अर्जुन उवाच
कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन।
इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन।।2.4।।
कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन।
इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन।।2.4।।
2.4. Arjuna said How shall I with arrows
fight in battle against Bhisma and Drona, both being worthy of reverence ? O
slayer of Mandhu, O slayer of foes!
गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान्
श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके।
हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान्।।2.5।।
श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके।
हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान्।।2.5।।
2.5. It is good indeed even to go about
begging in this world without killing the elders of great dignity; but with
greed for wealth, I would not enjoy, by killing my elders, the blood-stained
objects of pleasures.
न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो
यद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः।
यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषाम
स्तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः।।2.6।।
यद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः।
यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषाम
स्तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः।।2.6।।
2.6 We do not know, which of the two is
better for us - whether our vanishing them, or their vanishing us. The very
sons of Dhrtarastra, whom, if we slay, we should not wish to live, even they
are standing in array against us.
कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः
पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसंमूढचेताः।
यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्िचतं ब्रूहि तन्मे
शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्।।2.7।।
पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसंमूढचेताः।
यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्िचतं ब्रूहि तन्मे
शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्।।2.7।।
2.7 With my heart stricken by the fault
of weak compassion, with my mind perplexed about my duty, I request you to say
for certain what is good for me. I am your disciple. Teach me who have taken
refuge in you.
न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्या
द्यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम्।
अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धम्
राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम्।।2.8।।
द्यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम्।
अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धम्
राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम्।।2.8।।
2.8 Even if I should win unchallenged
sovereignty of a prosperous earth or even the kingdom on lordship over the
Devas, I do not feel that it would dispel the grief than withers up my senses.
Arjuna remains infatuated and stupefied with his grief. Unable
to surmount the guiltiness of being wrong and impious, he feels completely
helpless. His invincible morality gainsays his current position as a warrior in
the battle field and the selfsame morality is compelling him that abdicating
the rule of the three realms of the universe is much more preferable to slay
those who have made him mighty and robust enough to stand in the battlefield
(Pitamah Bhishma and Acharya Drona). The predicament has got the goat of Arjuna
and now he is so much into the quagmire that his senses have been unable to
take any decision. It appears to him that he needs to make a choice between two
hells, with both engendering equal calamity to him.
Feeling enervated, finally he implores the Lord earnestly to
show him the path. Investing comprehensive devotion in Krishna, he asks the
Madhusudhan to apprise him of the optimum path to follow. Having lived a life
of righteousness, he doesn’t want to embrace sinfulness by mowing down his own relatives
and beloved ones, and on the same hand, he doesn’t want to be treacherous and
perfidious to his own brothers whom he cherish above anything else. Hence, as a
consequence, he wants Lord’s acumen to illuminate the path of rectitude and
ethics. His doleful and plangent words in the last sholka indicate explicitly
how much vanquished and trounced he feels, for both the sides to him are means
to incontrovertible doom.
JAI HIND, JAI BHARAT
JAI MA BHARTI
