VERSES 26 AND 27 OF ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA OF THE HOLY GITA

VERSE NUMBER 26:

Text in Transliteration:

 Tatraa ‘pasyat sthitaan paarthah

Pitrrn atha pitaamahaan

Aachaaryaan maatulaan bhraatrrn

Putraan pautraan sakheems tathaa

Text in English:

Standing there Partha then beheld in both the armies, paternal uncles, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, cousins, sons, grandsons, comrades, fathers-in-law and benefactors.

VERSE NUMBER 27:

Text in Transliteration:

Svasuraan suhrdas chai ‘va

Senayor ubhayor api

Taan sameekshya sa kounteyah

Sarvaan bandhoon avasthitaan

Text in English:

He, the son of Kunt, gazing at those kinsmen posted in positions spoke thus in sadness, filled as he was with choking compassion.

Comments for the verses 26 and 27:

It would seem that Arjuna asked for this state of hesitation and despondency by bidding the charioteer to take the chariot and position it between the two armies so he could see those who have come to the land of war, kurutchetra, to give him battle. But, it is a must that, Arjuna, which means the one pure in mind, should become clouded over in his perception. In Ramayana, Sri Sita had to remonstrate with her husband’s brother, Letchumana, who had refused to pursue Ravana, the kidnapper who had come in the garb of a golden deer, and Letchumana had to obey her bidding. Even then, Letchumana drew a line around the ashrama and advised his brother’s wife never to transgress that line. But Ravanan came to her hut, this time, in the garb of a hermit with a pitcha patram! So only, according to the tradition, as the householder had to step out of the house in veneration before giving alms to the wandering monks, Sita transgressed the line of protection drawn by her brother-in-law. And we know the consequences. Otherwise, if Sita had not transgressed the line, the letchumana reka, and stepped over it to give alms to the monk in Ravana, the story of Ramayana would have to be stopped there. The crisis was provided in the dramatic epic only when Sita transgressed the Letchumana Reka!

Here, the very term Arjuna, stands for the one pure in mind. But he becomes deluded in his perception. It is good for him, and the world. Ordinary people encounter in their mundane life ordinary problems. Only extraordinary people go through extraordinary problems. Here, Arjuna’s excellence defied description. Yet his mind was deluded and become clouded over at the sight of his kinsmen and friends and the acharya and pithamaha.

Moreover it is necessary to look into the ways Arjuna is addressed in these two verses. In verse number 26 he is addressed by the Lord as Partha, which means the son of Prithi, Kunti. And in the verse number 27 he is addressed as Kaunteya, that is the son of Kunti. There is a subtlety involved: when referred to as Prithi, Kunti’s status before she became pregnant and deliver the sons, but, when addressed as kaunteya , the son of Kunti, Arjuna becomes an ordinary son delivered by any average mother. So, the degree of delusion increases from verse number 26 to 27!

When a great warrior like Arjuna gives way to emotions then he becomes an ordinary man begotten by any average mother, who is susceptible to give in to ordinary emotions like any ordinary son born of an ordinary average mother without any extraordinary elements involved.

But the Lord informs him in such subtle ways as to the nature of the dereliction of his duty at the war field. The Lord knows His friend’s greatness.

And Arjuna’s hesitation and despondency is not incurable, but transitory only!

         

VERSE NUMBERS 24 AND 25

VERSE NUMBER 24:

Text in Transliteration:

Sanjaya said:

Evam ukto hrsheekeso

Gudaakesena bhaarata

Senayor ubhayor madhye

Sthaapayitvaa rathotamam

Text in English:

Thus requested by Gudkesa, Hrishikesa, O Bharata, (Dhartarashtra), having placed the best of chariots in between the two armies:

Comments:

Sanjaya, who has been given the extra sensory power to view the incidents at kurutchetra from the palace by the side of the blind king, Dhartarashtra, and report the same to him duly, says that the Lord of the senses, Krishna placed the best of the chariots there between the two armies.

Here Sanjaya describes Arjuna as Gudakesa, which, according to Swamy Chidbhavananda  of Thirupparaithurai near Thiruchirapalli, means the one who has conquered sleep. That is, Arjuna could decide at will when and how long he would sleep. This calls for greater mastery over his senses. To overcome the fit of sleep is denied to ordinary human beings. Such a great man, having a mastery over his self and senses is Arjuna. And who is his charioteer? Hrishisheekesa Himself! The Lord of senses is Arjuna’s charioteer. And what kind of chariot was that?Why, the best of all chariots.

So, the chariot is the best among the chariots. The charioteer is the Lord of Senses, Sri Krishna himself! And who is the warrior? He holds sway over his sleep, a mighty soul who has conquered sleep to which we all are subjects. Then why should Arjuna get despondent and become hesitant to the utter point of throwing the bow and sitting on the yolk of the chariot?

The moral here is that the Lord’s illusion is that much enslaving and we are constantly under its subjugation and sway. That was why even a great warrior who has conquered the sleep and whose best chariot is driven by the Lord Krishna Himself gets illusive and is going to lose his moral strength. And the Lord is willing enough to drive him, into that state. Hence the next stanza!

VERSE NUMBER 25:

Text in Transliteration:

Bheeshmadronapramukhatah

Sarvesaam cha maheekshitaam

Uvaacha paartha pashyai ‘taan

Samavetaan kuroon iti

Text in English:

Facing Bhishma and Drona and all the rulers of the earth, spoke, “O Bharata, Partha, behold all the Kurus gathered together;”

Comments :

This is the psychological moment of truth for Arjuna! The Lord is very charitable  and chivalrous in placing Arjuna both physically and psychologically in a bind or situation wherein it is not easy to take a decision. The trouble in life is we are forced by the cumulative effect of our own past karma, or the present circumstances to take a decision. The pity of human life is we cannot run away. Options like suicide are not just nonstarters, but very inimical to one’s soul-realization or salvation. The Lord comes down heavily on those who commit suicide, because it connotes a foul play. And it is a non starter, because, by committing suicide we cannot bring about a closure comprehensive enough to annihilate the tendency to be hurled into the samsaaraa , the ocean of worldly life which comprises maya or illusion, kama or desire and karma or action. So we cannot run away from our duty in this birth. No matter what , we have to live and face the music. Whatever be the consequences, we can never run away from our duty without incurring heavy punishment. It doesn’t matter if our duty is not fully carried out, but we have to exert our level best. The question is if we tried our level best, and not what is the effect of our action. The Lord Master is chivalrous enough to put Arjuna, while doing according to his bidding, in a situation that stares him in the face!   

VERSES 21 TO 23

VERSE NUMBER 21:

Text in Transliteration:

Hrsheekesam tadaa vaakyam

Idam aaha maheepate

Senayor ubhayor madhye ‘chuta

Translation in English:

Arjuna said:

   Place my chariot, O Achuta, between the two armies so that I may behold the war-minded that stand here, with whom I must wage this war.

