Monday, September 12, 2011

Bhagavad Gita Verse 34-35, Chapter 1

aachaaryaaha pitaraha putrosthataiva cha pitaamahaaha |
maatulaaha shvashuraaha pautraaha shyaalyaaha sambandhinastathaa || 34 ||
 
etann hantumicchaami ghnatopi madhusoodana |
api trailokyarajyasya hetoha kim nu mahikrute || 35 ||
 
Teachers, uncles, fathers, sons, as well as grand-uncles, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, brothers-in-law and other relatives are here. Although they would like to kill me, I don't want to attack them, O Madhusoodana. When I won't do so even if it would win me all the three worlds, what to speak of winning just this earth?
 
aachaaryaaha : teachers
pitaraha : fathers
putraha : sons
tatha eva : like these
cha: and
pitaamahaaha : grandfather
maatulaaha : uncles
shvashuraaha : fathers-in-law
pautraaha : grandsons
shyaalyaaha : brothers-in-law
sambandhinaha : relatives
 
etann : these people
hantum : kill
na icchaami : I don't want to
ghnataha : attack
madhusoodana : O Madhusoodana
api : also
trailokyarajyasya : three worlds
hetoha : obtain
kim : what 
nu : then
mahikrute : for this earth
 
We notice here that Arjuna essentially repeated his argument that he does not want to attack anyone in this war, since anyone he attacks is bound to be either a friend or a relative. But why was he repeating his arguments? Note that in each verse, he addressed Shri Krishna directly, hoping to get some sort of support or endorsement from him. But, Shri Krishna did not say one word, since he wanted to wait till Arjuna's delusionary outburst ended.
 
In the second verse about not desiring victory in the three worlds, Arjuna tried to justify his retreat from fighting by wrapping his cowardice in a cloak of fake large-heartedness. The ego can sometimes be more cunning than any politician.

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