Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse Brief Explanation - II 2:31 II

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|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

 

II 2:31 II

 

sva-dharmam api chaavekshya, na vikampitum arhasi

dharmyaad dhi yuddhaac chreyo 'nyat, kshatriyasya na vidyate

 

" Again, looking at your duty as well, you should not falter, for

there is nothing more welcome to a person of the warrior class

(Kshatriya) than a righteous war. "

 

Comment:

 

If the spiritual aspirant does not have the preference, faith and

ability for the Yoga of Knowledge then he should follow the path of

Karma Yoga, because both the Yogas achieve the same goal (Gita: 5/4-

5). The point is that the end result of what is achieved by giving

importance to the Viveka (wisdom) about Sharir (body) and Shariri

(Indweller, Atma), the same result can be obtained by performing

one's Swadharma (individual's ordained duty). Here the Lord is

beginning the topic of performing one's natural duty or Kshatriya

(warrior class) Dharma in Arjuna's case.

 

From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 40-41 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

 

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Chapter 2, Verse 31 is as follows;

 

Swadharmam = own obligatory duty

Api = also

Cha = and

Avekshya = having seen / having regard

Na = not

Vikampitum = to waver / falter

Arhasi = ought / should

Dharmyaat = than righteous

Hi = indeed

Yuddhaat = than war

ShreyaH = higher / better / nobler

Anyat = other

Kshatriyasya = of warrior

Na = not

Vidyate = is

 

English translation:-

 

Further having regard for your own obligatory duty, you should not

waver; as there is nothing nobler for a warrior, than a righteous

war.

 

The entire Universe is full of eternal, continuous and never ending

streams of multiple births and deaths at every instant. The Supreme

Being seems to orchestrate the entire symphony of manifestations and

non-manifestations in a beautiful rhythm and style. In Hindu

mythology, there is a concept of the God `Chitra-Gupta', who

maintains a track record of PuNya-Karmas i.e. good deeds and Paapa-

Karmas i.e. bad deeds of every living being and after its death,

allocates to that being the next birth either in the Hell or on the

planet Earth or in the Heaven; subject to the merit of each

individual case. In Vedanta philosophy, there is a concept of `Gupta-

Chitra' i.e. a hidden image, a snapshot picture that illustrates the

good and bad deeds of a living being and based on its unfulfilled

desires, the next birth is conceived.

 

Arjuna has no prior knowledge of such divine mechanism and he is

still unable to fully comprehend that. Being a warrior by

profession, he had never devoted adequate time and energy in

learning the ancient scriptures and making an attempt to appreciate

the very concept of the Aatman and the Brahman.

 

For the first time in Arjuna's life, Lord Krishna introduces the

concept of the indestructibility of the embodied Self to Arjuna.

Arjuna is simply baffled by the staggering intellect of his dear

friend, Lord Krishna.

 

In Sanskrit language, the definition of a `Kshatriya' i.e. a warrior

is `YaH Kshataat Traayate SaH KshatriyaH' i.e. a person who protects

the masses from the injuries, pains and sorrows arising due to

lawlessness and misrule in a society and a nation.

 

Please refer the verse 43 in chapter 18 in Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta,

wherein Lord Krishna has described the innate characteristics of a

true warrior, " Heroism, vigour, steadiness, resourcefulness, not

fleeing from a righteous battle, generosity and leadership of the

masses; these are the qualities of a warrior that are born out of

his intrinsic nature. "

 

Although a true warrior cannot be a spiritual leader, he possesses

the requisite qualities that enable him to translate the spiritual

eternal truths into dynamic actions to maintain a rule of law and

order and ensure fair justice in a society or a nation. In fact, in

ancient India, a ruler was called as `RaajarShee' i.e. a unique

combination of `Raajaa' i.e. a king and a `RiShee' i.e. an ascetic.

King Janaka, the father-in-law of Lord Raama, was a reputed

`RaajarShee'.

 

Arjuna has not attained the stature of a `RaajarShee' so far in his

life. However, he had acquired the stellar reputation of the best

archer in the comity of the then prevailing nations.

 

Lord Krishna reminds Arjuna that a true warrior holds his own life

full of righteousness as superior to a mere mundane human existence.

An opportune time has come in Arjuna's life that he has to

demonstrate his true brave mettle in fighting the righteous royal

battle with exemplary courage and fortitude. Arjuna must concentrate

on his obligatory duty of a true warrior and ought not to falter and

flee from the battleground.

