Bhagavad Gita · 2.4 · Transcendental Knowledge·4 of 72
अर्जुन उवाच कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन।इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ॥
arjuna uvācha kathaṁ bhīṣhmam ahaṁ sankhye droṇaṁ cha
madhusūdana iṣhubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāvari-sūdana
Sanskrit recitation
Krishna turns to face him · 2.1–2.10 · Scene
Translation
Arjuna said, "O Madhusudana, how can I fight in battle with arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of being worshipped, O destroyer of enemies?"
Meaning
Respectable superiors like Bhīṣma the grandfather and Droṇācārya the teacher are always worshipable. Even if they attack, they should not be counterattacked. It is general etiquette that superiors are not to be offered even a verbal fight. Even if they are sometimes harsh in behavior, they should not be harshly treated. Then, how is it possible for Arjuna to counterattack them? Would Kṛṣṇa ever attack His own grandfather, Ugrasena, or His teacher, Sāndīpani Muni? These were some of the arguments offered by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa.
After Swami Sivananda
Krishna turns to face him· 2.1–2.10→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 2.1Sanjaya said: To him, who was thus overcome with pity, despondent, with eyes full of tears and agitated, Madhusudana (the destroyer of Madhu) or Krishna spoke these words.
- 2.2The Blessed Lord said, "From whence has this perilous strait come upon you, this dejection which is unworthy of you, disgraceful, and which will close the gates of heaven upon you, O Arjuna?"
- 2.3Do not yield to impotence, O Arjuna, son of Pritha. It does not befit you. Cast off this mean weakness of the heart! Stand up, O conqueror of foes!
2.4Arjuna said, "O Madhusudana, how can I fight in battle with arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of being worshipped, O destroyer of enemies?"
- 2.5Better it is, indeed, in this world to accept alms than to slay the most noble teachers. But if I were to kill them, even in this world, all my enjoyments of wealth and fulfilled desires would be stained with their blood.
- 2.6I can hardly tell which would be better, that we should conquer them or that they should conquer us. Even the sons of Dhritarashtra, whom we do not wish to slay, stand facing us.
- 2.7My heart is overpowered by the taint of pity; my mind is confused as to my duty. I ask Thee: Tell me decisively what is good for me. I am Thy disciple; instruct me, who has taken refuge in Thee.
- 2.8I do not see that this sorrow that burns up my senses would be removed, even if I were to attain prosperous and unrivaled dominion on earth or lordship over the gods.
- 2.9Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus to Hrishikesha, the Lord of the senses, Arjuna, the conqueror of sleep and destroyer of foes, said, "I will not fight," and became silent.
- 2.10To him who was despondent in the midst of the two armies, Krishna, smiling, O Bharata, spoke these words.
Word-by-word→
- cha
- and
- aham
- I
- katham
- how
- sankhye
- in battle
- droṇam
- Dronacharya
- ari-sūdana
- destroyer of enemies
- bhīṣhmam
- Bheeshma
- iṣhubhiḥ
- with arrows
- pūjā-arhau
- worthy of worship
- madhu-sūdana
- Shree Krishn, slayer of the Madhu demon
- pratiyotsyāmi
- shall I shoot
- arjunaḥ uvācha
- Arjun said
Related verses
- 2.32Happy are the Kshatriyas, O Arjuna! who are called to fight in such a battle that comes of…
- 2.35The great chariot-warriors will think that you have withdrawn from the battle out of fear,…
- 2.1Sanjaya said: To him, who was thus overcome with pity, despondent, with eyes full of tears…
- 2.2The Blessed Lord said, "From whence has this perilous strait come upon you, this dejection…