Bhagwad Gita - Post 15

Chapter 2

Sanjaya Uvaacha:

Tam tathaa kripayaavishtam ashrupoornaakulekshanam;
Visheedantam idam

vaakyam uvaacha madhusoodanah.

Sanjaya said:

1. To him who was thus overcome with pity and who was despondent, with eyes full of tears and agitated, Krishna or Madhusudana (the destroyer of Madhu), spoke these words.

Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:

Kutastwaa kashmalam idam

vishame samupasthitam;
Anaaryajushtam aswargyam

akeertikaram arjuna.

The Blessed Lord said:

2. From where is this perilous strait come upon you, this dejection which is unworthy of you, disgraceful, and which will close the gates of heaven upon you, Arjuna?

Klaibyam maa sma gamah

paartha naitat twayyupapadyate;
Kshudram hridaya daurbalyam

tyaktwottishtha parantapa.

3. Yield not to impotence, Arjuna, son of Pritha! it does not befit you. Cast off this mean weakness of the heart. Stand up, scorcher of foes!

Arjuna Uvaacha:

Katham bheeshmamaham

sankhye dronam cha madhusoodana;
Ishubhih pratiyotsyaami poojaarhaavarisoodana.

Arjuna said:

4. How, Madhusudana, shall I fight in battle with arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are fit to be worshipped, destroyer of enemies?

Guroon ahatwaa hi mahaanubhaavaan

Shreyo bhoktum bhaikshyam apeeha loke;
Hatwaarthakaamaamstu guroon ihaiva

Bhunjeeya bhogaan rudhirapradigdhaan.

5. Better it is, indeed, in this world to accept alms than to slay the most noble teachers. But if I kill them, even in this world all my enjoyments of wealth and desires will be stained with (their) blood.

Na chaitad vidmah kataran no gareeyo

Yadwaa jayema yadi vaa no jayeyuh;
Yaan eva hatwaa na jijeevishaamas

Te'vasthitaah pramukhe dhaartaraashtraah.

6. I can hardly tell which will be better: that we should conquer them or they should conquer us. Even the sons of Dhritarashtra, after slaying whom we do not wish to live, stand facing us.

Kaarpanyadoshopahataswabhaavah

Pricchaami twaam dharmasammoodha chetaah;
Yacchreyah syaan nishchitam broohi tanme

Shishyaste'ham shaadhi maam twaam prapannam.

7. My heart is overpowered by the taint of pity, my mind is confused as to duty. I ask you: tell me decisively what is good for me. I am your disciple. Instruct me who has taken refuge in you.

Na hi prapashyaami mamaapanudyaad

Yacchokam ucchoshanam indriyaanaam;
Avaapya bhoomaavasapatnam riddham

Raajyam suraanaam api chaadhipatyam.

8. I do not see that it would remove this sorrow that burns up my senses even if I should attain prosperous and unrivalled dominion on earth or lordship over the gods.

Sanjaya Uvaacha:

Evam uktwaa hrisheekesham

gudaakeshah parantapah;
Na yotsya iti govindam uktwaa tooshneem babhoova ha.

Sanjaya said:

9. Having spoken thus to Hrishikesa (Lord of the senses), Arjuna (the conqueror of sleep), the destroyer of foes, said to Krishna: "I will not fight," and became silent.

Tam uvaacha hrisheekeshah

prahasanniva bhaarata;
Senayor ubhayor madhye

visheedantam idam vachah.

10. To him who was despondent in the middle of the two armies, Sri Krishna, as if smiling, Bharata, spoke these words!

Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:

Ashochyaan anvashochastwam

prajnaavaadaamshcha bhaashase;
Gataasoon agataasoomshcha

naanushochanti panditaah.

The Blessed Lord said:

11. You have grieved for those that should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead.

Na twevaaham jaatu naasam

na twam neme janaadhipaah;
Na chaiva na bhavishyaamah

sarve vayam atah param.

12. Nor at any time indeed was I not, nor these rulers of men, nor verily shall we ever cease to be hereafter.

Dehino'smin yathaa dehe

kaumaaram yauvanam jaraa;
Tathaa dehaantara praaptir

dheeras tatra na muhyati.

13. Just as in this body the embodied (soul) passes into childhood, youth and old age, so also does he pass into another body; the firm man does not grieve thereat.

Maatraasparshaastu kaunteya sheetoshnasukhaduhkhadaah;
Aagamaapaayino’nityaas

taamstitikshaswa bhaarata.

14. The contacts of the senses with the objects, son of Kunti, which cause heat and cold and pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end; they are impermanent; endure them bravely, Arjuna!

Yam hi na vyathayantyete

purusham purusharshabha;
Samaduhkha sukham dheeram

so'mritatwaaya kalpate.

15. That firm man whom surely these afflict not, chief among men, to whom pleasure, and pain are the same, is fit for attaining immortality!

Naasato vidyate bhaavo

naabhaavo vidyate satah;
Ubhayorapi drishto'ntastwanayos tattwadarshibhih.

16. The unreal hath no being; there is no non-being of the Real; the truth about both has been seen by the knowers of the Truth (or the seers of the Essence).

Avinaashi tu tad viddhi

yena sarvam idam tatam;
Vinaasham avyayasyaasya

na kashchit kartum arhati.

