Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse Brief Explanation - II 2:33 II

[Guest guest]

Re: Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse Brief Explanation - II 2:32 II

 

 

|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

 

II 2:33 II

 

atha chet tvam imam dharmyam, sangraamam na karishyasi

tatah sva-dharmam kirtim ca, hitvaa paapam avaapsyasi

 

" But if you do not wage such a righteous warfare, then, abandoning

your duty and forfeiting your honor, you shall incur sin. "

 

From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 41 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

 

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

 

Chapter 2, Verse 33 is as follows;

 

Atha = But

Chet = if

Tvam = you

Imam = this

Dharmyam = righteous

Sangraamam = warfare

Na = not

KariShyasi = will do

TataH = then

Sva-Dharmam = own duty

Keertim = fame / glory

Cha = and

Hitvaa = having abandoned

Paapam = sin

Avaapsyasi = shall incur

 

English translation:-

 

But if you will not wage this righteous war, then forfeiting your

own duty and fame, you will incur sin.

 

Whenever a war between righteousness and unrighteousness is being

waged, a person who abstains from it out of false sentimentality,

weakness or cowardice, is indeed committing a sin.

 

Right actions lead you to have unity with the Self. Right actions

are those that you perform according to your intrinsic, inherent

nature, directed to a higher ideal, a superior goal and not for mere

satisfaction of your personal unfulfilled residual desires and

aggrandisement. When you keep performing such right actions, you

exhaust your unfulfilled residual desires and gain happiness.

 

`Dharma' is the law of being. Every living creature assumes a finite

physical form along with certain well defined, intrinsic mental

characteristics and intellectual properties at the time of the

birth. The personal call of character is defined as `Swa-Dharma'.

Every manifestation of a living being is based on its individual

`Swa-Dharma'.

 

Modern Genetic theory explains how human beings inherit features

from their ancestors – for example, children often look like their

parents and grand-parents. Genetics tries to identify which features

are inherited and work out the details of how these features are

passed from generation to generation. In genetics, a feature of an

organism is called a `trait'. Some traits are features of an

organism's physical appearance, for example, a person's eye-color,

height or weight. There are many other types of traits and these are

aspects of mental make-up, intellectual capacity, intrinsic natural

behaviour, resistance to and inheritance of various diseases.

 

In short, modern Genetic theory helps us to partly explain `Swa-

Dharma'. It explains what we are made up of. However, it does not

explain how an individual person will lead a life in the backdrop of

different environmental conditions.

 

This is partly explained by the `Chaatur-VarNa' system laid down in

ancient India which was based on differentiation of qualities

(GuNaaH) and actions (KarmaaH) of every human being.

 

There are three types of mental qualities or Gunas as follows;

 

Sattva: serene, equanimous and well poised nature in joy as well as

sorrow

Rajasa: passionate, craving for desires and constantly mentally

agitated nature

Tamasa: nature always steeped in ignorance and inertia

 

Every human being has a unique combination of these three qualities.

The dominant Guna in an individual determines the kind of action

likely to be initiated. However, if all the three Gunas are in equal

proportion i.e. 33.33% each, then no action is initiated at all, as

all the forces acting on an individual are in a balanced state, as

per Newton's first law in fundamental physics.

 

The following tabular construct will explain the concepts further;

 

Varna Swa-Dharma Karma

(Four types) (Dominant Guna) (Actions initiated)

 

Brahmana Dominant Sattva Serenity, self-restraint, austerity,

(Priest type) Lesser Rajasa purity, forgiveness, uprightness,

Least Tamasa knowledge, wisdom, faith in the Self

 

 

Kshatriya Dominant Rajasa Prowess, splendour, steadfastness,

(Warrior type) Less Sattva not fleeing from battle, charity,

Least Tamasa leadership over the masses,

faith in various Gods & Goddesses

 

Vaishya Dominant Rajasa Agriculture, cattle-rearing ,

(Trader type) Less Tamasa industry, trade & commerce,

Least Sattva faith in Goddess of Wealth / Lakshmee

 

 

Shoodra Dominant Tamasa to render physical labor/service

(laborer type) Less Sattva faith in Vishva-Karma & ancestors

(artisan type) Least Rajasa

 

Arjuna belonged to the Warrior type. Arjuna's Swa-Dharma is to fight

the righteous battle. Lord Krishna points out to Arjuna that he is

deviating from his Swa-Dharma in not performing his obligatory

duties. Such abstinence from obligatory duties will culminate into

guilt consciousness and resultant effect will be additional mental

agitations and anguishes to Arjuna. Thus, Arjuna will incur sin. In

addition to that, if Arjuna does not seize such an unique

opportunity of overpowering the Kauravaas and establishing the

superiority of righteousness, then he will certainly destroy all his

so far well-earned fame and glory, due to his past meritorious deeds.

 

Thanks & Best Regards,

 

Shrikant Joshi.

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

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