geeta.

 

In this 35th verse, Arjuna refers to Lord Krishna as `Madhusudana'

i.e. the killer of the wicked demon `Madhu'. The title

of `Madhusudana' is the everlasting glory of Lord Krishna. Arjuna

seems to argue that if he ever indulges in this gruesome battle,

then it will be his everlasting ignominy as the killer of his own

kith and kin. This is tantamount to the worst sins that he does not

want to commit by choice.

 

Whenever you are under the influence your mind that has total

control over your intellect, you always worry about the past

mistakes, shortcomings in your life and ponder over the anxieties

about the uncertain future events. But you tend to ignore the

present moment and do not perform what you ought to do right now at

this very moment. This is the frailty of human mind.

 

Arjuna's abject surrender to his fickle mind has completely

overshadowed his rational thinking ability and all his emotional

outbursts seems to be hollow sounds, without any universal appeal.

 

Observing that Lord Krishna is not budging to his emotional appeal,

Arjuna decides to declare with a mock spirit of renunciation, that

he has such a large heartedness that he will not kill his kith and

kin, even if they were to kill him. Further in a quixotic

exaggeration, he declares that just leave aside the mere victory

over the Hastinapura Kingdom, he could not care less about the

victory over the three worlds.

 

It reminds me of an old song of famous playback singer late Mohamed

Rafi, " Yeh Duniya, Yeh Mafafil, Mere Kaamaki Nahin " i.e. this

gathering and this world is of no consequence to me anymore.

 

Without the requisite intellectual sanction, this is a classic case

of false renunciation. Such tendencies of abrupt withdrawal from the

world are indeed suicidal in nature and sometimes result in total

destruction of a precious human life.

 

Every human being is an architect of his / her destiny. Therefore,

the central theme of Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta is to encourage every

human being to direct his / her entire energies towards `Pravruttee'

i.e. what ought to be done in life as against `Nivruttee' i.e. false

renunciation of one's duties and responsibilities that ought to be

performed irrespective of hankering for name, fame and material gain

and without undue considerations of one's likes and dislikes.

 

Thanking you,

With Best Regards,

 

Shrikant Joshi

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MESSAGES FROM OTHER SADHAKS

 

I really don't know how could I have ever been able to understand

each and every verse / word of Geeta so finely and nicely

explained. Thanks a million.

 

Makhara Sankranthi & Happy Pongal

 

Mrs. K. Asani

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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