Gyaneshwari Geeta-8

Gyaneshwari Geeta-8

28. And overcome with great compassion, he spoke thus in sorrow; At that time his mind was troubled and pity filled his heart. His heroic spirit, taking offence at this conduct, deserted him (181-185), even as a lady coming from a noble family and endowed with beauty and virtue, does not tolerate a rival in her affection, or as a passionate person neglects his wife, being infatuated by another woman, and like one demented runs undeservedly after her, or as an ascetic, dazzled by the acquisition of miraculous powers, does not remember his dis-passion. Such was the state of Arjuna, when he lost his manliness and yielded his heart to compassion. Look, even as the exorcist who makes a slip is overpowered by the ghost, that great archer was overcome by delusion (186-190). So he lost his natural courage and his heart bled with pity, even as the moon-stone melts at the touch of moon-light. In this way Arjuna became bewildered by his excessive affection and addressed Lord Krishna thus, in great dejection.

29. Seeing these kinsmen here, O Krishna, bent on fighting, my limbs become feeble, my mouth goes dry; there is tremor in my body, and my hair stands on end.

30. The Gandiva bow has slipped from my hand, my skin burns all over; I am not able to stand firm, and my mind seems to reel.

“Lord, when I look at this crowd, I see only my kinsmen there. True, they are all poised for battle; but will it be proper for us to fight with them?” The thought, bewilders me and has unhinged my mind (191-195). See, my body is trembling, my mouth is parched, and languor has overtaken my limbs. The hair on my body bristles, my mind is agitated; and the Gandiva has slipped from my sluggish hand. I do not know when it dropped; my mind is so clouded by delusion.” Sanjaya said that it is odd that pity should so unusually affect his heart, which is as hard as the adamant, harsh and truculent. He, who had conquered Lord Shiva and destroyed Nivatakavacha demons, was so overpowered by compassion in a moment (196-200). When the bee, which can bore into any dry wood, is caught in a flower bud, it would rather lose its life than tear it open; so the tender ties of kinship are difficult to break. This is the Maya of the Supreme God which even Brahma cannot cross. It confused the mind of Arjuna, so said Sanjaya to the king. After seeing his kinsmen there, Arjuna lost all zest for war. One does not know how this pity entered his mind. Then he said to Krishna, “Lord, let us not tarry here (201-205). When I see that I have to kill all these relatives, my mind becomes disturbed and I start raving.”

31. And I see omens that are adverse, O Krishna, nor do I foresee any good in killing our men in battle. If I have to slay the Kauravas, then why not Yudhishthira and others? These Kauravas are also our kinsmen, therefore, O Lord, let this war go to blazes. I do not like it. What do we achieve by committing this grievous sin? I foresee that this war will end in disaster, but its prevention will tend to our benefit.

32. I long not for victory, O Krishna, nor for kingdom nor for happiness. Of what use is a kingdom to us, or enjoyments or life itself?

33. They, for whose sake we desire a kingdom, joys and happiness, are standing poised for battle and ready to lose their lives and wealth.

34. Yonder are our teachers, fathers, sons and grand-fathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other kinsmen.

I do not particularly fancy a victory of this kind. Of what use is a kingdom gained in this way (206-210)? If we have to kill all of them to enjoy pleasures, burn those pleasures, so said Partha. Rather than enjoy such pleasures, we shall gladly suffer misery of any kind and even risk our lives for them. To slay them and enjoy the pleasures of a kingdom, my mind cannot conceive of such a thing even in a dream. If we have to think of our elders with animus, why should we come to birth, and for whom should we live’? When a family longs for a son, do they expect of him that he should utterly destroy his kith and kin (211-215)? How could we think of being as hard and adamant? Rather we should do whatever good we can offer for them. We should let them enjoy whatever we earn; in fact we should devote our entire lives in their cause. We should conquer all kings up to the limits of the quarters to please them. But it is the irony of fate that all our relations have come here to fight forsaking their wives, children and wealth, and committing their lives to the charge of missiles (216- 220). How shall I kill them? How shall I wound my own heart? Don’t you know who they are? Yonder are Bhishma and Drona, who have placed us under many obligations. Here we have brothers-in-law, fathers-in-law, maternal uncles, cousins, sons and grandsons and other relations. Listen, everyone of them is closely related to us; we shall be committing sin, even if we talk of killing them.

Om Namah Shivay