Comments:

According to Dr. Radhakrishnan, the term “achyuta” means one who is unmovable.

God is both immovable and unmovable. Immovable in the sense that there is no iota of place here that is not filled by him. Only that thing or being that is present at one place and absent at another, can be moved, so He is immovable, but the term unmovable carries quite a different connotation: He indeed is movable at heart to the point of shedding tears at the devotion shown by a five-year-old child; but He is not subject to the illusion and it’s pulls to which Arjuna is going to become subject to! So the  address and appellation, “achyta” is very apt here.

VERSE NUMBER 22:

Text in Transliteration:

Yaavad etaaan nireekshe ‘ham

Yoddhukaamaan avasthitaan

Kair mayaa saha yoddhavyam

Asmin ranasamudyame

Text in English:

I desire to discern those that throng here to fight, intent on pleasing in battle the evil-minded son of Dhrtarashta.

Comments:

Arjuna’s opening words, “I desire to discern” is very significant. Even though the Lord Himself has become condescended to serve as his chariot, Arjuna can issue any command and He has to obey as the charioteer. That is what we all have in the nature of personal choice; we can do anything; the Delhi rapists desired to rape Nirbhaya. The charioteer in them was and is the Lord only, but he obeyed the commands of the rapists, and became condescending enough to witness them raping the brave girl and the minor rapist to invade her innards with a sharp implement. The charioteer in the girl, Nirbaya was not affected, did not suffer any sorrow or pain, solely because of His absence of any self identification with the body of Nirbhaya, and likewise he did not go through the acts of motion of raping or killing, and did not partake of any pleasure the rapists derived in a maniac like manner either. But he obeyed the orders of the rapists and the suffering of the body only, and not soul, of the victim.

The choice! The Lord has given us the choice, either to become beasts and inhuman and inhumane or to become humane and even become one with Him by losing all our bodily conscious and realising we are pure self, according to the Upanishadic words “tatvamasi” (Thou Art That!). The Lord is the greatest creative writer, as he not only has created various characters in his cosmic drama, but gives and endows individual freedom to them to act this way or that way.

Arjuna “desires to discern” and the charioteer obeys him in full measure, though He knew the consequences, and that soon Arjuna is going to get the state of a crying baby! Too much discernment and knowledge is not good for a man who is not perfected in his soul. For example, our wives and husbands might have been our friends or bore other relationships towards us in our endless previous lives. Our dog in the last incarnation might become our best friend or fiend in this birth, for all we know! Could we go through life with full knowledge of the happenings of our previous births! Too much refinement and too much discerning is for those who deserve the state. For us all, blind faith and devotion is enough.

But Arjuna is not an ordinary self. And he is in the process of becoming a self-knowledgeable person. He is the fittest student, so only when he desires to discern the enemies who have come to give battle with evil in their hearts, he ends up by becoming a model student to the Lord, so He could pronounce the immortal yoga shastra or the eternal principles of yoga to him soon!      

VERSE NUMBER 20 , ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA.

                                                         Arjuna is going to survey the Two Armies

VERSE NUMBER 20:

Text in Transliteration:

Atha vyavathitaan drshuaa

Dhaartaraashtraan kapidhvajah

Pravritte saastrasampaate

Dhanur udyamya paandvah

Text in English:

    Then, O Ruler of the Earth, seeing dhrtarashtra’s host being positioned and the fighting about to commence, Pandava, whose ensign badge is Hanuman, lifting his bow spoke the following words to Krishna.

Comments:

According to Dr. Radhakrishnan, “prvritte saastrasampaate” means, as the fight of missles (almost) started; so the fight of missiles is almost to start, and the host of Dhrtarashta’s are in ready and positioned in battle array. The tumultuous blowing of the conches and the bugles is enough to send any warrior’s blood to searing hot condition, and that is why Arjuna, the eternal peerless warrior lifts his BOW! SO HE IS READY FOR THE BATTLE. HE IS IN HIS INNATE MOOD AND IS WIRED UP FOR THE GRETEST OF WARS THAT IS GOING TO SHAKE THE EARTH! TILL NOW THERE IS NO DESPONDENCY AND HESITATION, AND ARJUNA IS BLOOD THIRSTY, OUT TO AVENGE HIMSELF. HIS AND THE PANDAVA’S WIFE WAS OUTRAGED BY DURIYODHANA IN THE OPEN COURT. PANJALI TOOK A VOW AFTER LETTING HER HAIR GO DISARRAY THAT SHE WOULD NOT COMB HER HAIR AND TIE THEM INTO BRAID UNTILL DURIYODHANA, WHO SHOWED HIS THIE TO HER IN THE COURT, IS KILLED BY CUTTING INTO HIS THIE AND THE BLOOD OOZING THEREFROM IS APPLIED TO HER HAIR. SO ARJUNA HAD EVERY RESAON TO GIVE BATTLE. THAT MUCH IS GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND BY HIS ACTION OF LIFTING THE BOW! SOON HE IS GOING TO THROW IT!   

VERSES 15 TO 19 OF ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA.

VERSE NUMBER 15:

Text in Transliteration:

Paanchajanyam hrsheekeso

Devattam dhanamjayah

Paundram dadhamau mahaasandkam

Bheemakarmaa vrkodarah

Text in English:

Panchajanya was blown by Hrishikesa, and Devadatta by Dhananjaya, Vrikodara of terrible exploits blew his great conch, Paundra;

Comments:

According to Dr. Radhakrishnan, the blowing of various conches by those mentioned hereby indicates their readiness for battle.

Swami Chidbhvananda of Thirupparaithurai near Thiruchirappalli gives a detailed explanation for the way each person is described in this verse:

According to him, there is much significance in calling the Lord Krishna as Hrishikesa; the term means only to the Lord Krishna, and it means he who is in complete control of his senses. For any greatness to be achieved, the doer must have a mastery over his senses. The Lord Krishna has achieved much throughout the course of the epic Mahabharata. At a different context, Swami Chidbhavananda says that if we compare the totality of the activities done and indulged in by all the characters of the epic, they are not equal to the ceaseless and cumulative activities by Sri Krishna! This was possible for the Lord only because He was the Lord of His own senses, unlike us who are driven by our senses. The senses are the steeds and the charioteer is the Lord Krishna in us, but we should give him scope and room to steer our senses, which can be achieved by the unflinching devotion to the Lord or Bhakti Yoga by every one of us!

