Thursday, March 17, 2011

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 -Arjuna Vishada Yoga - Sloka 29 & 30


The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of  The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

Arjuna's conflict sloka 28-30

Krishna & Kunti























Chapter 1 - Sloka 29
Vepathus cha sharire me roma harshascha jaayate I
Gandivam sramsate hastat tvak chaiva paridahayate II sloka 29

वेपथुस च शरीरे मे रोम हर्षस्च जायते ।
गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात त्वक् चैव परिदह्यते  ।।

My body quivers and my hair stands on end. The bow Gandiva slips from my hand and my skin burns all over.  

Chapter 1 - Sloka 30
na cha saknomy ava sthatum bhramati va cha me manah I
nimittani ca pashyami viparitani  keshava II sloka 30

न च सक्नोमि अव स्थातुं भ्रमति व च मे मनः ।
निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव ।। श्लोक ३० 

I am unable to stand; my mind whirls as it were; and Keshava, I see adverse omens. 

The name Keshava has 3 meanings:
1. The destroyer of the demon Kesi
2. He who has beautiful hair on his head
3. Ka = Brahma the Creator, A = Vishnu Isa =  Rudra. He who is the emodiment of the vedic trinity, the Creator, Preserver and the Destroyer

Body and mind are interrelated. Change in one leads to change in the other. Arjuna's mental calibre has gone down. The trying situation has laid bare the incompleteness within. Signs of it are evident in the body and mind. A change in the subject presents itself as a seeming change in the object. The same world presents itself as good or bad according to the transformation one undergoes within. While militant in attitude Arjuna saw no omens; but while hesitant he sees any number of them. It is all, more subjective than objective, born of confusion.
Omens are not at all true or all untrue. As forecasting is possible in regard to weather, foreboding also has its place in nature. It is the way of the weak, the wavering and the vegetating to seek guidance from omens. The active, the dutiful and the discerning haev neither the time nor disposition to run after them.

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