BHAGAVAD GITA - THE COMPLETE YOGA SASTRA -Ch.1 -SLOKAS:30-32 - What does Extreme Sorrow do even to the Bravest? - Arjuna is Now Vishaada !

BHAGAVAD GITA

(THE COMPLETE YOGA SASTRA)

 

CHAPTER.1.VERSE.30

Na cha saknomyavasthaatum Bhramateeva cha me manah |

Nimittaani cha pasyaami vipareetaani Kesava  ||

Arjuna continues further, his dialogue with Lord Krishna :

 

Meaning :

 

"O  Kesava, I have no strength to stand up; My mind is in a dizzy state;and, I see (adverse) Omens."

Earlier, in sloka.24, Arjuna was addressed as Gudakesa,which meant - one who was as sweet as Guda or Jaggery (sweet) to A = Vishnu; ka = Brahma and Isa = Siva;

Now, Lord Krishna was addressed as Kesava. This name too had multiple meanings. One was :  K + A + Isa +va = One who combined in himself Brahma, Vishnu and Siva; 

Lord Krishna was the combination of the divine trinity and Arjuna was very sweet to the divine trinity. 

Another meaning for 'Kesava' was - the destroyer of demon, Kesin; Yet another meaning was, one with beautiful hair (On his head)These meanings were not relevant here.

Arjuna held the Bow made by Brahma; also held the invincible divine arrow, Paasupataastra,endowed with the Power of Siva and given to Arjuna by Siva himself;  and had Lord Krishna himself steering his chariot and his life! So, he was certainly Gudaakesa, who was very dear to the divine trinity and Lord Krishna was indeed Kesava, the divine trinity personified.

Initially, this Invincible Arjuna expressed his great love for the Gurus, Gandsires, Uncles, sons, grandsons, friends and so on. Then, the thought that all of them would get killed in this war crossed his mind and filled him with sadness and pity for all of them. 

And, now, he was thinking, how he was going to wield his Bow and arrows against them - and kill them, with his own hands. This thought was filling him with extreme sorrow.

It is now time to see why this chapter is called - Arjuna Vishaada Yoga. Yoga comes from the root word 'Yuj', which means, 'to join' or 'to become one with'.

Arjuna had now 'become one with'  Vishaada or extreme Sorrow. All his other identifications had ceased and now he was just sorrow personified.

His LOVE for all his kinsmen in the Battle-field turned into PITY for them and then into SADNESS, which now had turned into EXTREME SORROW.

 

Intentionally or unintentionally, English language expresses these states correctly- as in Yoga. Look at what we say in such states; When some one asks me, who are you, i might normally identify myself with my name, saying I am Vijayamohan. But, when a deep emotion overtakes me, I will be telling everybody around, I am happy, I am Sad and so on..as if SAD is my name or my identity. That is the reality. When Sadness fills me, I am SAD!

 

Arjuna here was EXTREME SORROW; he was not Arjuna, Phalguna,Partha, Kireeti, Swetavahana, Bheebatsa, Vijaya, krishna, Savyasaachi, Dhanajaya ....etc, which were his famous ten names. He was now SAD; He was now EXTREME SORROW.

 

In his sorrowful state, he said that he was seeing adverse omens. His body had lost all its strength. His mind also was dizzy and whirling. When a person was in such pitiful, sorrowful state, everything he would see would look like a bad omen. 

 

A cool breeze would feel great and pleasant, when one was in Great moods. The same cool breeze would look awful when one was in sorrowful state. Arjuna wasn't really seeing Bad omens; but whatever he was seeing was looking like a bad omen to him.

 

Arjuna had thus become one with Vishaada. Therefore, this chapter was called Arjuna Vishaada Yoga.

 

It was not that Arjuna had a little sadness in him. It was extreme sadness. Whoever would take a single look at him - would now say that - Arjuna was EXTREMELY SAD.

CHAPTER.1.VERSE.31

Na cha sreyonupasyaami hatvaa svajanamaahave   |

Na kaankshe vijayam Krishna Na Cha Raajyam Sukhaani Cha   ||  

Meaning :

"O Krishna! I do not see any good coming from the killing of my own people in this battle. I do not want any victory or kingdom or pleasures coming from this battle."


Krishna means - wisdom cum Bliss. Arjuna said, O, Krishna, the personification of Wisdom and Bliss, I am unable to see any good that can come from this battle in which I will be killing my own people. Therefore I do not want to do this Battle. I do not want the Kingdom or any pleasures that would come to me from winning this battle.

On the face of this assertion, we would feel, it was a very noble ideal that Arjuna was speaking of. But was this so?

CHAPTER.1.VERSE.32

Kim No Raajyena Govinda Kim Bhogairjeevitena vaa    ||

 

Meaning :

"O Govinda, of what value to us is the kingdom or the enjoyment coming from it, or even life itself? .  "

Arjuna had already said that he did not want the Kingdom or the pleasures coming from killing "His Own" people in this battle. He was now going further in the same mood. H now said that he saw no value what so ever in either the Kingdom or the enjoyment coming from it, or even in life after killing so many of his nearest and dearest peopl.

Govinda means - (1) Protector of Cows ; (2) One who can be known only from Vedic words and explanations; 

 

Krishna started off his early life as Cowherd, giving all his love and affection to Cows and being a great joy for them. That way, the first meaning of 'Govinda' is true.

 

Bhagavad Gita itself is the very essence of Vedas. Knowing Krishna is possible only for one who knows Gita or, the explanations given in the Vedas.  That way, the second meaning is more apt here.

.....Will Continue.