Lord Shiva is also called and described by the Saint Manikkavasagar as the Lord of the senses in his devotional songs called, THIRUVASAGAM in Tamil. Lord Shiva is described by him as the one with a deer under his left arm clutched strongly. Because the senses have an inbuilt proclivity to run in all directions like a deer! But the Lord has checked the course of the run-away senses! It is also significant in the context of Lord Shiva’s having given the left side of his body to His Spouse, Parvati! So, the senses described as the deer clutched under His left arm has lots and lots of significance! It is also notable that when the Indian Parliamentarians are still striving to give 33 percentage of quota of representation in the Indian Parliament for women, Lord Shiva gave as much as 50 percent of His own body to His Spouse. Surely the Lord is the first champion of the women’s Lib!

According to Swami Chidbhavananda, there is significance in describing Arjuna as Dhananjaya, for he went around the country and captured the hidden wealth of various rulers and utilised them for the public weal. And Vrikodara literally means one having the belly of the wolf. Here Bhima is described as Vrikodara because of his hunger and strong digestive power like the wolf. And further that he who has a strong digestive power can indulge in mighty activities. Both body and mind must be supplied the fuel of energy only through the digestive system. Bhima is especially known for his bodily prowess. Thus the term fits him very nicely.

VERSE NUMBER16:

Text in Transliteration:

Anantavijayam raajaa

Kunteeputro yudhishthirah

Nakulah sahadevas cha

Sughoshamaneepushpakaou

Text in English:

The King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadheva blew Sughosha and Manipushpaka.

Comments:

According to Swami Chidbhavananda, Yudhishthira is a king to the core. He was a king. Then at the game of dice he lost his kingdom through the scheme of Sakuni, the uncle of Duriyonadhana, and sent into exile. On both occasions the kingly bearing did not leave Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandava Brothers.

It is also significant that he is blowing the conch, namely, Anandavijaya, or the bliss begotten by victory. Already the fate of the war has been sealed by the conducts of the Kauravas.

VERSE NUMBER 17:

Text in transliteration:

Kaasyas cha parameshvaasah

Sikandee cha mahaarathah

Dhrstadyumno viraatas cha

Saatyakis chaa ‘paraajitah

Text in English:

And the Ruler of Kasi, the adept archer and Sikhandi the great chariot-warrior, Dhrshtadyumna and Virata and Satyaki, the invincible;

Swami Chidbhavananda raises a pertinent point here: Sikhandi is a eunuch. He is devoid of beard and moustache. Bhishma had taken a wow that he would lay down arms if he confronted a woman or a eunuch. Sikhandi therefore, very soon became the immediate cause of Bhishma’s defeat. And Dhrshtadyumna means one who cannot be successfully encountered by anybody.

VERSE NUMBER 18:

Text in Transliteration:

Drupado draupadeyaas cha

Savrvasah prthiveepate

Saubhadras ch mahaabaahuh

Sankhaan dadhmuh prthak-prthak

Text in English:

O Ruler of the Earth! Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, and the mighty armed son of Subhadra, all these as well blew their several conches:

According to Swami Chidbhavananda, Sanjaya addresses Dhrtarashtra, the blind king, as the Ruler of the Earth is very purposeful and significant. A king’s primary duty is safeguarding his subject from external aggression so they can go about their work and daily activities without fear, but here the king , the blind king has thrust a ruinous war on his own subjects. He further opines that Sanjaya implies that your subjects are going to be annihilated, and events are heading toward a catastrophe, and what the blind king is going to do now.

VERSE NUMBER 19:

Text in transliteration:

Sa ghoso dhaartaraashtraanaam

Hrdayaani vyadarayat

Nabhas cha prthiveem chai ‘va

Tumulo vyanunaadayan

Text in English:

Filling the earth and the sky with reverberation that tumultuous uproar rent the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarashtra;

Comments:

According to Swami Chidbhavananda, those who are righteous and just have the verve, and they muster up for action.  The  Pandavas exhibit such a disposition. That uproar seems to rend the hearts of the Kauravas.

IT IS NOTABLE THAT VARIOUS PERSONS BLEW THEIR OWN BRANDS OF CONCHES. IT IS NOT EASY TO BLOW EVEN A SMALL CONCH. AND , EVERYONE SEEMED TO BE HAVING THEIR OWN SMARTPHONE-LIKE GADGETS TO BRANDISH ONE’S LUNG POWER IN FRONT OF ONE’S ENEMY, EVEN AS MANY OF US CANNOT DESIST FROM BRANDISHING   OUR COSTLY GADGETS IN FRONT OF EVEN STRANGERS. SO WEALTH, AS DIFFERENT FROM THE BODILY AND MENTAL MIGHT, MAKES ONE TREAT EVEN A STRANGER AS ONE’S ENEMY! THE SATISFACTION WE DERIVE IS IN PROPORTION TO ITS EXHIBITION AND MAKE OTHERS BECOME JEALOUS OF US! THE REAL WEALTH IS GOOD HEALTH AND A GOOD AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIFE! AND IF WE ARE RELIGIOUS MINDED WITHIN BOUNDS SO WE WON’T BECOME  AUTOCRATS TO THRUST OUR FAITH ON OTHERS HAVING THEIR OWN OPINIONS AND BELIEF, THAT WOULD BE MUCH MORE BETTER!                              

VERSE NUMBER 14 OF ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA.

VERSE NUMBER 14

IN TRANSLITERATION:

Tatah svetair hayair yukte

Mahati syandane sthitau

Maadhavah paanndavas chai vva

Divyau sankhau pradadhmatuh

TEXT IN ENGLISH:

THEN, SEATED AS MAADHAVA AND PANDAVA WERE IN THEIR MAGNIFICENT CHARIOT YOKED TO WHITE STEEDS, THEY GRACEFULLY BLEW THEIR DIVINE CONCHES.

Comments:

According to Dr. Radhakrishnan, the chariot stands for the psychological vehicle and the steeds are the senses. The reins are their controls, but the charioteer, the guide is the spirit or soul or atman. Krishna, the charioteer is the spirit in us.

According to Swami Chidbhvananda of Thirupparaithurai in Thiruchirappalli district, calling Sri Krishna in one of His auspicious names, Maadhava, has its own significance. That Maa stands for Lakshmi and Madhava meaning the Spouse of Lakshmi, who is the Goddess of wealth, Sanjaya is of the opinion that the Goddess of wealth is going to shower Her bounties on the Pandavas through the victory in the Kurutchethra war!

The conches they blow are described as the divine ones or the celestial ones. There is a lore that Nara and Narayana , the two celestial beings incarnated as Arjuna and Krishna.                          

VERSE NUMBER 13

IN TRANSLITERATION:

 Tatah shankaas cha bheryas cha

Panvaanakagomukdhaah

Sahasai vvaa bbhyahanyanta

Sa sabds tumulo bbhavat

TEXT IN ENGLISH:

THEN SUDDENLY BARED FORTH CONCHES AND KETTLEDRUMS, TABORS AND TRUMPETS AND COW-HORNS: AND TREMENDOUS WAS THAT NOISE.

