Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse Brief Explanation - II 2:3 II

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|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

 

We are unable to respond to each sadhak individually regarding the

Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse, here is the summary -

 

- Yes other sadhaks can and should contribute as well.

- We can revisit previous verses for discussion / clarification

- Yes we will try to include Introduction to Chapters

- Yes summary of a Chapter is a good idea along with Principles and

Laws emanating from it.

- Summary of Chapter from Sadhak Sanjivani " AS IS " is a good idea

- Yes, Epilogue / Important Facts in each verse good to bring out.

- Those who have a deep understanding of Sadhak Sanjivani and

observe certain key points missing in these daily messages, please

kindly bring them out for the benefit of all.

- Any subtle thoughts / interpretation as earlier expressed by Mike

are encouraged.

- Yes! An in-depth explanation of " Om Tat Saditi

Srimadbhagavadgitaasu, Upanishadsu..... " is a very good idea.

 

Please feel free to take the lead in any of these areas so that all

sadhaks may benefit.

 

We deeply thank you all, in particular Shri Shrikant Joshiji for

daily Bhagavad Gita explanation of each verse and Shri Madan Kauraji

for the Gita Prabodhani translation Chapter 1 and 2.

 

From Gita Talk Moderators

Ram Ram

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II 2:3 II

 

klaibyam maa sma gamah paartha, aitat tvayy upapadyate

ksudram hridaya-daurbalyam, tyaktvottistha parantapa (Gita 2:3)

 

" O' Partha (son of Prtha, Arjuna), yield not, to cowardice. It does

not befit you. Cast of this petty faint-heartedness and stand up to

fight, O' vanquisher of foes! "

 

From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 18 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

 

---------------------------

Chapter 2, Verse 3 is as follows;

 

Klaibyam = impotence

Maa-Sma-GamaH = do not get

Paartha = O Arjuna!

Na = not

Etat = this

Tvayi = in you

Upapadyate = is fitting

Kshudram = mean

Hrudaya-Daurbalyam = weakness of heart

Tyaktvaa = having abandoned

Uttishtha = arise

Paramtapa = O scorcher of foes!

 

English translation:-

 

O Arjuna, do not yield to unmanliness. It does not befit you.

Casting off this petty faint-heartedness, arise O vanquisher of

foes!

 

Lord Krishna, who has been silent so far, uses the choicest stinging

and reproachful adjectives to reprimand Arjuna so as to enable him

to renounce feeble-heartedness.

 

In Sanskrit language, the word `Klaibyam' means the emotional

disposition of one who is neither masculine enough to feel

passionate courage and daring like a man nor womanly soft feelings

of affection, hesitation and despair.

 

During the one year exile in anonymity, Arjuna had played the role

of `Bruhannadaa' i.e. an eunuch and taught art of dancing to

`Uttaraa' - the daughter of `Viraata' - the King of Matsya kingdom.

Arjuna's role of `Bruhannadaa' had left some scars on his mental

makeup. King Viraata was so pleased with Arjuna that he offered his

daughter Uttaraa for marriage. Arjuna politely refused the offer and

suggested that Uttaraa may be allowed to marry to his son Abhimanyu.

King Viraata accepted that offer and Uttaraa became Arjuna's

daughter in law. Abhimanyu and Uttaraa sired the son named

`Pariksheeta' who ruled Kuru kingdom after the departure of the

Pandavaas to the Himaalayaas.

 

While noticing the tears in the eyes of Arjuna, indicating that

Arjuna's delusion has really reached the nadir, Lord Krishna rebukes

and admonishes Arjuna to forget the role of `Bruhannadaa' forever.

 

When tears of desperation trickle down the cheeks of true devotees,

the Lord of Compassion willingly comes forward to the rescue of the

dispirited souls and guides them and dispels their inner darkness by

kindling the flame of resplendent Light of Knowledge of the Self,

i.e. the Atman which is a subset of the superset called as Brahman.

 

As soft words of sympathy and compassion could not have woken up

Arjuna from his emotional stupor, Lord Krisha lashes out at his dear

friend with stinging arrows of ridicule, dipped in the acid of

satire.

 

In fact poles apart are the feebleness of a coward and the courage

and boldness of Arjuna who had successfully combated with Lord

Shiva.

