Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 - Samkhya Yoga - Sloka 9

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

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 2 - Samkhya Yoga - Sloka 9 

Sanjaya Uvacha

Evam uktva hrishikesham gudakeshah parantapah I

Na yotsya iti govindam uktva tushneem babhuva ha II sloka 9

संजय उवाच

एवं उक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः  परन्तपः ।

न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दं उक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह ।।

Sanjaya said

After addressing the Lord of the senses thus, Gudakesa, the terror of the foes, submitted to Govinda, "I shall not fight" and held silence. 

The descriptive names which the sagacious Sanjaya chose to use here all pregnant with meaning. Arjuna is fittingly called Gudakesa - the conqueror of sleep. All beings fall victim  to sleep which overtakes them. Such is the power of this factor in life. But this "bull among men" has disciplined himself in such a way that sleep would come to him only when he made a decision to sleep. When, where , and how long to sleep were all at his will. In addition to self mastery of this type, he is also the terror to the foes. He is the subduer of  baseness within and without. A man of this calibre is not likely to beat a retreat.

The charioteer of this distinguished hero is none other than Hrishikesha - the Lord of the senses and the mind. He is moreover Govinda - the knower of the destiny of all beings The knowing one never hoes wrong in handling things or events.

Against this background, chances are very remote of the war being called off as is fondly hoped by Dhritharashtrra.  Sanjaya throws a hint to this effect.