Gita Satsangh Chapter 11 Verses 35 to 36

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Gita Satsangh Chapter 11 Verses 35 to 36

(Verse Translation by Swami Gambirananda, Gita Bhasya and commentary

by Swami Chinmayanandaji)

 

Sanjaya Uvaacha: Etacchrutwaa vachanam keshavasya

Kritaanjalirvepamaanah kireetee;

Namaskritwaa bhooya evaaha krishnam Sagadgadam bheetabheetah

pranamya. Verse 35

 

Sanjaya said:

 

35. Hearing this utterance of Kesava, Kiriti (Arjuna), with joined

palms and trembling, protrating himself, said again to Krsna with a

faltering voice, bowing down overcome by fits of fear:

 

Srutva, hearing

etat, this, aforesaid

vacanam, utterance

kesavasya, of Kesava

Kiriti, krtanjalih, with joined palms

and vepamanah, trembling

nama-skrtva, prostrating himself

aha, said

bhuyah eva, again

krsnam, to Krsna

sa-gadgadam, with a faltering voice-.

 

A person's throat becomes choked with phlegm and his eyes full of

tears when, on being struck with fear, he is overcome by sorrow, and

when, on being overwhelmed with affection, he is filled with joy.

The indistinctness and feebleness of sound in speech that follows as

a result is what is called faltering (gadgada). A speech that is

accompanied with (saha) this is sa-gadgadam. It is used adverbially

to the act of utterance.

 

Pranamya, bowing down with humility

bhita-bhitah, overcome by fits of fear, with his mind struck again

and again with fear-this is to be connected with the remote word aha

(said).

 

At this juncture the words of Sanjaya have a purpose in view. How?

It is thus: Thinking that the helpless Duryodhana will be as good as

dead when the four unconquerable ones, viz Drona and others, are

killed, Dhrtarastra, losing hope of victory, would conclude a

treaty. From that will follow peace on either side. Under the

influence of fate, Dhrtarastra did not even listen to that!

 

 

The dramatist in Vyasa, with his innate craftsmanship, lifts the

scene from the battle front to the quiet and silent chambers of the

palace, where the blind Dhritarashtra is listening to 'the running

commentary' given by Sanjaya. In thus lifting the reader more than

once* away from the awe-inspiring atmosphere of Kurukshetra, Vyasa is

not only adding dynamic movement to the picture but also giving a

necessary psychological rest for the reader's mind from such a subtle

theme of awful beauty.

It is not to be forgotten at all that Sanjaya in the Geeta is " OUR

OWN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, " who is fully sympathetic with the

righteous cause of the Pandavas. Naturally, therefore, as soon as he

reports the Lord's own words --- that all the mighty men of the

times, who are the top-ranking men in position in the Kaurava forces,

have already been annihilated --- he wants to bring to the blind old

man's awareness, the magnitude of the impending disaster. As we have

noticed earlier, the only one who could call the war off, even at

this moment, is Dhritarashtra himself. And Sanjaya is very anxious to

see that the war is not fought. Thus, we see here, in the stanza, in

the very language used, the motive of the reporter.

 

HAVING HEARD THE WORDS OF KESHAVA, ARJUNA, THE CROWNED-ONE, WITH

FOLDED PALMS AND TREMBLING WITH FEAR, ADDRESSED AGAIN ---

 

The very language used and the picture drawn, reflect the mind of the

reporter. Suddenly, Arjuna is called here as " the crowned-one, "

perhaps, as a bold forecast, by which Sanjaya expects Dhritarashtra

to see the folly of the disastrous war. But a blind man can never SEE

things, and much less if he is intellectually blind with delusion.

