Chapter 1: Arjuna Viṣhāda Yoga – Transforming Grief into Yoga: Verse 31
न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे ।
न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च ॥
na ca śreyo’nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanam-āhave
na kāṅkṣe vijayaṃ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṃ sukhāni ca – 1.31
Neither do I see any lasting good by killing my own people in this war, O Krishna, nor do I aspire for victory, the kingdom and royal pleasures.
Chapter 1: Arjuna Viṣhāda Yoga – Transforming Grief into Yoga - Verse 31
Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha
Thought deeply, Arjuna depicts how material resources as well as one’s own body, mind and intelligence are all hollow and how they fail one in crucial circumstances. This should make anyone wonder what then is the real anchor for human life? Where to look for it?
Arjuna had fought many wars, but all of them were against those who were not related to him through blood or matrimony. But here is a war he faces for the first time, where many blood and matrimonial relatives had assembled on both sides.
Therefore, to engage in this war will mean having to kill many or even all of them. On what ground is such killing justified? Can such bloodshed be acceptable to human sentiments?
The question is quite deep and relevant. Maybe Arjuna had not thought of it all earlier. Better late than never. Now his mind is immensely hurt by the prospect and the series of outcomes it is sure to fetch.
