Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 2 - Shloka (Verse) 8

व्याख्या-- [अर्जुन सोचते हैं कि भगवान् ऐसा समझते होंगे कि अर्जुन युद्ध करेगा तो उसकी विजय होगी, और विजय होनेपर उसको राज्य मिल जायगा, जिससे उसके चिन्ता-शोक मिट जायँगे और संतोष हो जायगा। परन्तु शोकके कारण मेरी ऐसी दशा हो गयी है कि विजय होनेपर भी मेरा शोक दूर हो जाय--ऐसी बात मैं नहीं देखता।]
'अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धं राज्यम्'-- अगर मेरेको धनधान्यसे सम्पन्न और निष्कण्टक राज्य मिल जाय अर्थात् जिस राज्यमें प्रजा खूब सुखी हो, प्रजाके पास खूब धन-धान्य हो, किसी चीजकी कमी न हो और राज्यमें कोई वैरी भी न हो--ऐसा राज्य मिल जाय, तो भी मेरा शोक दूर नहीं हो सकता।

"Why do you desire only the Highest Good (Nihshreyasa/Moksha)?" To this, he says "Na hi" (For I do not...).

Because I do not see. What do you not see? "I do not see that which would 'apanudyat' (drive away/remove) my grief—which is drying up and burning my senses."

Objection: "Upon killing enemies and obtaining the kingdom, your cessation of grief will happen?" He answers "No" with "Avapya" (Having obtained).

"Rajyam" (Kingdom)—which is "Asapatnam," meaning having no existing enemy, i.e., firm/secure, and refers to the king's duty of protecting and ruling subjects—even having obtained this on earth, I do not see the cause for the removal of grief; this is the meaning.

"Then, by obtaining the status of Indra and the like, your grief will be removed?" He answers "No" with "Suranam api" (Even of the gods).

"Adhipatyam"—lordship, sovereignty, the status of Indra or Brahma—even having obtained that, my grief would not depart; this is the meaning.

Objection: "Whether victorious and obtaining kingdom over the earth, or killed and obtaining lordship over gods due to the power of your Svadharma or being Indra's son, some means to remove your ignorance-born grief will be easily available." To this, he says "Na hi."

"Yad" is an indeclinable. "Rajyam" (kingdom) on earth which is "Asapatnam"—having no enemy, meaning thornless/uncontested. "Riddham" means prosperous with crops, etc. Or obtaining "Suranam Adhipatyam" (Lordship of the gods). "I do not see that 'Yah' (which) could remove my grief that is 'Uchchoshanam' (drying up) to the senses"—this is the syntax. Therefore, the intention is: You alone, right now, must remove my grief.

"Why do you desire only the Highest Good?" To this, he says "Na hi." Because I do not see that which would remove my grief that dries up the senses.

Objection: "Upon killing enemies and obtaining the kingdom, your cessation of grief will happen?" He answers "No" with "Avapya." "Rajyam" (Kingdom) which is "Asapatnam" (enemy-less) and "Riddham" (prosperous)—referring to the king's duty of protecting and ruling subjects—even having obtained this on earth, I do not see the cause for the removal of grief; this is the meaning.

"Then, by obtaining the status of Indra and the like, your grief will be removed?" He answers "No" with "Suranam api." "Adhipatyam"—lordship, sovereignty, the status of Indra or Brahma—even having obtained that, my grief does not depart; this is the meaning according to some.

Objection: "Since it has already been stated that war alone is 'Shreyas' (good) with the words 'Abandoning this petty weakness of heart, stand up, O Parantapa,' why do you ask again?" To this, he says "Na hi."

The grief caused by the destruction of kinsmen will not be removed by gaining a kingdom or by gaining lordship over heaven; therefore, tell me some means of "Shama" (peace/control) that is distinct from war and is of the nature of "Nivritti" (withdrawal/renunciation)—this is the intent.

Here, under the pretext of Arjuna's despondency, the qualifications of an aspirant eligible for Brahma-vidya (Knowledge of Brahman)—namely, the practice of mendicancy (begging) and dispassion towards the enjoyment of wealth and fruits in this world and the next—are demonstrated.

"If you, having started the war, now desist from the action, the sons of Dhritarashtra might violently kill you"—if this is the objection, [Arjuna implies]: "Let it be so; compared to a victory obtained by such killing—which is unrighteous—it appears to me that being killed by them (who do not know Dharma and Adharma) is indeed 'gariyah' (better/heavier)." Having said this,

and asking "Tell me decisively what is 'Shreyas' (good) for me, your disciple who has surrendered to You," he approached the lotus feet of the Lord with extreme humility/helplessness.

You yourself consider what is proper and do it—if this is suggested, he answers 'Na hi' (No).

I do not see that action which could remove my grief that is causing excessive drying up of my senses.

Even if I were to obtain a thornless and prosperous kingdom on earth; and even if I were to obtain the lordship of the gods. Thus, the connection is: even after obtaining all that is desired, I do not see a means to dispel the grief.

Explaining the purport of the verse starting with 'Na chaitat vidmah,' preceded by the doubt indicated by the word 'cha' (and), he says 'Evam' (Thus).

'By you, who are afraid of the destruction of kinsmen, the destruction of even closer relatives like the son of Dharma (Yudhishthira), Bhima, Nakula, and others would be caused (if you withdraw)'—this is indicated by the word 'Bhavatah' (Your) [in the context of Ramanuja's commentary].

Following the plural number in 'Vidmah' (We know), he interprets 'Asmakam' (Us/Our). By 'Asmakam,' the status of being disciples etc. of all (the Pandavas) is implied, relative to Bhishma, Drona and others who are designated to be killed. The two sides of the deliberation are suggested by the first and second halves of the verse.