If the good sense of the blind king cannot be invoked because of his

extremely deluded love for his children, Sanjaya expects to give a

psychological treatment to the royal father. A lengthy description of

how others are getting frightened is a sure method of spreading panic

even among moderately courageous listeners. If Arjuna, the warrior,

the bosom friend of Krishna is " TREMBLING AND ADDRESSING THE LORD IN

A CHOCKED VOICE, OVER-WHELMED WITH FEAR, " Sanjaya expects every

sensible man to realize the horrors of the war that is imminent, and

the dire consequences that are in store for the vanquished. Even

these words of Sanjaya have no effect upon Dhritarashtra who is blind

to everything except his mad affection for his own children.

ARJUNA APOSTROPHIZES THE UNIVERSAL-FORM:

 

Arjuna Uvaacha:

Sthaane hrisheekesha tava prakeertyaa Jagat prahrishyatyanurajyate

cha;

Rakshaamsi bheetaani disho dravanti Sarve namasyanti cha

siddhasanghaah. Verse 36

 

Arjuna said:

 

36. It is proper, O Hrsikesa, that the world becomes delighted and

attracted by Your praise

that the Raksasas, stricken with fear, run in all directions

and that all the groups of the Siddhas bow down (toYou).

 

Sthane, it is proper

-what is that?-that the jagat, world

prahrsyati, becomes delighted

tava prakirtya, by Your praise, by reciting Your greatness and

hearing it. This is befitting. This is the idea. Or, the word

sthane may be taken as qualifying the word 'subject' (understood) :

It is proper that the Lord is the subject of joy etc. since the Lord

is the Self of all beings and the Friend of all.

 

So also it (the world) anurajyate, becomes attracted, becomes drawn

(by that praise). That also is with regard to a proper subject.

This is how it is to be explained.

 

Further, that the raksamsi, Raksasas

bhitani, stricken with fear

dravanti, run

disah, in all directions-that also is with regard to a proper

subject. And that sarve, all

the siddha-sanghah, groups of the Siddhas-Kapila and others

namasyanti, bow down-that also is befitting.

 

Again from the luxurious chambers of riches and splendor, the

students of the Geeta are lifted, on the lyrical charm of the poem,

to the humming ground of the battle-field and to the Wonder-Form of

the Lord. The picture of Arjuna addressing the Lord with his hands

folded, trembling with fear, singing songs of adoration, with a

throat chocked with fear and wonderment is effectively drawn. This

passage, containing the following ELEVEN stanzas, represents one of

the most beautiful prayers that we have in Hinduism. In fact, the

words and the ideas expressed hereunder are so general in their

import and significance that we can almost say that no better

Universal Prayer can ever be conceived of, either in its concept,

beauty, or cadence, or in the depth of the message in its words.

In these passages, the cognizing power in Arjuna is steadily

realizing the diviner Truth behind the details of that Total-Form.

When one watches and sees one's own reflection in a mirror, it is

rarely that the observer sees the mirror-surface. When one watches

the surface of the mirror, the reflection is either not at all

available or, at best is only dimly recognized. So long as Arjuna is

preoccupied with the details of the Universal-Form, he does not

realize, or recognize, the Infinite which is the very core of the

Vishwaroopa. In these passages, it is evident that Arjuna has started

sensing the deeper meaning that lies behind the cosmic wonder

represented to him in his vision Divine.

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Swami Dayananda Saraswati's Comments and Explanations:

 

Hearing these words of Krishna, Arjuna, trembling with folded hands

saluting Krishna again spoke in a faltering voice, very afraid (and)

saluting (repeatedly). Sankara explains Arjuna's condition here.

Stricken with pain, he is overcome with fear. And because of the

rapture springing up in him, he is overwhelmed with affection. His

eyes are filled with tears and his throat choked with these intense

conflicting emotions. Therefore his words are not very clear and

faltering.

 

Sankara makes a note here that Sanjaya has a motive in saying this to

Dhrtarastra. Just now Lord Krishna pointed out that Drona. Bhisma,

Jayadratha and Karna have already been destroyed by him as have the

other warriors. So all Arjuna has to do here is be an instrument,

nimittamatram. If these great heros are destroyed, Duryodhana will

have no support because his whole strength lies only in them. Without

these four he never would have started the war. Dhrtarastra knows

this. So when he hears that they are already destroyed, he knows that

his son is destroyed. Without these four, Bhima will fulfill his vow

and kill Duryodhana. Sanjaya expects that Dhrtarastra, once he hears

this, will give up all hope of a victory for Duryodhana and seek a

truce. If Dhrtarastra tells Duryodhana to seek a truce, he has to do

it, otherwise Bhisma, Drona etc. will not ally themselves with him.