17. Know That to be indestructible, by whom all this is pervaded. None can cause the destruction of That, the Imperishable.

Antavanta ime dehaa

nityasyoktaah shareerinah;
Anaashino'prameyasya

tasmaad yudhyaswa bhaarata.

18. These bodies of the embodied Self, which is eternal, indestructible and immeasurable, are said to have an end. Therefore, fight, Arjuna!

Ya enam vetti hantaaram

yashchainam manyate hatam;
Ubhau tau na vijaaneeto

naayam hanti na hanyate.

19. He who takes the Self to be the slayer and he who thinks he is slain, neither of them knows; he slays not nor is he slain.

Na jaayate mriyate vaa kadaachin

Naayam bhootwaa bhavitaa vaa na bhooyah;
Ajo nityah shaashwato'yam puraano

Na hanyate hanyamaane shareere.

20. He is not born, nor does he ever die; after having been, he again ceases not to be. Unborn, eternal, changeless and ancient, he is not killed when the body is killed.

Vedaavinaashinam nityam

ya enam ajam avyayam;
Katham sa purushah paartha

kam ghaatayati hanti kam.

21. Whoever knows him to be indestructible, eternal, unborn and inexhaustible, how can that man slay, Arjuna, or cause to be slain?

Vaasaamsi jeernaani yathaa vihaaya

Navaani grihnaati naro'paraani;
Tathaa shareeraani vihaaya jeernaa

Nyanyaani samyaati navaani dehee.

22. Just as a man casts off worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, so also the embodied Self casts off worn-out bodies and enters others that are new.

Nainam cchindanti shastraani

nainam dahati paavakah;
Na chainam kledayantyaapo

na shoshayati maarutah.

23. Weapons cut it not, fire burns it not, water wets it not, wind dries it not.

Acchedyo'yam adaahyo'yam

akledyo'shoshya eva cha;
Nityah sarvagatah sthaanur

achalo'yam sanaatanah.

24. This Self cannot be cut, burnt, wetted nor dried up. It is eternal, all-pervading, stable, ancient and immovable.

Avyakto'yam achintyo'yam

avikaaryo'yam uchyate;
Tasmaad evam viditwainam

naanushochitum arhasi.

25. This (Self) is said to be unmanifested, unthinkable and unchangeable. Therefore, knowing This to be such, you should not grieve.

Atha chainam nityajaatam

nityam vaa manyase mritam;
Tathaapi twam mahaabaaho

naivam shochitum arhasi.

26. But, even if you think of it as being constantly born and dying, even then, mighty-armed, you should not grieve!

Jaatasya hi dhruvo mrityur

dhruvam janma mritasya cha;
Tasmaad aparihaarye'rthe

na twam shochitum arhasi.

27. For, certain is death for the born and certain is birth for the dead; therefore, over the inevitable you should not grieve.

Avyaktaadeeni bhootaani

vyaktamadhyaani bhaarata;
Avyakta nidhanaanyeva

tatra kaa paridevanaa.

28. Beings are unmanifested in their beginning, manifested in their middle state, Arjuna, and unmanifested again in their end! What is there to grieve about?

Aashcharyavat pashyati kashchid enam

Aashcharyavad vadati tathaiva chaanyah;
Aashcharyavacchainam anyah shrinoti

Shrutwaapyenam veda na chaiva kashchit.

29. One sees This (the Self) as a wonder; another speaks of it as a wonder; another hears of it as a wonder; yet, having heard, none understands it at all.

Dehee nityam avadhyo'yam

dehe sarvasya bhaarata;
Tasmaat sarvaani bhootaani

na twam shochitum arhasi.

30. This, the Indweller in the body of everyone, is always indestructible, Arjuna! Therefore, you should not grieve for any creature.

Swadharmam api chaavekshya

na vikampitum arhasi;
Dharmyaaddhi yuddhaacchreyo'nyat

kshatriyasya na vidyate.

31. Further, having regard to your own duty, you should not waver, for there is nothing higher for a Kshatriya than a righteous war.

Yadricchayaa chopapannam

swargadwaaram apaavritam;
Sukhinah kshatriyaah paartha

labhante yuddham eedrisham.

32. Happy are the Kshatriyas, Arjuna, who are called upon to fight in such a battle that comes of itself as an open door to heaven!

Atha chettwam imam dharmyam

samgraamam na karishyasi;
Tatah swadharmam keertim cha

hitwaa paapam avaapsyasi.

33. But, if you will not fight in this righteous war, then, having abandoned your duty and fame, you shall incur sin.

Akeertim chaapi bhootaani

kathayishyanti te'vyayaam;
Sambhaavitasya chaakeertir

maranaad atirichyate.

34. People, too, will recount your everlasting dishonour; and to one who has been honoured, dishonour is worse than death.

Bhayaad ranaad uparatam

mamsyante twaam mahaarathaah;
Yeshaam cha twam bahumato

bhootwaa yaasyasi laaghavam.

35. The great car-warriors will think that you have withdrawn from the battle through fear; and you will be lightly held by them who have thought much of you.

Avaachyavaadaamshcha bahoon

vadishyanti tavaahitaah;
Nindantastava saamaryouram

tato duhkhataram nu kim.

36. Your enemies also, caviling at your power, will speak many abusive words. What is more painful than this!

Continued…

Love.