Comments:

When the Pithamaha, and the commander-in-chief of the Kaurava side roared like a lion that he was, and also blew his conch, it was to initiate the war of dharma, in which he knew full well, the Kauravas would kiss the earth and dirt and death.

When he showed his impatience for the war of dharma to commence without anymore delay, he knew what was in store for him and the army he lead, but still he was subtly telling it was the Kauravas who, right from the beginning, because of their avarice, provided cause for the war, and the war should be commenced rightly by the blowing of the conches on the Kauravas side.

The war is a scene of uproarious sounds and tumult, and the conch-blowing also signifies one is not chickened out by the other sides mightiness or anything.

And the war should be started according to certain rites! Which must precede by certain reasons that can be sustained on the explanation of some plausibility of reasoning. All this was necessary in the yore to start a war. Contrast this with the direct invasion of India by the Muslim kings, and the indirect invasion on the sly by the British, who had come to this dharma bhoomy in the garb of traders!

Once again, contrast this , the way wars were waged in the ancient days in India with the way Sadam Husain’s Iraq was invaded by America and Britton. First of all, was there any justification for those two countries to invade Iraq under the garb of the mute UN’s sanction? Except the quest for oil, what could have been the reason for that totally unrighteous war? We call ourselves civilized peoples of the world! A nation is invaded for its riches only by the mighty powers with no fear of the world’s opinion. And the present leaders walk the earth as though they and their sinfully materialistic countries are the Saviours of the earth. Everything they do is to perpetuate their materialism. And who are the authors of the dreaded and the beastly fundamentalist organization, the ISI? Who manufactured them? And what right our smallish neighbour, Pakistan has to perpetuate terrorism as the state policy. All right, the Shivaji Maharaj used the gorilla warfare against the sinful and dreaded aliens, but could the same kind of warfare be justified by a modern State like Pakistan? Pakistan is an Army with a PM and a government to dance to its military tunes. And we have to be silent spectators when America comes up with dolling after dolling in the name of fighting the Afghan gorillas, but the real gorilla is the countries  who unrighteous countries like Pakistan to foster and continue to survive only on its unrighteous military policy!

India has never invaded a country in its millennial existence. The world has to take the lesson how and for what reasons wars between nations can be started, and what are the reasons to try to avoid it by all means and how to go about it!

Our forefathers laid down sastras even for waging of wars!                       

VERSE NUMBER: 11

NOW ALL OF YOU ASSUME POSITIONS IN YOUR RESPECTIVE DIVISION AND PROTECT BHISHMA ALONE, BY ALL MEANS.

VERSE NUMBER 12

IN ORDER TO EMBOLDEN DURIYODHANA, BHISHMA THE MIGHTY GRANDSIRE, THE OLDEST OF THE  KURUS, NOW RAISED A LION’S ROAR AND BLEW HIS CONCH.

Comments:

After introducing his army under Bhishma to Drona, now Duriyodhana turns to his own men and advises them all to protect Bhishma alone, by all means. This is, of course, in line with the tactic of any warfare. They say about the form of a cricketer, that the game is played more in the minds of the players than at the pitch. The form of a cricketer is all about how long, out of court, he remains tuned with the game in his mind. If his daily activities include too many things outside the game of cricket, namely, too much social life and materialistic pursuit, then the concerned cricketer loses form first in his mind, which gets reflected on the pitch. Thus, in a war the morale of the individual soldier counts much than the number of them, and once they see their commander-in-chief slain then the morale touches the lowest nadir, and they would be turned into a crowd which could be easily dispersed. So only Duriyodhana, according to the custom of warfare, issues orders to his soldiers to protect, by all means, Bhishma, the commander-in-chief!

But the grandsire of the kurus is no mean person, and he is thirsting for war, and takes out his conch and blows it , after roaring like a lion he is.

Here is an irony we should note:

While Arjuna is going to become despondent soon, his grandsire, whom he describes as worshipful, is ready to not just start the war, but is itching for the commencement of the war! Does he not know what the outcome of the war is going to be? This being a dharma yudha, the unrighteous Kauravas are bound to kiss death wholesale. And still their grandsire is thirsting for the war!

WHY?

AND CONTRAST THIS ACTIVATED ACTION ON HIS PART, AND THE WAY HE, ALONG WITH OTHER ELDERS, SAT MOTIONLESS WHILE PANJALI, THE WIFE OF THE PANDAVAS, WAS BEING DISROBED!

NOW THE WAR IS GOING TO START, AND BHISHMA SHOWS HIS ACTION AND READINESS FOR THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE SAME, THEN, AT DURIYODHANA’S COURT, HE HAD KEPT SILENT AND LET PANJALI BE SUBJECTED TO THE ULTIMATE OUTRAGE A PATNI WOMAN COULD BE!

SO, THE ANSWER LIES IN THIS ASSUMPTION:

Sri Krishna and all others tried their level best to avert this war, but Duriyodhana’s unrighteous conducts increased day by day, so, even so Bhishma was the grandsire, he knew well that the Kaurava’s were heading toward a precipice and writing assiduously their own end and signing their own death warrants. So only, at the court the grandsire kept mum, kept his calm, and here at the place where the kauravas are going to be annihilated, Bhisma is almost impatient for the starting of the war of dharma! In contrast, Arjuna is going to become, soon, despondent and almost gives up war, and even come for a life of renouncement!

                

VERSE NUMBER: 9

     MULTITUDINOUS IS OUR ARMY MARSHALLED BY BHISHMA, BUT MEAGRE IS THE ARMY OF THEIRS MARSHALLED BY BHIMA:

Comments:

Swamy Chidbhavandar’s  commentary holds the view that more than the size of the army, the discipline and ardent soldiers are of preponderating influence.

And another notable feature is the inconsistency in Duriyodhana ‘s stance. He first subtly censures his own master, Drona for having taught the archery and warfare to the Pandavas, and then he becomes  subtler and draws his attention to his varna, a timid Brahmana, and then he repents somewhat and put up an act of high veneration, now he speaks about his side of the army being larger than that of the other’s side. This chapter is called Arjuna vishada yoga, but look at the way the eldest of the kaurava brothers gets himself into a convoluted knot! His state nothing less than that of Arjuna, but, the difference is in the attitude and character; while Arjuna’s despondency is born of confusing the soul with the body and despairs of having to cut away the sthula bodies, Duriyodana’s is not despondency, but rank confusion born of his inward understanding of his unrighteousness and its sure possible effect! There is much in the Holy Gita we can draw which are hidden for only the very discernible. And another fact is the greatness of the commentators like Swamy Chidbhavananadar to have left something very subtle and inward only to the discernible. Repeated perusal of the Holy Gita, at various stages of our lives will bring new vistas and understanding. That is the greatness and the secret of endurance of the Hindu Scriptures. While other scriptures speak to an entire people, Hindu Scriptures like the Holy Gita talks to us individually!               

ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA, VERSE 8

                                                                         ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA 

 VERSE NUMBER: 8

YOUR VENERABLE SELF, BHISHMA, KARNA, KRIPA THE VICTORIOUS IN FIGHT, ASVATHAMA, VIKARNA AND SAUMADATTI AS WELL:

 Comments:

Swamy Chidbhavanandar ties up Duryiodhana’s calling Drona as the venerable self, and Kripa, the brother-in-law of Drona describing him as a fierce fighter. This, according to the swamy, is in atonement for his disrespectful words and censure Duriyodhana had resorted to in the earlier verses. For, he was angry for Drona’s training of the Pandavas. And the Pithamaha, Bhishma too is relegated to the second place, but he is the commander-in-chief of the Kauravas’ army!

Moreover he does not have any superlatives for his own bosom friend, Karna! There is a scene in the epic Mahabharata in which Duriyodhana comes into the chamber where his wife is playing the game of dice with Karna, and on seeing her husband the wife naturally stands up, and mistaking her action for leaving the game in the middle, Karna takes hold of the apron of her sari stitched with pearls; as such, the pearls come unstitched and fall in a flow on the floor, and all Duriyodhana asks his wife is, “Shall I pick up the pearls or string them up, too?”

Karna recounts this story to his own mother Kunti, when she reveals the fact of the motherhood as well as Karna’s fatherhood, thus after revealing his parentage, she begs him not to fight against his own brothers, Pandavas. When such is the friendship between Duriyodhana and Karna, the great archer and warrior with a special astra, Kantiba, but, Duryodhana resorts to empty superlatives, so as to assuage any feeling of being wounded by his own disciple.            

                                                                             THE HO LY GITA

                                                                          Arjuna Vishada Yoga

                                                                           Verses four to seven

VERSE NUMBER 4

HERE ARE MIGHTY ARCHERS, PEERS IN WARFARE TO HEROIC ARJUNA AND BHIMA; YUYUDHANA, VIRATA AND DRUPADA THE GREAT CHARIOT-WARRIOR. 

VERSE NUMBER 5

DHRSHTAKETU, CHEKITANA AND THE VALIANT KING OF KASI, PURUJIT, KUNTIBHOJA AND SAIBYA, THE BEST AMONG MEN;

VERSE NUMBER 6

THE COURAGEOUS  YUDHAMANYU, THE BRAVE UTTAMANJA, SAUBHADRA AND THE SONS OF DRAUPADI-ALL BEING GREAT CHARIOT-WARRIORS.

VERSE NUMBER 7

KNOW YOU, O THE BEST OF THE TWICE-BORN, ALL THOSE WHO ARE OUR DISTINGUSHED CHIEFS, THE LEADERS OF MY ARMY: I NAME THEM FOR YOUR INFORMATION.

                                                                           COMMENTS:

According to Swamy Chidbhavananda of Thiruparaithurai, near Thiruchirapalli, Duryodhana, after having gone through the list of formidable warriors on the other side, in the seventh verse addresses Drona, as invested with the sacred thread, literally meaning twice-born, subtly draws his attention to his being a Brahmana, and accordingly timid in nature, and thus continues with his censure.

Dr. Radhakrishnan gives a list of the valiant warriors and introduces them to the foreign readers; since it is very helpful even to the Indian readers, I am gratefully reproduce his commentary for the seventh verse:

BHIMA  is Yudhisthira’s Commander-in-chief, though nominally Dhrstadymna holds that office.

ARJUNA is the friend of Krishna and the great hero of the Pandavas.

YUYUDHANA is Krishna’s charioteer, also called  Satyaki.

VIRATA is the prince of in whose state the Pandavas lived for some time in disguise.

DHRSHTAKETU is the king of the Cedis.

CHEKITANA is a famous warrior in the army of the Pandavas.

PURUJIT and KUNTIBHOJA  are two brothers . Sometimes they are taken as one person.

SHAIBYA is a king of the Shibi tribe.

Apart from Duriyodhana’s attempt to censure his master, Drona, for having taught the art of warfare to his sworn enemies and cousins, the Pandavas, there is another purpose in this listing out of the important Pandava warriors through Duriyodhana:

And that is the dramatic purpose. We are reintroduced to the warriors on the Pandavas side through their enemies tongue, and we now are going to be, from the eighth verse introduced to the warriors on his own side. The samvaadha form or the conversational or catechism form is employed by all great thinkers like Plato too. It leads up the reader to the conclusion as though they are personally taught in a class room. There is much drama that is going to come in the form of the Lord Krishna’s reinstating the rasa or important essence of all the Upanishads through his own tongue. So, this dramatic method is employed very effectively to add drama to it. And the dramatic technique fully serves the purpose. Along with Sanjaya, it is as though, we too are given an extra sensory power to witness the war that is going to take place!             

THE THIRD VERSE OF THE FIRST CHAPTER

BEHOLD, O MASTER, THIS MIGHTY ARMY OF THE SONS OF PANDU, MARSHALLED BY THE SON OF DRUPADA, YOUR TALENTED DESCIPLE:

Comments:

Arjuna speaks his mind and his words betray that in the game of dice he might have won through the intrigue of his uncle, Sahuni, but this being a dharma yudha, or war between the righteous Pandavas and the avaricious Duriyodana, he is afraid of fears of imminent defeat; that is why he calls the small army on the other side as big; the truth is his army was bigger than that of the Pandavas. Moreover, according to Swamy Sidbhavanada of Thiruparaithurai, Duruyodhana criticizes his teacher, Drona for having taught the art of archery to the Pandavas too. This comes out through his words , “your talented disciple”. Indeed Drona had not been remiss in his duties to teach whatever he taught to the Pandavas, but it was the greatness of the pandavas, especially, Arjuna who had exhibited greater diligence in learning the art from their teacher whereas even as a boy Duriyodhana spent the better part of his time in schemes as taught by his vilely uncle, Sahuni.

   There is a story attached to Arjuna’s single minded devotion to the teacher and his teaching, as also of his power of consentration: while both the Pandavas and Kauravas were boys and being taught by Drona the art of archery, one day he asked to take an aim at a bird perched on a branch of a tree, and shoot the arrow, and one by one boys were answering his question as to what they did see; one said he saw the tree, another said he saw the branch, and yet another said he saw the bird. But when Arjuna took the aim, he was posed the same question as to what he saw, and he said, he only saw the eye of the bird. That was his power of concentration.

