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Bhagavad Geeta Parama Saaram by Thirukullam Narasimha Raghavachariar Chapter 2 Part 1

From the Bhakti List Archives

Bharadwaj, Jaganath • May 19, 1998 


Sanjaya:	"Oh King Dhritaraashtra!  Arjuna had dropped his bow and arrows
and squatted at the bottom of his chariot with a heavy heart and eyes
brimming with tears.  "Aho pada matat paapam kartum vyavasthithaa
vayam", he yelled.  In this way, he gave vent to his grief.  The evil
spirit called "compassion" totally possessed Arjuna at this untimely
hour.  Seeing Arjuna suffer in this way, the personification of mercy -
Madhusoodhana - the chastiser of the Madhu demon, began his preparations
to kill the demon of misplaced compassion in Arjuna by speaking the
following words."

Dhritaraashtra:	"Sanjaya!  What did Kannan say?  Please elaborate
expeditiously."

Sanjaya:	"Oh King!  Listen to what the Supreme Lord said.  "Do not show
mercy to enemies.  Having taken birth in a noble family, and having
learnt the meaning of all the Sastras, you should not give in to
compassion at this inopportune time.  Aryans, the possessors of true
knowledge, will not behave in this way.  If you let grief take control
of you in this way, you will not attain an auspicious birth in your next
life.  Ignominy will haunt you for the rest of your life in this birth.
Therefore, stop grieving!  Partha!  Don't be a coward!  Shed fear!  Are
the memories of being a eunuch during your one year incognito, still
haunting you?  This behavior does not behoove an ideal man like you, who
has been gifted with magnificent strong arms and bravery to match.  Get
rid of this ignoble cowardice and get up and fight in the war."

Dhritaraashtra:	"What reply did Arjuna give to this?"

Sanjaya:	"Because of untimely misplaced compassion towards his enemies,
Arjuna considered righteous action to be a sin.  Therefore, he did not
get up to do battle as instructed by the Supreme Lord.  He did not
understand that it was Kannan's resolve to make a war available as a
means to liberation for generations of Kshatriyas.  Therefore Arjuna put
this question to the Supreme Lord.  "Oh destroyer of foes!  Bhishma and
Drona are such exalted personalities, that their feet are worthy of
being adorned with flowers.  Their status is exalted.  While I consider
not worshipping them to be a sin, you are asking me to aim arrows at
them!  How can I take this to be good advice?  You have also killed
demons like Madhu.  But you did not treat your Acharya Sandipani Muni
and others of similar stature in the same fashion!"

Sri Bhagavan:	"Will you be able to attain victory in battle by failing
to combat the Acharyas who have come to do battle with you?  Without
victory can you win back your lost kingdom?  Without a kingdom, can you
have the means of substinence?  Without bodily necessities, how will you
keep body and soul together?"

Arjuna:	"Krishna!  How can I occupy the seats previously occupied by my
Acharyas after killing them?  How can I enjoy the material comforts
which belonged to them, even though they may have been conceited and
over attached to material comforts?  I shudder to imagine the scenes of
them vomiting blood after having been felled by my arrows.  Won't I be
reminded of this scene every time I enjoy some material comforts.
Leading a life of a beggar is far superior to a life of comforts at this
price."

Sri Bhagavan:	"Arjuna!  Living off of alms is the proper means of
livelihood for a Brahmana.  You are however a kshatriya.  Therefore
isn't begging a sin for you?"

Arjuna:	"Begging is a sin (for one who is a Kshatriya).  Killing
Acharyas is also a sin.  While contemplating the difference between the
two, killing of Acharyas appears to me, to be a far more heinous crime."

Sri Bhagavan:	"Having started a war, if you decide not to fight in the
middle of it, won't all of you be killed by the sons of Dhritaraashtra?
(The sons of Dhritaraashtra were as blind in their attachment to the
possession of a kingdom as Dhritaraashtra was in his attachment to
fulfilling their desires.  Therefore they will show no mercy in sparing
the lives of warriors not ready to do combat with them.)

Arjuna:	"Let them all kill us.  Will we be victorious over Duryodhana
and company?  Or will they be victorious over us?  Will auspicious
tidings befall us, if we overcame them in battle?  Let us look
objectively at which of the two propositions is superior (us killing
them versus them killing us).  The very people, by killing whom, we will
have no interest in living, have become our enemies and are ready to
confront us on the battlefield.  What can I do?  Oh Krishna!  I am
unable to decide on the correct course of action!  I am not able to
think of a means to get rid of this grief.  As a result, I stand bereft
of all courage.  Please advise me about the course of action that is in
my best interest, since you are omniscient (all knowing).  I am your
disciple.  Please accept me as such and tell me what is best for me."

Sri Bhagavan:	"Dhananjaya!  Just sit back and ponder.  You will
understand what is in your best interest.  Or else seek somebody else's
assistance.  They will tell you what is best for you.  Besides, even if
you are My disciple, I am not willing to lecture an adamant upstart, who
is not willing to heed My words."

Arjuna:	"Oh Lord of All (Sarveshwara)!  I am ignorant and helpless.  I
have no refuge other than You.  I have no means other than turning to
You for help.  I will act per Your desire.  Therefore you should
enlighten me about the means to get rid of my grief, for I am a servant
who is surrendered to You."

Dhritaraashtra:	"What is the intention behind Arjuna approaching this
issue in this manner?"

Sanjaya:	""My grief will not be subdued even by obtaining Lordship of
the three worlds.  You have to protect me by enlightening me with the
concept of tattva (reality), hita (the means to obtain a desired result)
and Purushaartha (ultimate objective)."  Thus prayed Arjuna the one who
had conquered sorrow and laziness and who was blessed with the ability
to destroy enemies, to the Master of the senses, Hrishikesa.  Having
made this entreaty, Arjuna maintained silence, giving Sri Bhagavan an
opportunity to talk.

Bhagavan Himself caused the confusion in Arjuna's mind:-

While departing for Kurukshetra and while blowing the conch shell, the
same Arjuna who had no doubts about what is right and wrong, had his
senses confused by the will of the Master of the senses Hrishikesa.
With a view to using Arjuna as a pretext, He confused Arjuna's mind and
thereby made the esoteric knowledge of the Upanishads available to all
living entities, when Arjuna surrendered to Him.  

The clear headed Arjuna was thus confused by the Supreme Lord, who has
forever sworn to protect the truth.  Sri Krishna then made Arjuna
surrender to Him for the sake of removing the confusion and to lead a
life righteous life after understanding Dharma.

Bhagavaan could have made Arjuna fight the battle, just by His mere
will.  The fact that He did not do so, but chose to reveal the Geeta,
makes it clear that the likes of us have the responsibility to
understand the Saastra and abide by its principles.  Until this point,
we have the prelude to the incarnation of Srimad Bhagavad Geeta.

The next part is the avataaram of the Srimad Bhagavad Geeta.  It is very
interestingly written.  If you enjoyed the above post please support Sri
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adiyen 
jaganath.