Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse Brief Explanation - II 1:46 II

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II 1:46 II

 

yadi maam apratikaaram, ashastram shastra-paanayah

dhartarastra rane hanyus, tan me kshemataram bhavet (Gita 1:46)

 

Should the sons of Dhrtarastra armed with weapons slay me, while

unresisting and unarmed in the battle, that would indeed be better

for me.

 

From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 17 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

 

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Chapter 1, Verse 46 is as follows;

 

Yadi = if

Maam = me

Apratikaaram = unresisting

Ashastram = unarmed

Shastra-PaaNayaH = weapons in hand

Dhaartra-RaaShtraaH = the sons of Dhritarashtra

RaNe = in the battle

HanyuH = should slay

Tat = that

Me = of me

Kshemataram = better (In some prints of Geeta, Priyataram = as per

one's likings)

Bhavet = would be

 

English translation:-

 

Should the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, slay the

unresisting and the unarmed one like me in the battle; that would

indeed be a better option for me!

 

The despondency of Arjuna now culminates in desperate total

resignation from his role in the royal battle. To dissuade Arjuna

from the so called `futile battle' was indeed the real purpose of

Sanjaya's mediation prior to the day of commencement of the epic

battle. It was ulterior motive of wily King Dhritarashtra, to create

imaginary scenarios such that the Pandavaas will ultimately fall

prey to the lofty ideals and arguments. Such tactics are always

deployed by crooked politicians all over the world in order to sway

the ignorant masses in their favour.

 

As a matter of fact, Arjuna is not ignorant of the most selfish and

crooked attitudes of the Kauravaas. But he was unaware that they

will deploy the tactics of the carnivorous animals like tigers and

lions, of identifying the young innocents and the sick animals as

their prime targets.

 

Arjuna was the main focal point in the devious strategy of King

Dhritarashtra. His calculations were that if Arjuna could be

alienated then that will have the desired effect of driving a solid

wedge in the entire preparations of the Pandavaas. If Arjuna drops

out, the next one to drop out will be Dharmaveer Yudhishthira, who

had already responded positively to the arguments of Sanjaya. Bheema

can be tackled by Duryodhana and the rest can be conquered by sheer

brutal force.

 

Draupadi had rebuked the five Pandavaas, that if they ever decide

not to wage war and not to restore her honour then in that case her

father Drupada, her brother Dhristadyumna, her five sons and

Abhimanyu – son of Subhadra will fight the Kauravaas and restore her

modesty and dignity.

 

What happened to Arjuna is a tale a tell story of countless

millions of human beings. Arjuna has been struggling throughout his

life so far to obtain justice. Yet he is incapable of properly

understanding either himself or his fellow citizens or the real

nature of the universe in which he is placed. Arjuna is just

stressing the physical pain and the material discomfort that the

royal battle may end up with for one and all. At many such crucial

moments, an ordinary man just gives up with the mere thoughts of

impending disaster and adverse circumstances.

 

This was the moment the Kauravaas were dreaming about so that the

battle can be avoided by ugly demonstration of brutal force on one

side and generating debilitating mental trauma to the softest

target, the gullible Arjuna, on the other side.

 

Arjuna with a broken heart arrives at his final conclusion that

abstaining from war is the best option left to him. The fear of the

dire straits and consequences of the royal battle and hindrance in

the welfare of his kith and kin have resulted in his final analysis

of abdication of his role in the impending battle. This is quite

similar to many cases of bright young students, who do not appear in

the final examinations due to their imaginary fears of their poor

performance which might result into undesirable consequences.

 

`Kshema' is the material and physical security while `Priya' is the

expectation of desirable outcome and `Moksha' is the spiritual self-

mastery.

 

In the verse 22 of chapter 9, Lord Krishna has said, " But to those

who worship Me, meditating on Me alone, to them who always

persevere, I bring attainment of Yoga i.e. whatever they do not have

and `Kshema' i.e. security in whatever little they have. "

 

Arjuna is still not aware that, very soon he is going to be a lucky

winner and the most worthy recipient of " Geeta-Amrutam'. Lord

Krishna is soon going to guide Arjuna to perform `Purushaartha' i.e.

the implicit divine role of every human being in the excellence of

one's obligatory duties in `Dharma' i.e. righteous behaviour,

`Artha' i.e. earning a livelihood by fair means, `Kaama' i.e.

creation of progenies in accordance with scriptures and finally

`Moksha' i.e. to be united with the Self, the enlivening principle

of the universe by the guaranteed instrument of `Nishkaama Karma'

i.e. actions devoid of desires.

 

Thanks & Best Regards,

 

Shrikant Joshi.

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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.

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Ram Ram