   Even if one goes to the middle of the sea to draw water, he could do so only according to the capacity of the vessel; if he goes to the sea with a pot or pitcher, that much only would he be able to bring back, and simply because the sea is the endless water body, one cannot draw all the water with a pitcher. While the hundred disciples on the side of Kauravas went to the sea, the teacher Drona was, each with a coconut shell, Arjuna went to the sea with several oil tankers! In this, Duriyodhana has nothing righteous to complain.            

                                                                       SANJAYA SAID:

Now seeing the Pandava army arrayed properly, the Prince Duryodhana drew near his preceptor Drona and spoke these words:

    Now we should highlight two things here. The Prince Duryodhana sees the pandava army arrayed properly. These words of the wise Sanjaya are purely psychological. Both his father and Duryodhana knew the war that was going to be waged was between the righteous Pandavas and the unrighteous Kauravas. At the juncture of the war Duryodhana’s mind sways, not like that of Arjuna’s, but because he is blood thirsty and wants to butchar the Pandavas, so there is no compunction in him. Still he draws near his preceptor, Drona and start to speak about the nature of the two armies.

There is a story attached to this in the Mahabharata itself: both Arjuna and Duryodhana go to seek Sri Krishnas help, and Arjuna stands at the feet of the Lord, who is enacting a drama by lying stretched out on his bed and feigning to be asleep, and Duryodhana, who come next to the parlour, sits by the head of the reclining Lord. So when the Lord come out of sleep he first sees Arjuna and asks what he wants by way of help in the war that is going to ensue; He also tells him that on one side his whole army of soldiers is available, and on the other side He alone is available. “Choose between me and my army!” He says to Arjuna, and Duriyodhana , who the Lord sees later, is petrified with fear thinking that Arjuna is going to choose the Lord’s army, for he wants not the Lord shorn of his army! But to his great relief, Arjuna begs for the Lord alone, shorn of His army! And Duriyodhana, much relieved, choose to have the Lord’s army for the Lord has already declared he is not going to fight with any side in the war!

But now, when the war is poised to commence, Sanjaya delves deep into Duriyodhana’s psyche, and describes that he sees his enemy’s army is arrayed properly! Because the first thing in a war at the time was disciplined arraignment and determined and motivated soldiers!

Moreover, in this dharma yudha, Duriyodhana represents adhama or unrighteousness. So his inner heart sees the proper arraignment of the Pandava’s army. So he sees his defeat well in advance!

In our humdrum life too we have to constantly engage in war, because our body is the chetra or field for the righteous war, and the war continues till the very end. Even the criminals know in their heart of hearts that they are living in sin. And that is the mentality of Duriyodhana through the words of a discerning Sanjaya.     

HOLY GITA--CHAPTER ONE, VERSE ONE

                                                      THE BHAGAVAT GITA

                                                   ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA

                                                  Chapter One-sloka or verse one

                                                            Dhrtarashtra said

       Gathered together at Kurukshetra, the field of religious activities, what, O Sanjaya, did my war-inclined sons and those of Pandu do?

                                                                 COMMENTS
Here the blind king, Dhrtarashtra asks his minister, Sanjaya, about the happenings at Kurutchetra, the field of , as he says, religious activities. Though the battle takes place at the war field, namely, Kurutchetra, the blind king himself portrays the battle field, as the field of religious activities. And it is very significant, especially coming from his own tongue. Because, the battle is not an ordinary one is known to his own self. Pandavas are not avaricious like his sons. They first asked for the return of their kingdom, which Dhuriyodana promptly refuses. Then the Pandavas asked for five villages, and when that too was denied, the war was to ensue. Thus, the blind king knows full well that it is a religious war, a war between the righteous Pandavas and the wrongful sons of his own. So only the blind king calls the field of war as the field of religious activities.
   And, on a different allegorical plane, we have both the good and bad, the good pandavas and the bad kauravas, within our own selves. And the war between the right and wrong is a continuous one, and much religious in character.

ARJUNA'S VISHADA YOGA, AN INTRODUCTION

                                                           ARJUNA’S VISHADA YOGA

   Arjuna’s vishada yoga is the first chapter of the 18 discourses between Arjuna and Sri Krishna, and the question may be raised as to how one’s despondency could be called a yoga. Yoga as a term is used in many senses in the Gita itself, but, anyhow, how could one’s despondency become yoga. Yoga may be taken, generally, as the right kind of action, and how could  Arjuna’s despondency be called the right action. And right action is different from the righteous action, that’s a different matter. Could our despondency be called yoga? If not why Arjuna’s despondency itself is called a yoga. Because, the Bhagavat Gita is a yoga sastra. Everything sri Bhagavan speaks about is yoga. But Arjunan just expresses a desire to be taken to the place by Krishna who acts as his charioteer or driver of the car, so he could see the people who have come to give battle to him and his brothers, and when Sri Krishna does just that and drives the chariot to the vantage point where Arjuna could take a good look at the adversaries, then he becomes despondent; he says he could not kill his own kith and kin and so and so. But the relation of this first discourse by the minister of Yudhistra, the Kauravas’s blind king, namely, Sanjaya, is called itself a yoga! But how?

    To understand this, we must understand two important points: one, the despondency of Arjuna cannot be equated to the ones we go through in our worldly lives! Two, the despondency is expressed to the lord in the proper manner.

   Let us consider the first point; the despondency in Arjuna can never be gone through by any one. Arjuna is not asked to renounce the world and go to the forest. He has already done that even! Arjuna is not asked to give away all his wealth. Arjuna is called upon by the Lord to KILL  AND THAT TOO HIS OWN ACHARYAS AND KITH AND KIN! SUCH IS THE INTENSITY OF ARJUNA’S DESPONDENCY. HE IS A PEERLESS WARRIOR, BUT BECOMES DESPONDENT UNDER A GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCE. AND , WE HAVE NEVER EVER BEEN ASKED BY THE LORD TO KILL OUR OWN KITH AND KIN. THUS, ARJUNA’S DESPONDENCY IS THE ULTIMATE IN HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

   Number two, he, Arjuna, expresses such a despondence in such a prayerfully enriched form, and so only it become in itself a yoga.

    Thus Arjuna enters into a mental state no one has been called upon in the history of human lives, and he expresses his feelings and sentiments to his master, the Creator in such a way, that it becomes a yoga. So, if we put forth, in our daily prayer, our own despondencies in such a way as resorted to in the second chapter by Arjuna by surrendering himself at the Lord’s feet as his vassal , then our prayer too becomes a yoga. That is the right kind of action in devotion. Beseeching the Lord is an art developed by the Rig-vedic sages. And such a prayer is a yoga! Or right action!     

