Bhagwad Gita- Post 10

Dear All,

Arjuna tries to convince Sri Krishna for not fighting with Kauvarvas, with various explanations like the following, (verse 32 to 35)

For I desire neither victory, O Krishna, nor pleasures nor kingdoms! Of what avail is a dominion to us, O Krishna, or pleasures or even life?

Those for whose sake we desire kingdoms, enjoyments and pleasures, stand here in battle, having renounced life and wealth.

Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers, grandsons, fathers-in-law, maternal uncles, brothers-in-law and relatives.

These I do not wish to kill, though they kill me, O Krishna, even for the sake of dominion over the three worlds, leave alone killing them for the sake of the earth!

In spite of all that Arjuna said so far, Krishna is as silent .  Therefore, Arjuna gives up his melodramatic expression and assumes a softer, a more appealing tone and takes the attitude of explaining in vain, a serious matter to a dull-witted friend and says, 

Verse 36

Nihatya dhaartaraashtraan nah kaa preetih syaaj janaardana;

Paapam evaashrayed asmaan hatwaitaan aatataayinah.

Killing these sons of Dhritarashtra, what pleasure can be ours, O Janardana? Sin alone will be our gain by killing these felons.

The kaurvas had  committed such sins that they deserve to be slayed immediately, arjuna mentions  that  the kaurava brothers were behaving towards the Pandavas as felons. 

If it is put forth that in killing aggressors there is sin that argument can be nullified because in the Vasistha Samhita ( it is mentioned as Niti Shastra in come commentary), it is stated that the following six types of aggressors can be killed.

1) one who administers poison

2) one who commits arson 

3) one who attacks with deadly weapons 

4) one who steals one’s wealth 

5) one who usurps another's property 

6) and one who kidnaps another's wife

In case of Kauravas, they had  usurped  Pandava's property, they had tried to kill Pandavas by placing them in a place prone to fire , they had humiliated Draupadi and they had done many  other wrong things to Pandavas.  So, as per the above shastra, they could be slain. 

However, arjuna takes another route and says that he would in turn be accruing more sin if he slays his own relatives.  His reasoning is based on  Dharma sastra where it is stated that one should not cause harm to any living creature. 

Since Dharma sastra is superior to any other sastra, the killing of revered elders such as Drona, Bhishma and all his Kaurava brothers and their army can only be the cause of a bigger  sin. 

Without the elders and the relatives, the enjoyment of sovereignty will not be palatable, rather, it  will only result in remorse.

Arjuna addresses Sri Krishna as Madhava, Janardana etc. in these verses which are attributable to  the husband/consort of goddess of good fortune. 

Arjuna indicates  by this that  as the Husband, He is the protector of the family and not the destroyer. 

Accordingly, Arjuna should also follow Krishna’s path as protector and he should not act contrary to Sri Krishna’s nature, by killing his relatives ( Kauravas, who are his family members)

Arjuna's seemingly learned objection to killing enemies is a misinterpretation of our sacred texts (Shastra), and to have acted upon it would have been suicidal to our very culture. 

As a Kshatriya, after the war has been decided, where Arjuna was fully geared up and was enthusiastic to fight against adharma  and army is lined up on both sides and the conches have been blown, taking the support of Dharma Shastra only reflects the cowardice and fear of Arjuna.

Therefore, Krishna refuses to show any sign either of appreciation or criticism of Arjuna's stand. 

The Lord understands that his friend is raving hysterically and the best policy is to allow a mental patient first of all to bring out everything in his mind and thus exhaust himself.

Love