CHAPTER 01
1.1 -11 Description of warriors
PURPORT:
Saints and scholars have given various explanations, interpretations to these and other seemingly descriptive shlokas. From the layman’s point of view at this stage, all that we can focus on is what take home point we have here.
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1. The war could have been stopped at this stage. Almost all would have agreed except Duryodhana, Draupadi, Krishna himself.
2. Almost all Maharathis(great warriors) knew that they had just about 50% chance of surviving this war. For the rest of the huge army, outcome was their certain death; yet all were enthusiastic for the battle.
1.12 -19 Blowing of conches
1.20- 27 Arjuna inspects the warriors ready for battle.
1.28 Arjuna overcome by attachment to his relatives.
1.29-47 Arjuna’s reasons for refusing to fight.
ESSENTIAL TOPIC: MOHA (DELUSION) SHOWS IN ATTACHMENT TO PEOPLE, THINGS, TO WORLD IN GENERAL
MORAL:ATTACHMENT WRECKS DUTY
(seeing his relatives standing ready to kill and get killed in the battlefield)
1.28 Arjuna was overcome with compassion and spoke these words with sadness, ” looking at my people,standing ready for the battle……” his limbs started failing, mouth dried up, nervous, hands wet and body burning all over, he started telling(sl 1.29 -47) why he does not want to fight.
DAILY EXAMPLES WHICH WE SEE HOW ATTACHMENT WRECKS DUTY:
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1. Surgeon who cannot operate on his little child even though he is qualified.
2. Judge who refuses(or not allowed) to sit in trial when his son is the guilty party
3. Teacher who would show bias in giving grades to her daughter
4. Mother, the fond one, fails to discipline her little daughter.
5. Father gives car keys to his 5yr old son to open the car door.(soon he will start driving)
6. Parents yielding to children’s request for ‘roomful’ of toys
7. Parents buying dresses galore for their tiny tots. 6 months kids outgrow those dresses
8. Giving latest BMW to 20yr old and he drinks and drives killing 5 people
9. Making minor children aware that you have kept funds for their future
10. Executive who refuses to sack his friend who proves a liability.
11. Nepotism galore among politician in grooming his son to take his place
12. As guests, when we allow or forgive our children messing with others properties
………ad infinitum
In short whenever there is attachment, there is a failure of duty. This failure is not recognized by the performer of duty, If recognized, it is brushed aside saying ‘ I need to do at least this much as a help to my son..’
Guruji – Shantaram Bhandarkar
Good analysis. Word “Duty” does not seem to be appropriate, personally I call that as Swadharma, not that you have to agree to that.
Arjuna’s false compassion is based on his “fuzzy” love towards his own people. In the past he killed other people who were not his relatives. This is human love. From God’s point this is not real love.
Hello Mam.
As a engineering student, what can you say that are duties to me?
I am confused a bit.
In BG , they say that we should have any attachment to materials .
But as a engineering student , sometimes I found that I am in a situation to use materials such as computers/laptops , internet, other devices…..
I have not read Bhagavadh Geetha fully.
I am in a confusion and I thought I can clarify ideas , from you.
Can you say, what are the duties?
Hello, Dear Kevin,
You are an engineering student and have to deal with all materials and Bhagavadgeeta says you should not have any attachment to materials. We all live on the materials whether we are engineers or not because the existence of life in the form of human being or any other species depends on the creation which already exists, like earth, water, fire, air and space. All these are materials in as much as we can understand and recognize them.
Thus, the word “Attachment” in Bhagavadgeeta is to be understood as realising our existence apart from the material world and then performing all the actions as required.
Seondly, regarding what is my duty? These are prescribed in various scriptures and are to be performed according to one’s own basic nature ( it is called “Swadharma ) and the stage in one’s life. i.e. if one is a student he has to study, and later according to one’s own profession perform the duties as required as a contribution to the humanity at large . It is just in the same way as in the nature the sun rises every morning, the clouds are formed and rain comes and the food is grown in the soil. A tree growing fruits on itself does not expect to eat itself.
for a student, Bhagavadgeeta prescribes to learn all the skills of the profession based on which one is able to contribute to the welfare of all .