 

The manifest world is comprised of `Purusha' i.e. noumenon and

`Prakruti' i.e. the phenomenon. In Kantianism, the German

philosopher Immanuel Kant has described `noumenon' as something that

can be the object only of a purely intellectual, non-sensuous

intuition. In contemporary language, `Purusha' is akin to the

concept of infinite energy and `Prakruti' is akin to the concept of

ever changing matter.

 

One becomes feeble to the extent one depends upon the phenomenon and

as a corollary one becomes manly and courageous to the extent one

identifies oneself with the noumenon. This identification is termed

as `Aatma-Bodham' i.e. the knowledge of the Self.

 

`Na Ayam Aatmaa Bala-Heenena LabhyaH' i.e. the Aatman cannot be

attained by the weak hearted ones; this is the foundation of the

Upanishads. Therefore, weakness of heart of Arjuna is condemned

downright by Lord Krishna.

 

Even Swami Ramakrishna has said, " He who is soft and weak-minded

like the puffed rice soaked in milk, is good for nothing. He cannot

achieve anything extra-ordinary. But the strong and virile one is

indeed heroic in nature. He is the true accomplisher of everything

in life. "

 

Lord Krishna exhorts Arjuna by implying, " Come on buddy. Enough is

enough of your role of `Bruhannadaa'. Now is the time to demonstrate

your real mettle. Try to be firm of physical body, formidable of

steady and focussed mind, constant of character and now you get up

and fight the battle and defeat the vicious Kauravaas who represent

the unrighteousness. "

 

It is interesting to note that almost all spiritual masters have

appealed to the followers to fight for their cause. Jehovah in the

Old Testament appealed, " Gird up thy loins like a man " . Jesus Christ

similarly appealed, " I came not to send peace, but a sword " . The

Gautam Buddha taught, " Arise thou hero and conquer in battle " .

Zoroaster or Zarathushtra appealed to his followers, " Fight for God

and right against the forces of darkness " . Prophet Mohammed also

appealed to his followers, " You shall fight the infidel. Obey -

recompense. Disobey - chastisement " .

 

Thanks & Best Regards,

Shrikant Joshi.

 

-----------------------------

FROM SADHAK SANJIVANI

 

In this verse Bhagwaan Shri Krishna points out what to do when a

person is in the grip of cowardice.

 

'Paartha' is used by Bhagwaan Krishna to remind Arjuna of his mother

Kunti's message and arouse in him feeling of bravery which befits

the members of the warrior class. It means he should not disobey

his mother by showing cowardice.

 

'Klaibyam ma sma gamah' — It is because of faint-heartedness that

Arjuna perceives it righteous not to wage war and unrighteous to

wage war. Therefore to warn him, Lord Krsna says that it is

impotence rather than righteousness, not to wage war. So he should

abandon this weakness.

 

'Naitattvayyupapadyate' — You should not have developed this

timidity in you, because you are, the son of a brave mother of

warrior-class, and you yourself are also brave. Therefore, this

weakness does not befit you at all.

 

'Parantapa' — You are the scorcher and vanquisher of foes. So, will

you gladden your enemies by showing your disinclination for war?

 

'Ksudram hrdayadaurbalyam tyaktvottistha' — Here, 'Ksudram', has two

meanings—(i) This faint-heartedness will make you lowly viz., it

will deprive you of salvation, heaven or fame and if you do not

abandon it, you will become insignificant, (ii) This

faintheartedness, is petty. So it is not difficult for a brave

person like you to abandon.

 

You are thinking that being virtuous, you do not want to commit a

sin by waging war, but it is your cowardice. So by abandoning it,

you should discharge your duty, by arraying yourself to wage war.

 

Lord Krsna knows for certain, that it is Arjuna's first and foremost

duty to wage war. So, He, without caring for Arjuna's lame excuses,

orders him quickly to wage war, with full preparations.

 

Appendix — This fact has been described in detail by the Lord ahead

from the thirty-first verse to the thirty-eighth verse of this

chapter.

 

From " The Bhagavad Gita - Sadhak Sanjivani " by Swami Ramsukhdasji pg

73-74 in English.

 

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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