Bhagwad Gita - Post 11

Verse 46

Yadi maam aprateekaaram ashastram shastrapaanayah;

Dhaartaraashtraa rane hanyus tanme kshemataram bhavet.

If the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.

Here, Arjuna declares his final opinion that, under the circumstances narrated during his long-drawn limping arguments, it is better for him to die in battle unresisting and unarmed, even if the Kauravas were to shoot him down, like a hunted deer, with a dozen arrows piercing his royal body.

In the previous verses, Arjuna mentions a number of evils that would come from the impending battle, but he was not able to see that evil would actually prevail if these wicked people were allowed to thrive in society. 

As often happens, people are unable to see their own mistakes and instead attribute them to situations and to others. 

Similarly, Arjuna felt that the sons of Dhritarashtra were motivated by greed, but he could not see that his outpouring of compassion was not a pure  sentiment, but a materialistic infatuation based on the ignorance of being the body. 

The problem with all of Arjuna’s arguments was that he was using them to justify his delusion that had been created from his bodily attachment, weakness of heart, and dereliction of duty. 

In practical life, when a person attends his first interview for job and he fails in the interview and he attends few more interviews and fails, he may end up taking a stand, “See, if I get a job, then I will be depriving another person of that job, so I shall not attend interview any more’. 

Thus, due to our weak heart, our fear of losing (fear of change, which is one of the manifestation of ego), we end up showing a kind, loving gesture, justifying our withdrawal from our dharma. 

The compassionate gesture thrown by Arjuna after seeing the strength of the warriors in the enemy side is not appreciable. If, before the war, he had taken this stand of non-violence and preparation to be killed by Dhritarashtra’s sons in the worst situation, then Arjuna can be adored as an epitome  of non-violence and compassion. 

Like the job seeker’s family needs his job salary, standing in the battlefield,  to say such lines as Arjuna says in this verse is a sheer sign of fear, ignorance and running away from one’s dharma as a Kshatriya.

It may be put forth that although Arjuna disregarding kshatriya ethics might refrain from battle out of deluded compassion for friends and kinsman; but as far as the enemy is concerned they will not refrain themselves from battle; but are determined to fight for dominion of the kingdom. Being fully intent on victory the sons of Dhritarashtra may slay you even if Arjuna  does not fight. Then what is the use of not fighting? 

For the answer to the above question, the expression "Kshema" used by Arjuna in this verse is worth observing.

Arjuna states that even if the sons of Dhritarashtra being devoid of wisdom and obsessed by greed would slay him unarmed and unresisting, this would still be more preferable (Kshema) than perpetuating sin by slaying friends and kinsman and permanently going to hell as a result. (as he would not get Moksha due to the sin committed of killing his kinsman)

Whereas, He should have considered the Moksha, the welfare of the entire society and should have plunged into the war!!!

Love.