Bhagavad Gita · 2.10 · Transcendental Knowledge·10 of 72
तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत।सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः ॥
tam-uvācha hṛiṣhīkeśhaḥ prahasanniva bhārata
senayorubhayor-madhye viṣhīdantam-idaṁ vachaḥ
Sanskrit recitation
Krishna turns to face him · 2.1–2.10 · Scene
Translation
To him who was despondent in the midst of the two armies, Krishna, smiling, O Bharata, spoke these words.
Meaning
The talk was going on between intimate friends, namely the Hṛṣīkeśa and the Guḍākeśa. As friends, both of them were on the same level, but one of them voluntarily became a student of the other. Kṛṣṇa was smiling because a friend had chosen to become a disciple. As Lord of all, He is always in the superior position as the master of everyone, and yet the Lord agrees to be a friend, a son or a lover for a devotee who wants Him in such a role. But when He was accepted as the master, He at once assumed the role and talked with the disciple like the master – with gravity, as it is required. It appears that the talk between the master and the disciple was openly exchanged in the presence of both armies so that all were benefited. So the talks of Bhagavad-gītā are not for any particular person, society, or community, but they are for all, and friends or enemies are equally entitled to hear them.
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→
- iva
- as if
- tam
- to him
- idam
- this
- madhye
- in the midst of
- uvācha
- said
- bhārata
- Dhritarashtra, descendant of Bharat
- prahasan
- smilingly
- vachaḥ
- words
- senayoḥ
- of the armies
- ubhayoḥ
- of both
- viṣhīdantam
- to the grief-stricken
- hṛiṣhīkeśhaḥ
- Shree Krishna, the master of mind and senses
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