Bhagavatgita a detailed study-chapter2

[Guest guest]

6.na cha ethath vidhmaH katharan naH gareeyaH

yath vaa jayema yadhi vaa jayeyuH

yaaneva hathva na jijivishaamaH

the avasThithaaH pramukhe dhaartharaashtraaH

 

We do not know which of the two alternatives is better for us, whether to win the war or to be vanquished by them. The sons of Dhrtharashtra killing whom we would not wish to live are standing in front.

 

 

vidhmaH-we do not know,

 

Katharan-of the two, gareeyaH-better. This word is the comparative form of guru meaning big, here meaning better.

 

jijeevishaamaH- we will not wish to live.

 

Pramukhe avasThithaaH- stand in front.

 

Arjuna shows his mental confusion by saying that he would not wish to live by killing the sons of Dhrathrashtra , which was not his dilemma but only to kill Bheeshma, Dhrona etc That .he himself had become aware of this the next sloka proves.

 

7.kaarpaNyadhoshopagathasvabhaavaH

prcChaami thvaam Dharma sammooDachethaaH

yath SreyaH syaath nischitham broohi thath me

SishyaH the aham SaaDhi maam thvaam prapannam

 

With my nature affected by the defect of weakness, I ask you with a mind confused about what is dharma, please tell me which is good for me. I am your disciple and please advise me. .

 

kaarpaNya- weak mindedness, poor mental state in which I one is unable to decide.

 

upahathasvabhaavah- which has affected my character. Arjuna had understood that the feeling that has overcome him was not something natural to his character.

 

dhrmasammooDachethaah- mind covered with confusion about dharma.

 

Sreyah means that which is good for all times as opposed to preyas, which is good at the moment, being what is desired .

 

Nischitham broohi- Tell me for certain by dispelling the doubt and confusion in my mind. I surrender to you.

 

SaaDhi- command .maam prapannam- me who. surrender to you

 

This sloka sows the seed for the geethopadesa.

 

Arjuna exhausted himself and seemed to be at crossroads and said " I am utterly confused please tell me what is good for me." He uses the word shreyas. So long he had been talking about what was preyas to him, what he wanted to do. .Now he was asking what he should do. Then and then only the Lord started talking .In our life too we go on telling the lord what to do and never ask Him what we should do. When we do ask He starts telling us what to do .Similarly when Arjuna said sishyastheham shaadhimaam thwaam prapannam, I am your disciple I surrender to you, only then Krishna starts giving him the advice because advice given unasked will not be taken well! Now only Krishna starts speaking as the jagatguru.

 

8. na hi prpaSyaami mama apnudhyaath yath Sokam ucChoshaNam

indhriyaaNaam

avapya bhoomou asapathnam rdDham raajyam suraaNaam api cha

aadhipayhyam

 

I do not feel that even the sovereignty over the devas or to enjoy the kingdom free of enemies will remove the sorrow in heart, that dries up my senses.

 

Apanudhyaath-will remove

 

ucChoshaNam- that which dries up.

 

asapthnam- free of enemies. Sapathna means enemy.

 

rdDhm –prosperity, here kingdom

 

aaDhipthyam – sovereignty

 

Arjuna requests Krishna to tell him a means to remove the sorrow which is eating his heart due to the thought of killing his kith and kin.

 

Sanjaya uvaacha

 

Evam ukthvaa hrsheekeSam gudaakesaH paranthaopa

Na yothsya ithi govindam ukthvaa thooshNeem babhoova ha

 

Sanjaya said,

 

Saying thus to Hresheekesa, the master of Indhryiyas , Arjuna , the conquerer of sleep, said, O king, to Govinda, "I will not fight."

 

Here the terms used to denote Arjuna and Krishna are significant. The one who asked was Gudakesa, meaning the he had conquered sleep , that is , he is capable of controlling his senses and this weakness is only temporary. The names Hrsheekesa and Govinda , both denote that the one who is going to advise is the master of the senses. Also Govinda as already mentioned means the Lord in all His avatharas, and the master of speech, senses etc. The various meaning of Govinda are given below.

 

The word 'go' has several meanings in sanskrit such as earth, indriya,svarga,or mokshaastra Cow, veda etc. Based on that the scholars explain the name thus:

1.Gaam(second case singular of 'go') , svargam or moksham vindhayathi,secures ithi govindhah. He is govindha because He bestows mukthi.

2.Gaam, ishum, meaning astras vindhathi - He acquired the astras from Visvamithra in Ramavathara.

3.Gaah(accusative plural of 'go', pasu.) vindhathi. He knew the cows, that is, He knew them to be the rshis of dandakaaranya in His krishnavathara. Balarama is also implied by the word cow as He went with Krishna for gorakshana.

4.Gobhih (instrumental plural of 'go' meaning veda.) vindhyathe. He is known through the vedas.

5Gaam, vajram, vindhayathi. He made it possible for indra to get vajrayudha by instructing him to approach Dhadheechi and beg him to give his backbone.

6.Gavaa (instrumental singular of 'go'meaning dhrk, look) dhrsaa vindhathi. He knows all by His dhrk or appropriate kataksha. He knows how to look at every one and when.

7.Gaah nethraaNi vindhathi- He has thrinethra, three eyes as Nrsimha, and also eyes everywhere, 'sahasraakshassahasrapath'

8. Gaah, jwaalaah, vindhathi, has fiery form, being Suryamandala madhya varthi.Chandhogya upanishad describes Brahman as 'Ya eshahantharaadhithye hiraNmayah purushah dhrsyathe hiranyasmasru hiranya kesa aapraNakhaath sarva Eva suvarNah'. The purusha seen inside the orb of the Sun with golden beard, golden hair an exceedingly effulgent even to the very tips of His nails. The purusha here is paramaathman or Narayana. This is the passage where the famous 'kapyaasam pundarikam' occurs referred to in the charitra of Ramanuja.

9.Gaam , bhoomim vindhathi, brought the earth from the depth of the ocean, Varahavathara and also Parsurama as He wandered all over the earth and Trivikrama as He measured the earth with His feet.

10. Gaam , jalam vindhathi. resorts to the waters, Mathsya and Koorma.11. Gaam vedam vindhathi. He alone knows the real purport of the vedas. Refers to Hayagrivaavathara.12. Gaam ,indhriyam vindhathi .The Lord of the indhriyas, Hrishikesah. Makes the indhriyas enter into appropriate vishaya.