'Yad va' and 'Yadi va' have the same meaning. 'Those by whose killing our life becomes undesirable, they themselves, desiring to kill us, are standing in a position befitting their own death'—this is the meaning of the syntax of 'Yan eva' etc.

He describes the mental impression ('Pratibha') which ends in indecision—suggested by 'Na jijivishamah' (we do not wish to live)—and which therefore becomes the cause of the question (in the next verse), with the phrase 'Iti me pratibhati' (Thus it appears to me).

He clarifies the implied meaning of the syntax 'Yacchreyah' (what is good) and the disciple's qualification mentioned to show fitness for instruction with 'Yanmahyam' (What is for me...) etc. The word 'Iti' is used to extract/define the form of what needs to be ascertained. A disciple is one who is to be ruled/instructed; hence he says 'Shishyasteham shadhi mam' (I am your disciple, instruct/rule me).

Here, his nature is 'courage' (dhairya); but due to ignorance of specific duty, or lack of means to remove grief, there is 'Atimatra Karpanya' (extreme wretchedness/helplessness). Some say 'Karpanya' here means the non-abandonment of what should be abandoned; others say it means being engrossed in a pitiable state that invokes compassion.

'Approached the lotus feet of the Lord' is the result of the combination of discipleship and surrender (prapatti).

यहाँ अर्जुन संकेत करता है कि उसे तत्काल ही मार्गदर्शन की आवश्यकता है जिसके अभाव में उसे आन्तरिक पीड़ा को सहन करना पड़ रहा है। वह पीड़ा के कारण को व्यक्त करने में असमर्थ अनुभव कर रहा है। यह शोक उसकी ज्ञानेन्द्रियों पर भी प्रभाव डाल रहा है। वह न ठीक से देख सकता है और न सुन सकता है।किसी भी विचारशील व्यक्ति के लिये यह स्वाभाविक है कि किसी समस्या के आने पर उसको हल करने के लिये अधीर हो उठेे। वह समस्या को शीघ्र हल करके शांति प्राप्त करना चाहता है। बेचारे अर्जुन ने अपनी बुद्धि द्वारा समस्या हल करने का बहुत प्रयत्न किया किन्तु वह सफल नहीं हो सका। जैसा कि उसके शब्दों से स्पष्ट है कि अब उसका दुख भौतिक वस्तुओं को प्राप्त करने के लिये नहीं है क्योंकि वह स्वयं कहता है कि समस्त पृथ्वी अथवा स्वर्ग का राज्य प्राप्त करने से भी उसका दुख निवृत्त नहीं हो सकता है।अब अर्जुन की स्थिति एक तीव्र मुमुक्ष के समान है जो र्मत्य जीवन की समस्त सीमाओं और बन्धनों से मुक्त हो जाने के लिये अधीर हो उठा है। अब आवश्यकता है केवल एक प्रामाणिक विचार की जो स्वयं भगवान हृषीकेश उसे गीता के दिव्य काव्य में देते हैं।

'Karpanya' etc.

With the phrase 'Between the two armies' (1.21) etc., this is indicated: Arjuna, possessed by doubt, has not desisted from war based on a single (decided) view (but is rather confused). For he says thus: 'Instruct me who have surrendered to You.'

Therefore, standing in the middle of both Knowledge and Ignorance, he is instructed by the Supreme Lord.

Objection: 'You consider what is beneficial by yourself; you are learned. Why become a disciple of another?' To this, he says—I do not see that beneficial path which, being attained, would remove my grief. Since 'I am that sorrowful one, O Lord; may the Lord take me across the ocean of sorrow'—thus the meaning of the Shruti is shown. Doubting 'What is the fault if grief is not removed?', he states its qualification—'drying up of the senses'. The meaning is: causing distress at all times. Objection: 'While striving in war, your cessation of grief will occur. If you win, then by obtaining the kingdom; otherwise, by obtaining heaven.' Based on Dharma Shastra texts like 'These two men in the world...', having raised such a doubt, he answers with 'having obtained' (avāpya), etc. The prose order is: Even having obtained a kingdom devoid of enemies and rich in crops, and lordship over the gods, extending up to the sovereignty of Hiranyagarbha, I do not see that which would remove my grief. Because of the Shruti 'Just as here the world won by work perishes, so there the world won by merit perishes'; because of the inference 'Whatever is created is impermanent'; and also because of the perception of the destruction of worldly things. Neither worldly nor other-worldly enjoyment is the remover of grief; rather, even during its existence, due to dependence on enjoyment, and at the time of destruction due to separation, it is indeed a generator of grief. Therefore, war should not be undertaken for the removal of grief—this is the meaning. By this, dispassion for enjoyment here and in the hereafter is shown as a qualification of the aspirant.

"Since you are a friend and have surrendered, I should do exactly as you wish"—if this is said, he answers 'Na hi' (No).

Having obtained on earth a kingdom that is 'Asapatnam' (rival-less), unique, pure, and possessing all opulence; and having obtained lordship over the gods, i.e., the sovereignty of Indra, in the other world; there is nothing whatsoever that can fulfill the desire (for peace) against the 'Uchchoshanam' (extreme drying up) of the senses. Therefore, I do not see that which could remove my grief.

So what should I request?—this is the sentiment.

'Hi'—this meaning is indeed reasonable, because the senses are hard to satisfy.

The question starting with 'Na chaitat' spans three (verses/parts).

The meaning is clear.

If you say, 'After beginning the war, if we withdraw from the battle, the sons of Dhrtarastra will slay us all forcibly', be it so. I think that even to be killed by them, who do not know the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness, is better for us than gaining unrighteous victory by killing them. After saying so, Arjuna surrendered himself at the feet of the Lord, overcome with dejection, saying. 'Teach me, your disciple, who has taken refuge in you, what is good for me.'