English
In the destruction of a tribe, the eternal institutions (laws) of the tribe are destroyed. These laws being destroyed, lawlessness prevails throughout the whole tribe. From the existence of lawlessness the women of the tribe become corrupted, Krishna ; and when the women are corrupted, 0 son of Yrishni ! con- fusion of caste takes place. Confusion of caste is (a gate) to hell, both for the destroyers of the tribe and for the tribe itself. For their fathers are deprived of the rites of funeral-cakes and libations of water, and thus fall (from heaven). By the crimes of the destroyers of a tribe, and by those who cause confusion of caste, the eternal institutions of caste and tribe are subversed. We have learnt (from sacred writ) that a sojourn in hell necessarily awaits the men who subvert the institutions of their tribe, 0 Krishna ! Alas ! we have determined to commit a great crime, since, from the desire of sovereignty and pleasures, we are prepared to slay our own kin. Better were it for me, if the Dh&rtarashtras, being armed, would slay me, harmless and unresisting in the fight.” COMMENTARY. MIND.* I am undergoing two conflicts (and these conflicts must neces- sarily be undergone by every inquirer who passes from the quiet domain of Intelligence into the noisy domain of Action) : first, the internal conflict with myself ; and afterwards, the external conflict with my friends and relatives. I become confused, and am at a loss to know what to do ; I resign my adherence to self-duty, and by the illusion that * The word “ mind ” must not be misunderstood. It is here used in the sense of the word HR*, its Indian equivalent, and expresses a faculty distinct from Reason on the one hand, and from Passion on the, other. The mind is the subject acted upon by these two forces — the former leading to emancipation, the latter to shivery. 6 BHAGAVAD-oItA. CHATTER THE FIRST. comes over me I seem to be walking in a dream. All the dogmatic belief peculiar to the faith I once entertained comes before me, and shuts me out from free action. TEXT. 8ANJAYA SPOKE. Having thus spoken in the midst of the battle, Aijuna, whose heart was troubled with grief, let fall his bow and arrow, and sat down on the bench of the chariot. Thus in the Upanishads, called the holy Bhagavad-Git&, in the science of the Supreme Spirit, in the book of devotion, in the colloquy between the holy Krishna and Arjuna, (^stands) the First Chapter by name u THE DESPONDENCY OF ARJUNA.” COMMENTARY. TRUTH. A man thus confused and troubled with grief gives up his courage in sad disappointment. CHAPTER THE SECOND. TEXT. SANJAYA SPOKE. To him thus filled with compassion, with his troubled eyes full of tears, and sunk in grief, the slayer of Madhu spoke these words: COMMENTARY. TRUTH. An inquiring mind, when filled with tender feelings, loses courage for self-duty. TEXT. KRISHNA SPOKE. “ Wherefore, Arjuna, has this dejection in matters of difficulty come upon thee, so unworthy of the honourable, and leading neither to heaven nor to glory ? Do not give way to weakness, 0 King ! That does not become thee ! But cast off this mean effeminacy of heart, and arise, 0 tormentor of thy foes ! ” COMMENTARY. REASON. Wherefore do you suffer Passion to prevail against you — Passion, which is unworthy of Intelligence, and leads not to true happiness ? Do not fall a prey to weakness, or allow yourself to be deluded, but rise and do your duty. TEXT. ARJUNA SPOKE. “ How should I, slayer of Madhu ! contend in battle with my 8 BHAGAVAD-GfTA. CHAPTER THE SECOND. shafts against Bhishma and Drona, both worthy to be honoured, 0 slayer of thy foes ? For it were better to eat even the bread of beggary in this world, and not to slay these venerable men of great esteem. But were I to slay these venerable men here, though they long for plunder, I should eat of banquets smeared with blood. Nor can we tell which of these two things may be better for us — that we should conquer them or they conquer us. Those very men, the Dhirtar&shtras, whom if we slay we shall not wish to live ourselves, are drawn up opposite to us. As I am of a disposition which is affected by compassion and the fear of doing wrong, and my mind being be- wildered by my duty, I ask thee which it is better to do ? Tell me that distinctly 1 I am thy disciple. Teach me, who now implore thee ! For I do not see what can dispel this grief, which scorches my senses, even Were I to obtain the complete unrivalled sovereignty of the earth, and the command even of the deities.” * COMMENTARY. MIND. Ho\| should I prevail by my own endeavours singly against the general opinions of my friends, which this world holds entitled to respect? For I would rather be stricken by poverty than go against the opinions of those whom this world holds worthy to be honoured. Were I to dis- regard. social sentiment and public prejudice, though both of these rob me of my own true interest, my life in this world would be a despised and miserable one. After all, the true end of existence is so uncertain that I am not sure whether it were not better to allow Passion to prevail over Intelligence. What good is it to live if we hurt the feelings of our elders, who are against us ?