Chapter1 Verse - 31

 

Verse – 31:

निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव |

न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे || 31||

Transliteration:

nimittAni ca pashyAmi viparItAni keshava.

Na ca shreyo.anupashyAmi hatvA svajanamAhave..31..

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Word-by-word meaning:

निमित्तानि – Omens; च – and; पश्यामि – I see; विपरीतानि -  misfortune; केशव – Keshava; न – not;च – and; श्रेयः – good; अनुपश्यामि- foresee

हत्वा – on killing; स्वजनम् – my people; आहवे – in the battle;

Meanings:

I see many misfortunes, O Keshava, I do not foresee any good on killing my own people in the battle;

Significance:

Keshava: A name of Krishna, that means – slayer of demon Keshi ; Keshi – a demon who came to attack Krishna in the form of horse, tore into pieces by the kick of Little Krishna. Keshava also means one who torments his enemies. Keshava also means one who has long and beautiful hair. Keshava also means Lord of Shiva and Brahma. Keshava also means – ray of light, one who fills our heart which is dark due to ignorance, with the light of supreme knowledge.

न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि - One is entitled fame and svarga, when one attains renunciation by the practice of yoga and when a warrior gets slayed in battle. Here Arjuna says to Krishna – that he sees no fame when either he gets killed or when his relatives gets killed in this war.

Chapter1 - Verse 30

 

Verse 30:

गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते |

न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मन: || 30||

Transliteration:

gAndIvam samsrate hastAttvakccaiva paridahyate.

Na ca shaknomyavasthAtuM bhramatIva ca me manaH..30..

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Word-by-word meaning:

गाण्डीवं – GanDIvaM; स्रंसते – slips; हस्तात् – from my hand; तवक् -  skin; चैव – and also; परिदह्यते – burns; न – not; च -  and; शक्नोमि – possible; अवस्थातुं – to bear; भ्रमतीव – delude; च – and; मे – my; मन:- mind;

Meaning:

My GAndIva slips from my hand , am not able to bear the burning sensation of my skin , my mind is deluded.

Significance:

                               Bhagavad-Gita is a spiritual text which is also the most practical text, which comes to our rescue in our day-to-day life . Arjuna who is well known as a person who has conquered sleep, here experiences panic-attack. He intimates all symptoms of anxiety , including burning sensation of his skin, deluded mind . GAndIva which is his own bow, which he holds with pride is now slipping from his hands. 

Chapter1 Verse 28&29

 

Verse – 28&29 :

अर्जुन उवाच |

दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम् || 28||

सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति |

 

वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते || 29|

Transliteration:

Arjuna uvAca

Drishtvemam svajanam kriShna yuyutsum samupasthitam ..28

sIdanti mama gAtrAni mukham ca parishuShyati.

Vepathushca sharIre me romaharShashca jAyate..29

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Word-by-word meaning:

दृष्टा – on seeing; इमम् – this;स्वजनं – relative; कृष्ण – Krishna; युयुत्सुं -  who wish to fight; समुपस्थितम् – arrayed; सीदन्ति – shivers; मम – my; गात्राणि – (body) parts; मुखं – mouth; च – and; परिशुष्यति – dries up; वेपथुश्च – sweats ; शरीरे  - body; मे – my; रोमहर्षश्च – goosebumps; जायते- occurs;

Meaning:

Arjuna says –

On seeing my relative(s) who are all arrayed up with the intention to fight, my body parts are shivering , my mouth dries up, by body sweats, I get goosebumps all over my body.

Significance:

Lamenting of Arjuna starts in this verse. On seeing the army , the warriors in both sides of the army. Arjuna lost his balance. His heart was filled with compassion and kindness. He says to Krishna that his body is showing signs . For a warrior like Arjuna, who has won innumerable battles, who has faced even Bhishma , Drona during the Virata war, the mere sight of the battle field and the warriors on both the sides gives shivering of his body. Mouth drying up is one symptom of anxiety. It is mentioned in psychology texts that – dryness of mouth will be accompanied by other symptoms like rapid pulse, sweating, restlessness , agitation. This book, as we said earlier is not a mere spiritual text but the best book on psycology. From this verse till the end of the chapter Arjuna will express his anxiety to Lord Krishna. He being the best counsellor, will listen with patience to Arjuna and will start his counselling sittings from the next chapter!

Chapter1 Verse - 27

 

Verse 27-

तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेय: सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान् |
कृपया परयाविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत् || 27||

Tranliteration:

tAnsamIkshya sa kaunteyaH sarvAnbandhUnavasthitAn.

Kripaya parayAviSTo vishIdannidamabravIt .. 27..

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Word-by-word meaning:

ता- them; समीक्ष्य – having seen clearly; स – he;कौन्तेय:- Arjuna; सर्वान् – all; बन्धून् -  the relatives; अवस्थितान् – arrayed; कृपया – by kindness; परयाविष्टो – overwhelmed by great ; विषीदन् – with sorrow; इदम्- like this; अब्रवीत् – told;

Meaning:

On seeing them, his relatives, who have arrayed there(for the battle), overwhelmed by compassion, with great sorrow, Arjuna said thus –

Significance:

Arjuna who was there in the middle of both the armies, is now filled with compassion ???? A quality which no warrior should possess in the battle field. The Ego of Arjuna which made him utter the words “place the chariot in the middle of the battle field, I need to have a view of the people with whom I should fight”, has now gone to the other extreme – Compassion ! He shows compassion not only to the warriors of his army , but also for them who are in the opposition army.