 

Wars and battles are not necessarily righteous. However, the epic

battle of Mahaabhaarata presents a unique opportunity to Arjuna to

become an instrument of the Supreme Being, in establishing

superiority of righteousness over the unrighteousness, against all

odds. For Arjuna there can be nothing nobler than to get such a

glorious chance to fight for a righteous cause.

 

Thanks & Best Regards,

Shrikant Joshi

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

OTHER SADHAKS

 

Hari Om

 

Brother Mike ! The beauty of Gitaji is that acts as a mirror also !

As is our belief, so does it manifest itself. I read your message,

as usual with interest. Without interfering into your joy of BG

10:9 , let me state that the joy envisaged there, does not result

by mind or intellect getting absorbed in Divine. Being inert and

active, they can not reach Divine at all. They can focus

themselves , however, as a child focuses its sight on Moon, unable

to reach there. The joy arises because of their remaining in

equanimous state. On one hand they do not have any desires of

world , having understood the futility thereof. On other hand, they

cant reach THAT element which is even beyond their own very cause-

NATURE ! Hence the mind/intellect do not have any option but to slip

into silence/stability/ motionless . The reference by Shrikantji of

Atman being the ultimate guide to mind/intellect should be

understood only with reference to Atman itself getting absorbed in

Divine, being part of Divine itself. Once the Master ( Atman) is on

one path, the servants ( mind/intellect) MUST follow him, as a

law ! His views should not be extended to mean that Atman gives

directions to mind/intellect. It can not do so ! It is not empowered

to do so ! Hence falling of mind/intellect into an

optionless/equanimous zone, creates the joy within referred in many

verses including in 10:9 referred by you. That state of inert is

referred in Holy Gita to be the end of INERT ! That also addresses

your distinction between mind and intellect. Note also, that while

Raaj Yoga ( Meditation) emphasises upon the stability of mind, but

Gitaji emphasises upon the stability of intellect. In a stable

intellect, equanimity and Viveka shine.

 

As regards reconciling Science and Spirituality , I must hesitate

to state ( not being a student of science at all ) that till

Science comes out with a conclusion that there is nothing existing

in the universe except Paramatma, (No gas, no liquid, no solid, no

matter) and that the same element is reflecting / manifesting

itself in different forms based on the perceptions of the perceiver,

I am afraid, the journey of Science will not be over. What

conclusions can be arrived at when some one takes as basis a thing

which actually does not exist at all ? There is one idiom in Hindi –

" ANDHE KO ANDHERE MAIN BADI DOOR KI SOOJHI " ( A blind man in

darkness has seen something which is far away! ) That is how the

science is going- the modern science. In Gita : Science ( Vigyaan)

has been defined to be " VASUDEVA SARVAM' ( All is Brahman) !!

 

Jai Shree Krishna

Vyas N B

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BHAGAVAD GITA RESOURCES

 

Please see list of Bhagavad Gita resources at:

 

http://www.karmayog.org/bhagavadgita/

 

(compiled by karmayog.com)

Shrikantji / Sadhaks if you have come across other great resources,

please kindly send note to us with link. Ram Ram

 

===============================================================

 

|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

 

All Sadhaks can and should contribute as well. Discussion /

clarification is encouraged

 

OTHER REQUESTS FROM SADHAKS -

 

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

sadhaks may benefit.

 

- Introduction to Chapters (GT MODERATOR FROM SADHAK SANJIVANI)

- Chapter Summary - Principles and Laws emanating from it.(N.B. VYAS)

- Summary of Chapter from Sadhak Sanjivani " AS IS "

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

- Any subtle thoughts / interpretation (MIKE)

- In-depth explanation of " Om Tat Saditi Srimadbhagavadgitaasu,

Upanishadsu..... " is a very good idea. (GT MODERATOR FROM SADHAK

SANJIVANI)

 

From Gita Talk Moderators

Ram Ram

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

 

Shree Hari

Ram Ram

We deeply thank Shri Shrikantji Joshi for taking the initiative to

support this divine work of daily one verse Bhagavad Gita

explanation and Shri Madan Kauraji for the Gita Prabodhani

translation Chapter 1 and 2 and to Mrs. K Asani for requesting shloka

explanation on a daily basis.

From Gita Talk Moderators

Ram Ram