* I become confused between popular opinion on one side and your supremacy on the other, and ask for advice as to my conduct. I being conscious of my infirmities, and knowing well from experience your ability to instruct, look to you to clear up the difficulty between duty and feeling. * Compare the English proverb, M One may as well be (lead as out of the fashion." bhagavad-gItA. chapter the second. 9 TEXT. SANJAYA SPOKE. Aijuna, the harasser of his foes, having thus addressed Krishna, having said to Govinda, “ I will not fight,” was silent. Then, between the two armies, Krishna, smiling, addressed these* words to him thus downcast : COMMENTARY. TRUTH. The inquiring mind having thus expressed the credulous thought, Reason naturally smiles. TEXT. KRISHNA SPOKE. “ Thou hast grieved for those who need not be grieved for, but thou utterest words of wisdom ! The wise grieve not for dead or living. But never at any period did I, or thou, or these kings of men, not exist, nor shall any of us at any time henceforward cease to exist. As the soul in this body undergoes the changes of childhood, prime, and age, so it obtains a new body (hereafter) ; a sensible man is not troubled about that. But the contact of the elements, 0 son of Kuntfl which bring cold and heat, pleasure and pain, which come and go, and are temporary, these do thou endure, 0 Bharata ! For that man whom, being the same in pain and pleasure, and ever constant, these elements do not afflict, 0 best of men ! is fitted for immortality. There is no existence for what does not exist, nor is there any non-existence for what exists. But even of both of these, those who discern the truth perceive the true end. Know this, that that by which all this universe is created is indestructible. No one can cause the destruction of this inexhaustible thing. These finite bodies have been said to belong to an eternal, indestructible, and infinite spirit. Therefore fight, 0 Bharata ! He who believes that this spirit can kill, and he who thinks that it can be killed, both of these are wrong in judgment. It neither kills, nor is killed. It is not born, nor dies at any time. It has had no origin, nor will it ever have an origin. Unborn, changeless, eternal both as to future and past time, it is not slain when the body is killed. How can 10 BIIAGAVAD-GfTA. CHAPTER THE SECOND. that man, 0 son of Prith& ! who knows that it is indestructible, constant, unborn, and inexhaustible, (really) cause the death of anybody, or kill anybody himself? As a man abandons worn-out clothes, and takes other new ones, so does the soul quit worn-out bodies, and enter other new ones. Weapons cannot cleave it. Fire cannot bum it, nor can water wet it* nor can wind dry it. It is impenetrable, incombustible, incapable of moisture, and also of drying. It is constant, capable of going everywhere, firm, immovable, and eternal. It is said to be invisible, incomprehensible, immutable. Therefore, Rowing it to be such, thou art not right to grieve for it. And even if thou deem it bom with the body and dying with the body, still, O great-armed one ! thou art not right to grieve for it. For to everything bom death is certain, to everything dead regeneration is certain. Therefore thou art not right to grieve for a thing which is inevitable. All things which exist are invisible in their primeval state, visible in their intermediate state, and again invisible in their final state. What cause is there for bewailing in this ? One looks on the soul as a miracle, another speaks of it as a miracle, another hears of it as a miracle, but even when lie has heard of it, not one comprehends it. The soul in every creature's body is always invulnerable. Therefore thou art not right to grieve for an^ creatures. And considering thine own duty (as a Kshatriya), thou art not right to waver. For there is nothing better for a Kshatriya than lawful war. Happy are the warriors who undertake such a war as is spontaneously offered them — an open door to heaven. But if thou wilt not join in this lawful fight, thou abandonest thine own duty and glory, and contractest a crime. And mankind will moreover relate of thee imperishable infamy. And to a noble man infamy is worse than death. The great warriors will think that thou hast retired from the battle out of fear, and thou wilt undergo the contempt of those by whom thou wast greatly esteemed. And many abusive words will thine enemies utter, sneering at thy prowess. What can be more wretched than that ?