Arjuna is addressed as  “Kaunteya” – son of Kunti. Kunti is the sister of Vasudeva, who is an epitome of compassion. He even forgave Kamsa. To indicate that Arjuna has inherited that quality, but in an appropriate place, Arjuna is addressed thus. Vishidan- The word not only means grief stricken but all the signs like – shedding tears, shivering, when we are in anxiety. A mighty warrior, who has got the divine weapons, Chariot from Indra, who has Hanuman on his flag, is now overwhelmed by compassion and is suffering from grief.

Chapter1 Verse - 26

 Verse 26

तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान् पार्थ: पितृ नथ पितामहान् |

आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातृ न्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा |26|

श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि ||

Transliteration

tatrApashyatsthitAn pArthaH pitrinatha pitAmahAn.

AcAryAnmAtulAnbhrAtrinputrAnpautrAnsakhIMstathA..26

shvashurAnsuhrudashcaiva senayorubhayorapi ..

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Word-by-word meaning:

तत्र – there; अपश्यत् – saw; स्थितान् – stood; पार्थः – pArtha;पितृन् – fathers; अथ – then; पितामहान् – grand-fathers; आचार्यान् – teachers; मातुलान् -  Uncles;भ्रातृन् – brothers; पुत्रान् – sons; पौत्रान् – grand-sons; सखीम् – friend; तथा – also; श्वशुरान् – in-laws; सुह्रुदश: - good-hearted persons;च – and;एव – also;सेनयो:-उभयोः – on both sides of the armies; अपि – also.

Meaning:

There stood pArtha , between both the armies, who saw – Fathers, Grand-fathers, Teachers, Uncles, Brothers,Grand-sons, Friends, also – in-laws, Good-hearted persons, on both the sides of the armies.

Significance:

                  Arjuna, who was excited to face the opposition army, is now in between both the armies. He has a clear view of the people in both sides of the armies. Whom he addressed as ‘the people who are eager to engage in war’ is now seen as his own relatives. The attachment which he has for his kith and kin , here has started to affect Arjuna mentally.

             He could see men of different generations – Bhishma is his grand-father, Bhurishrava who is in father position to Arjuna , Salya is his Uncle, Drona and Kripa are his teachers, his sons like Abhimanyu, grand-sons of Dhritharashtra like Lakshmana, friends like Ashvattama are all now identified not as warriors but as his own people.

Chapter1 Verse - 25

 

Verse – 25

भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखत: सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् |

उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति || 25||

Transliteration:

BhIshmadronapramukhataH sarveShAm ca mahIkshithAm.

uvAca pArtha pashyaitAnsamavetAnkurUniti..25..

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Word-by-word meaning:

भीष्म-द्रोण – BhIshma and Dronacarya; प्रमुखत: - facing; सर्वेषां – all the;च – and; महीक्षिताम् – rulers of earth; उवाच – said; पार्थ- pArtha; पश्य - look ; एतान् –at them; समवेतान् – who have gathered;कुरून् – descendants of Kuru; इति – thus;

Meaning:

(Placing the chariot in between both the armies) Facing the great warriors – Bhishma, Drona, and all the mighty rulers of Earth, Shri Krishna said – O PArtha! Look at those Kurus,who have gathered here.

Significance:

PArtha: In this verse Arjuna is addressed as PArtha, the son of Pritha. Pritha is the name of Kunti. She was named as Kunti after she was adopted by king Kunti Bhoja.

Kuru : The sons of Dhritharashtra is addressed as Krurs, the descendants of kuru or those who belong to Kuru clan. Dhritharashtra and his sons never included sons of Kunti as Kurus. They were always known as PAndavas.

            Krishna here wants Arjuna to have a look at the army of the Kaurava-s too, where his most dearest person Bhishma is his opponent. Bhishma always had a special love for Arjuna, he being a archer surely he should face his grand-father, Bhishma in this war. Same with Acarya Drona, who is his Guru. Krishna prepares Arjuna for the war by placing the chariot between the armies.

Chapter1 Verse - 24

 

Verse – 24

सञ्जय उवाच |
एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत |

सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम् || 24||

Transliteration

Sanjaya UvAca

Evamukto hriShikesho guDAkeshena bhArata.

Senayorubhayormadhye sthApayitvA rathottamam..24..

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Word-by-word Meaning:

Sanjaya said

एवमुक्तो – Having said this; हृषीकेशो – Hrishikesha; गुडाकेशेन – by GudaKesa; भारत – Bharata; सेनयोः - उभयोः मध्ये – between the two armies; स्थापयित्वा – kept(placed); रथ - उत्तमम् – the best of the chariots;

Meaning:

Been told thus by Gudakesa, Hrishikesha , drove and placed the chariot in the middle of both the armies.

Significance:

Gudakesa: a name for Arjuna, which means ‘one who have conquered sleep’. Arjuna can go without sleep even for days. This name also means one who has overcome ignorance. Mere association of the supreme leads to the destruction of ignorance, mAya.

Bharata: Here Sanjaya addresses Dhritharashtra as “Bharata”- a descendant of Bharata, to remind him that it is now his responsibility to protect the next generation from this dreadly war.