THE WAR

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      THE WAR

The physical war that takes place at the kurutchethra , the war place, also has allegorical connotations and importance. We all should fight a war of our own inside of us. There is the good doctor and the bad character in the celebrated novel, Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hide. There is good as well as bad in us. The good self always wants us to follow the path of righteousness while the bad one wants to do every evil thing possible. Man’s character  is according to his victory over or losing out to the evil one in him. Why should there be good as well as evil one in us? It is the choice given by the Creator. Apart from HIM, every thing here is duel. No single thing can exist in its supreme individuality, except God! So, dualities is our inheritance as that of the universe. The good and verdant nature all of a sudden changes in to a villain and erupt into an all engulfing earthquake! If there is good , there must, of necessity, bad too, according to the plan of the universe. And it is man’s duty to win over his lower self by his higher one. If there is light, there should be shade too. Day must always be followed by the night. Good cannot exist here in its individuality except in its constant juxtaposition with the evil. Man is made of stuff, like the universe, both good and evil. Our body is the chetra or ground on which the personally individual battle must be waged constantly. That also is a war of dharma yudha. There , our good self is asked upon to kill the bad one, and we grieve, thinking that the other part is our kin. But , God, in the form of the soul asks of us continually to kill and annihilate the evil self.

Thus the Bhagavat Gita must also be looked upon from different stand points of view. If we do this, the main criticism that the book or treaties is a thing that induces one to kill one’s own people , kith and kin!

ed the first article on "The Holy Bagavat Gita" dealing generally and very briefly with the despondency of
Arjuna, when he was faced with the inevitability of having not only fight and kill his own cousins and other relatives, but noble souls like Bishma and Dronacharya; the former his own Pitamaha and the latter his Acharya or Mentor or Guru. As a matter of fact, he is not prepared to kill his venally arrogant cousins with Dhruyodana as the eldest of the one hundred in number. Arjuna is prepared to take to begging and eat beggars bread even, instead of the kingdom won stained with the blood of his ignoble cousins.
THUS, THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE DISCOURSE IN GITA STARTS WITH THE PORTRAYAL OF THE BATTLE SCENE BY SANJAYA, WITH EXTRA SENSORY POWER TO VIEW THE BATTLE DIRECTLY SO AS TO REPORT THE SAME TO THE BLIND KING , DHRDHARASTRAR.
THE FIRST SLOKA OR POEM OF THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE DISCOURSE STARTS WITH SANJAYA'S REPORTING TO THE BLIND KING THUS:
SANJAYA SAID
Madhusudana spoke these words to him(to Arjuna) who was thus overwhelmed with compassion and drowned in distress, and whose eyes were drenched in tears of despondency.

This is Sanjaya's reporting to the blind king about the state of Arjuna when he was overcome with pity and compassion for those to be killed. Those people were of different varieties: Bishma and Dhronacharya were venerable. The Kauravas, and the eldest of the one hundred brothers including him, were personification of evil. Karna had a duty to fight on behalf of Dhruyodhana, though he was blameless. But many close relatives and the warriors of other nations' army were there. so only a valiant Arjuna is filled with pity and compassion. But, he is a Chatriya, and this battle has come to him unsought, so he is duty bound to give battle. Bud, (good men's ) blood being thicker than water, Arjuna suffers a bout of pitious condition and compassion . Sanjaya describes his mental state very effectively succinctly.
FRIENDS, WE WILL LOOK INTO EACH SLOKA INDEPENDENTLY, AND I 'LL KEEP POSTING EVERY DAY WITHOUT FAIL! 

Bagavat Gita , Dr,Abdul kalam and Swamy Vivekanada

Ragu Ram

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                                                                  THE HOLY GITA!

There are some fundamental questions raised about the Bhagavat Gita. First is about its context: they ask if a discourse as long as the Holy Gita could have taken place at the time of war, or just before the internecine war started? There may be some plausibility about this question. But it need not necessarily be given much importance, because, wars were waged in the days of the Epic Mahabharata according to certain well-laid rules and regulations. And as per the Tamil culture, the king who goes to war should do an overt act like capturing the neighbour king’s or nation’s cows, and such soldiers should wear a particular kind of necklace made of and stringed from particular species of flowers!

   So, in those days, unannounced wars were frowned upon. And, moreover, Lord Krishna did His level best to assist the Pandavas to avert a war for a long time. He indulged in helping in His own way the Pandavas only when their warring cousins would not yield even an inch of ground to stand upon, much less their rightful kingdom captured by them through the unholy means of placing bets at the game of dice.

   There need not be any doubt about the whole eighteen chapter of the Bhagavat Gita was prosecuted through the much celebrated upanishadic form, discourse! For there was ample time! No war could be started without giving the opponents enough time even on the battle field.

   So the question as to how such a mammoth philosophy could have been preached on the warfront comes principally from people belonging to the warring communities in the olden days. India has never been an aggressor, it only has been subjected to too many uncharitable aggressions by the outsiders through means most foul. And Mohammadan robbers like Kajini Mohammed intruded and invaded and robbed the riches of the Sri Somanadhar Temple as many times as sixteen! And the Mohammadan king like Aurangazeeb behaved more cruelly than the present heartless beasts belonging to the dreaded ISI. He behaved like a psychopath serial killer, according to Sri Ravishankar of THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS.

    ON THE OTHER HAND, THE YUDHA OR WAR THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE KURUTCHETHRA WAS A DHARMA YUDHA OR WAR FOR THE UPHOLDING OF DHARMA!                                                                  THE HOLY GITA!

There are some fundamental questions raised about the Bhagavat Gita. First is about its context: they ask if a discourse as long as the Holy Gita could have taken place at the time of war, or just before the internecine war started? There may be some plausibility about this question. But it need not necessarily be given much importance, because, wars were waged in the days of the Epic Mahabharata according to certain well-laid rules and regulations. And as per the Tamil culture, the king who goes to war should do an overt act like capturing the neighbour king’s or nation’s cows, and such soldiers should wear a particular kind of necklace made of and stringed from particular species of flowers!

   So, in those days, unannounced wars were frowned upon. And, moreover, Lord Krishna did His level best to assist the Pandavas to avert a war for a long time. He indulged in helping in His own way the Pandavas only when their warring cousins would not yield even an inch of ground to stand upon, much less their rightful kingdom captured by them through the unholy means of placing bets at the game of dice.

   There need not be any doubt about the whole eighteen chapter of the Bhagavat Gita was prosecuted through the much celebrated upanishadic form, discourse! For there was ample time! No war could be started without giving the opponents enough time even on the battle field.

   So the question as to how such a mammoth philosophy could have been preached on the warfront comes principally from people belonging to the warring communities in the olden days. India has never been an aggressor, it only has been subjected to too many uncharitable aggressions by the outsiders through means most foul. And Mohammadan robbers like Kajini Mohammed intruded and invaded and robbed the riches of the Sri Somanadhar Temple as many times as sixteen! And the Mohammadan king like Aurangazeeb behaved more cruelly than the present heartless beasts belonging to the dreaded ISI. He behaved like a psychopath serial killer, according to Sri Ravishankar of THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS.

