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Chapter 2: Yoga of Knowledge - Verse 1, 2 & 3

© S.Kavita

Arjuna, who was weak, undecided and hesitant to fight the war threw aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the seat of the chariot, his heart overwhelmed with grief. He felt weak, overcome by love and extreme compassion for his relatives. He was also filled with fear unable to distinguish between what was right and what was wrong.

Verse 1:

"sanjaya uvaca tam tatha krpayavistam asru-purnakuleksanam visidantam idam vakyam uvaca madhusudanah "

(1) Sanjaya said: To Arjuna, who was overcome with pity, whose eyes were wet with tears and who was filled with sorrow Lord Krishna said the following words -
Explanation: Sanjaya was describing the events of the battlefield to the blind king and father of the Kauravas, Dhrtarastra.
He told the blind king that Krishna said the following to Arjuna who was brimming with compassion, sorrow and mental chaos.

Verse 2:

"sri-bhagavan uvaca kutas tva kasmalam idam visame samupasthitam anarya-justam asvargyam akirti-karam arjuna"

(2) The Supreme Being said: In this time of crisis, how has despondency and impurity crept into you? It does not befit a noble person who knows the values of life. They do not lead one to heaven but brings disgrace and infamy.
Explanation: Arjuna sat on his chariot instead of fighting in the battlefield as he was overwhelmed with misplaced grief. Despondency, fear and mental unrest does not befit the great warrior and noble soul like Arjuna.
Lord Krishna contends that this act of cowardice does not befit a great warrior like Arjuna. It only leads to deviation from the path of Duty. Hence obstructs spiritual growth.

Verse 3:

"klaibyam ma sma gamah partha naitat tvayy upapadyate ksudram hrdaya-daurbalyam tyaktvottistha parantapa "

(3)O Arjuna! Do not yield to unmanliness. Shake off the faint heartedness and arise, O destroyer of foes!
Explanation: Lord Krishna urges Arjuna to shed his faint heartedness. Only cowards and people with wrong understanding deviate from their path of duty.
The Lord addresses Arjuna as the destroyer of foes! Arjuna was supposed to be a fighter and not a faint hearted unmanly coward.

Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to shed grief, despondency and faint heartedness.

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