Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse Brief Explanation - II 1:47 II

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II 1:47 II

 

Sanjaya uvaacha:

 

evam uktvarjunah sankhye, rathopastha upaavishat

visrjya sa-sharam chaapam, shoka-samvigna-maanasah (Gita 1:47)

 

Overwhelmed with grief in the battlefield, Arjuna slumped into the

seat of his chariot abandoning his bow and arrow.

 

In the Upanishad of Bhagavad Gita, the knowledge of Brahman, the

Supreme, the science of Yoga and the dialogue between Sri Krishna

and Arjuna, this is the first discourse designated: THE DESPONDENCY

OF ARJUNA.

 

From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 17 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

 

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Chapter 1, Verse 47 is as follows;

 

Sanjaya = Sanjaya

Uvaacha = said

Evam = thus

Uktva = having said

ArjunaH = Arjuna

Sankhye = in the battle

RathopasthaH = on the seat of the chariot

Upaavishat = sat down

Visrujya = having caste away

Sasharam = arrow

Chaapam = bow

Shoka - Samvigna – ManasaH = with a mind distressed with sorrow

 

English translation:-

 

Sanjaya said, " Having spoken so much in the battle-field, having his

mind overwhelmed with sorrow, abandoning his bow and arrows, Arjuna

sat down on the seat of his chariot. "

 

The concluding Verse of Chapter 1 is as follows;

 

Om = the mono-syllable, which is considered to be the starting point

of the Universe

Tat = that

Sat = real

Iti = thus

Shreemad = the glorious

Bhagawad = the Lord

Geetasu = in the celestial song

Upanishadtsu = in the Upanishad

Brahma – Vidyaayaam = in the knowledge of Brahman

Yoga-Shaastre = the science of Yoga

Shree – Krishna – Arjuna – Samvaade = in the dialogue between Shri

Krishna and Arjuna

Arjuna – Vishaada – Yogo = the Yoga of Arjuna's despondency

Naama – PrathamodhyaayaH = designated as the first discourse

 

HariH Om Tat Sat = Lord Krishna, the representative of the Supreme

Being, is the real one.

 

English translation:-

 

Om that is real. Thus, in the Upanishad of the glorious and

celestial song of Lord Krishna, the knowledge of Brahman, the

Supreme, the science of Yoga and the dialogue between Shri Krishna

and Arjuna, this is the first discourse designated as " the Yoga of

Arjuna's despondency " . It is a custom to conclude every chapter in

Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta with three times recitation of: - Lord

Krishna, the representative of the Supreme Being, is the real One.

 

`Upanishada' is a word which indicates a treasure trove, a loss-less

literature that is to be studied by sitting (shad), near (upa) a

Guru i.e. teacher, in a spirit of receptiveness and surrender (ni).

 

In Sanskrit language, the word `Yoga' comes from the root `Yuj' i.e.

to join. Join with what? Join with the Self, the Atman which is a

subset of the superset called as `Brahman'.

 

Even the word `religion' has epistemological origin in the Latin

word `religare' i.e. to tie fast. Tie fast with what? It is again

the same thing i.e. to tie fast with the eternal enlivening

principle of the Universe.

 

Thus all Sadhakas will appreciate that the basis of all religions of

this mortal world is the common denominator of joining with the

Self.

 

Maharshee Veda Vyaasa had first offered the `Divya Chakshus' i.e.

divine vision to King Dhritarashtra. But due to his true `Taamasika'

nature, he just ignored the special offer with the firm belief and

with however misplaced super-confidence that his devious strategies

are going to fructify sooner or later. His outward display of `could

not care less' attitude was so much deceptive that the first nine

days after the commencement of the royal battle, he did not bother

to know the developments in the battle-filed. On the tenth day from

the date of the commencement of the royal battle, he could not

remain indifferent and finally asked Sanjaya, " As you have been

gifted with `Divya Chakshus' i.e. divine vision by Maharshee Veda

Vyaasa, tell me now what is the matter? Why all of you are so

silent? "

 

The first verse of Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta is attributed to King

Dhritarashtra. What a great pity that he had nothing else to offer

in the entire celestial divine song called as Shreemad Bhagawad

Geeta. This is indeed the height of display of the `Taamasika'

nature of insane King Dhritarashtra. Any other sane person in his

place would have been transformed by the divine celestial song of

Lord Krishna. King Dhritaraashtra was not only physically blind; he

was totally blind to the realities of this world. Such blind persons

ultimately perish without any doubt.

 

In the contemporary language, Lord Krishna is a master salesman. He

could sell all the concepts with so much ease to Arjuna. Lord

Krishna deftly managed the superb transformation of Arjuna from the

lowest state of `Na Yotsye' i.e. I will never fight this battle to

the highest state of `NaShtaH MohaH, SmrutiH Labdhvaa…..Karishye

Vachanam Tava' i.e. my entire delusion has been completely

destroyed, I have regained the cognition of my obligatory duties as

a true warrior and with your grace O Lord Krishna, I volunteer the

best of my services and sacrifices to become an instrument in the

divine purpose as ordained by you.

 

In the contemporary language, Lord Krishna is also a master

politician. As per instruction of the Boss Arjuna, Lord Krishna

positioned the chariot in between the two armies but in front of

Bheeshmaachaarya and Dronaachaarya. His intended purpose was to put

Arjuna to the severest test of `Moha and Maaya'. Arjuna became

victim to his strategy. The effect was so profound that Arjuna

forgot his `Sva-Dharma' i.e. his true role of a warrior and sought

the path of the least resistance and the softest option of total

resignation from the battle. But these so called `Nivruttee' i.e.

abdication and `NirvaaNa' i.e. renunciation of his responsibilities

were not born out of true knowledge of the Self i.e. the Atman a

fraction of all pervading Brahman.

 

In the contemporary language, Lord Krishna is also a brilliant

strategist. In the 11th chapter, he offered the `Divya Chakshus'

i.e. divine vision to Arjuna. In the fast forward action re-play of

the events in the royal battle, Lord Krishna showed the deaths of

Bheeshmaachaarya, Dronaachaarya, Karna and hundred sons of King

Dhritaraashtra and many other warriors on both the sides, but he

skillfully avoided showing death of Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna and

Subhadra. "

 

If it is not the divine intervention of Lord Krishna, then what else

it can be!

 

In summary of the first chapter, what happened to Arjuna is a tale a

tell story of countless millions of ordinary people. With total

disregard to the Self, without applying intellect, under the magical

spell of constantly agitated mind and with incapacitated physical

organs; such countless millions of people fail to function up to

their most optimum capacities and cease to perform their obligatory

duties. Thus they continue to fall prey to the seemingly unending

cycles of birth and death in this mortal world.

 

In the contemporary legal language, the first chapter is a pre-amble

i.e. a preliminary statement, especially the introduction to a

formal document that serves to explain its larger purpose.

 

Lord Krishna's divine role is to offer Arjuna the time-tested dose

of `Tat Tvam Asi' i.e. you are the real One. Every being is indeed a

true representative of that enlivening principle of all pervading

infinite energy in the universe that is termed as Brahman.

 

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.

From Gita Talk Moderators

Ram Ram