    ON THE OTHER HAND, THE YUDHA OR WAR THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE KURUTCHETHRA WAS A DHARMA YUDHA OR WAR FOR THE UPHOLDING OF DHARMA!

THE HOLY GITA

                                                                  THE HOLY GITA!

There are some fundamental questions raised about the Bhagavat Gita. First is about its context: they ask if a discourse as long as the Holy Gita could have taken place at the time of war, or just before the internecine war started? There may be some plausibility about this question. But it need not necessarily be given much importance, because, wars were waged in the days of the Epic Mahabharata according to certain well-laid rules and regulations. And as per the Tamil culture, the king who goes to war should do an overt act like capturing the neighbour king’s or nation’s cows, and such soldiers should wear a particular kind of necklace made of and stringed from particular species of flowers!

   So, in those days, unannounced wars were frowned upon. And, moreover, Lord Krishna did His level best to assist the Pandavas to avert a war for a long time. He indulged in helping in His own way the Pandavas only when their warring cousins would not yield even an inch of ground to stand upon, much less their rightful kingdom captured by them through the unholy means of placing bets at the game of dice.

   There need not be any doubt about the whole eighteen chapter of the Bhagavat Gita was prosecuted through the much celebrated upanishadic form, discourse! For there was ample time! No war could be started without giving the opponents enough time even on the battle field.

   So the question as to how such a mammoth philosophy could have been preached on the warfront comes principally from people belonging to the warring communities in the olden days. India has never been an aggressor, it only has been subjected to too many uncharitable aggressions by the outsiders through means most foul. And Mohammadan robbers like Kajini Mohammed intruded and invaded and robbed the riches of the Sri Somanadhar Temple as many times as sixteen! And the Mohammadan king like Aurangazeeb behaved more cruelly than the present heartless beasts belonging to the dreaded ISI. He behaved like a psychopath serial killer, according to Sri Ravishankar of THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS.

    ON THE OTHER HAND, THE YUDHA OR WAR THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE KURUTCHETHRA WAS A DHARMA YUDHA OR WAR FOR THE UPHOLDING OF DHARMA!                                                                  THE HOLY GITA!

There are some fundamental questions raised about the Bhagavat Gita. First is about its context: they ask if a discourse as long as the Holy Gita could have taken place at the time of war, or just before the internecine war started? There may be some plausibility about this question. But it need not necessarily be given much importance, because, wars were waged in the days of the Epic Mahabharata according to certain well-laid rules and regulations. And as per the Tamil culture, the king who goes to war should do an overt act like capturing the neighbour king’s or nation’s cows, and such soldiers should wear a particular kind of necklace made of and stringed from particular species of flowers!

   So, in those days, unannounced wars were frowned upon. And, moreover, Lord Krishna did His level best to assist the Pandavas to avert a war for a long time. He indulged in helping in His own way the Pandavas only when their warring cousins would not yield even an inch of ground to stand upon, much less their rightful kingdom captured by them through the unholy means of placing bets at the game of dice.

   There need not be any doubt about the whole eighteen chapter of the Bhagavat Gita was prosecuted through the much celebrated upanishadic form, discourse! For there was ample time! No war could be started without giving the opponents enough time even on the battle field.

   So the question as to how such a mammoth philosophy could have been preached on the warfront comes principally from people belonging to the warring communities in the olden days. India has never been an aggressor, it only has been subjected to too many uncharitable aggressions by the outsiders through means most foul. And Mohammadan robbers like Kajini Mohammed intruded and invaded and robbed the riches of the Sri Somanadhar Temple as many times as sixteen! And the Mohammadan king like Aurangazeeb behaved more cruelly than the present heartless beasts belonging to the dreaded ISI. He behaved like a psychopath serial killer, according to Sri Ravishankar of THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS.

    ON THE OTHER HAND, THE YUDHA OR WAR THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE KURUTCHETHRA WAS A DHARMA YUDHA OR WAR FOR THE UPHOLDING OF DHARMA!                                                                  THE HOLY GITA!

There are some fundamental questions raised about the Bhagavat Gita. First is about its context: they ask if a discourse as long as the Holy Gita could have taken place at the time of war, or just before the internecine war started? There may be some plausibility about this question. But it need not necessarily be given much importance, because, wars were waged in the days of the Epic Mahabharata according to certain well-laid rules and regulations. And as per the Tamil culture, the king who goes to war should do an overt act like capturing the neighbour king’s or nation’s cows, and such soldiers should wear a particular kind of necklace made of and stringed from particular species of flowers!

   So, in those days, unannounced wars were frowned upon. And, moreover, Lord Krishna did His level best to assist the Pandavas to avert a war for a long time. He indulged in helping in His own way the Pandavas only when their warring cousins would not yield even an inch of ground to stand upon, much less their rightful kingdom captured by them through the unholy means of placing bets at the game of dice.

   There need not be any doubt about the whole eighteen chapter of the Bhagavat Gita was prosecuted through the much celebrated upanishadic form, discourse! For there was ample time! No war could be started without giving the opponents enough time even on the battle field.

   So the question as to how such a mammoth philosophy could have been preached on the warfront comes principally from people belonging to the warring communities in the olden days. India has never been an aggressor, it only has been subjected to too many uncharitable aggressions by the outsiders through means most foul. And Mohammadan robbers like Kajini Mohammed intruded and invaded and robbed the riches of the Sri Somanadhar Temple as many times as sixteen! And the Mohammadan king like Aurangazeeb behaved more cruelly than the present heartless beasts belonging to the dreaded ISI. He behaved like a psychopath serial killer, according to Sri Ravishankar of THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS.

    ON THE OTHER HAND, THE YUDHA OR WAR THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE KURUTCHETHRA WAS A DHARMA YUDHA OR WAR FOR THE UPHOLDING OF DHARMA!

Hi, friends,
There is a notion that "the holy Bagavat Gita" is not recommended for youths. That it should be studied when one is in one's evening of life and expecting to be called back by the Creator.

I am of the studious view that the Gita should be read when one's blood courses through young veins and nerves!
Another disinformation about Bagavat Gita is that any one taking to a regular perusal thereof would be impelled to renounce the worldly affairs and become a wandering monk.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Every human being must read Bagavat Gita, and this is true especially in the case of the Hindus.
So only I have decided, despite my insufficient knowledge about the same, and a certain lack of diligent scholarship, to write this DAILY BLOG.
WE WILL START BY CONSIDERING CERTAIN QUESTIONS AND DOUBTS RAISED ABOUT THE GITA FIRST IN MY TOMORROW'S POST!

Here's wishing you all a very happy reading religious experience DAILY.