Chapter 2: Yoga of Knowledge - Verse 4, 5 & 6


© S.Kavita

Arjuna is reluctant to fight and kill his teachers who should be revered.


Verse 4:

"arjuna uvaca katham bhismam aham sankhye dronam ca madhusudana isubhih pratiyotsyami pujarhav ari-sudana "

(4) Arjuna said: How can I, O Krishna, aim arrows in the battlefield at Bhisma and Drona who are worthy of reverence?
Explanation: Bhisma was their Grandfather and Drona was the teacher to both the Pandavas and the Kauravas.
Arjuna expresses his dilemma to Krishna again. How could he kill the men who were worthy enough to be worshipped?

Verse 5:

"gurun ahatva hi mahanubhavan sreyo bhoktum bhaiksyam apiha loke hatvartha-kamams tu gurun ihaiva bhunjiya bhogan rudhira-pradigdhan"

(5) It is better to live in this world begging for living rather than slaying one's teacher. Though they may be greedy and desirious of wealth, our victory and pleasures would be tainted with blood.
Explanation: Arjuna felt it better to live on a begger's fare than kill his teacher as a teacher is regarded with great respect.
Any materialistic benefit one derives by killing a teacher, Arjuna felt was unworthy.

Verse 6:

"na caitad vidmah kataran no gariyo yad va jayema yadi va no jayeyuh yan eva hatva na jijivisamas te 'vasthitah pramukhe dhartarastrah "

(6)I do not know which is better - their defeating us or our vanquishing them. The sons of Dhrtarastra, whom if we slay we cannot live - are standing before us in the battlefield.
Explanation: Arjuna was unable to decide whether vanquishing the enemy and emerging victorious was beneficial or getting killed but not augmenting the sins of killing loved one, beneficial.
Arjuna was reluctant to kill his cousins. However they stood ready to fight.

Arjuna felt it was better to live on a begger's fare than kill ones' teacher.

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