They are waiting-for such an opportunity. He has to listen to his

father's words. Otherwise, Bhlsma and the others will withdraw. But

then, Dhrtarastra did not hear. When the message was so clear, why

would he not hear? Because of the force of what was meant to happen,

bhavitavya-vatiat. It was destiny. Otherwise Duryodhana would

continue on, not being punished for all his wrongdoing. Dhrtarastra's

judgement is clouded by his attachment for his sons and he is not

able to stop the war - because it is destiny that Duryodhana be

destroyed.

 

 

It is proper Krishna, that singing your praises the world rejoices

and is devoted (to you), the frightened raksasas run in all

directions and all the hosts of siddhas salute (you).

This is the portion which is commonly read as a prayer. Krishna is

addressed here as hrsikesa which, as we have seen before, is the Lord

of all sense organs, hrsikanam indriyanam Hah, which is paramatmM.

Sthane is an indeclinable which means what is proper. What is

proper? " Singing your praises, tava praklrtya, the world rejoices,

jag at prahrsyati. " By singing and by hearing Bhagavan' s glories,

Sankara says, people in this world find great joy. It is but proper,

sthane. Arjuna is able to say this because he knows now that there is

no excess in praising the Lord. Excess is possible only when the

object of praise has limited knowledge, power, or virtues. If you say

of someone that he is an ocean of compassion, just wait. There will

be an occasion when he is hot. He is compassionate alright, but to

say he is an ocean of compassion is an exaggeration. In praising any

individual, there is always an element of flattery. But when there is

no limit to the virtues any amount of praise will not be excessive.

On the contrary, any praise we offer Bhagavan is going to be

inadequate. From our limited knowledge, how much can we know of

omniscience? Yet only if we know it, can we really appreciate all-

knowledge and give due praise. Since Bhagavan is always more than our

praises, whatever we say, we will never be guilty of exaggeration. In

such praise of Bhagavan, people discover joy. And it is but proper

because Bhagavan is joy. " Seeing your glory one cannot but be happy, "

Arjuna is saying here. Just an appreciation of the glories of

Bhagavan makes people happy.

 

" Not only that, they begin to love you, anurajyate ca. And that also

is proper because you deserve it. " This almighty, omniscient Bhagavan

who can never be adequately praised is s<5 easily accessible to

everyone. There is no intermediary, no closed door. " Naturally people

fall in love with you. " It is but proper.

 

He is an object of joy, harsa, and devotion, anuraga. This is proper,

sthane. The other side of this is that those who do not follow dharma

are afraid of him. That is also sthane. " Those who go against the

moral order, raksamsi, are afraid, bhitani, and run away from you in

ail directions, diso dravanti, " That is also proper because Bhagavan

is the cause for both fearlessness and fear. If he is with you, you

have no fear. In understanding the Lord you become totally fearless

because there is no second thing. You are the Lord. Even at the level

of a devotee there is no fear because you have someone almighty to

back you up. For those who transgress the laws however, the Lord

becomes the chasliser through those laws. If you touch fire, it will

burn; that is law. It can give you warmth and cook your food but if

you touch it, it will burn you because it cannot do otherwise. It is

a question of knowning its nature and handling it properly. Those who

transgress Bhagavan's laws just melt away in different

directions.Those who are known as siddhas like Kapila and so on.

salute you, sarve siddhasanghah namasyanti. That they salute the

Lord is also proper, sthane. Knowing the glories of the Lord and the

order in his creation, these exalted beings, siddhas, salute the

Lord, namasyanti. They offer no resistance to the order of the Lord.