अर्जुन उवाच
कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन ।
इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ॥ ४ ॥
arjuna uvācha
kathaṁ bhīṣhmam ahaṁ sankhye droṇaṁ cha madhusūdana
iṣhubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāvari-sūdana
अर्जुन ने कहा - हे मधुसूदन ! मैं इस युद्ध में भीष्म एवं द्रोण के विरुद्ध कैसे युद्ध कर सकता हूँ? वे मेरे लिए पूजनीय हैं। हे शत्रुओं के विनाशक! कृपया मुझे बताएं।
Arjuna said - O Madhusudana! How can I battle against Bhiṣma and Droṇa in this war? They are worthy of my worship. O destroyer of the enemies! Please tell me.
In this verse of the Bhagavad Gita (2.4), Arjuna speaks up in response to Krishna's urging, voicing his deep confusion and emotional conflict. As he surveys the battlefield, Arjuna sees not just opponents, but his revered grandfather Bhishma and his beloved teacher Drona—figures who have shaped his life and whom he holds in the highest respect. The thought of raising his bow against these worthy elders fills him with a sense of shock and sorrow, making the prospect of fighting in the war unbearable for him.
Arjuna addresses Krishna using the names 'Madhusudana' (slayer of the demon Madhu) and 'Arisudana' (destroyer of enemies), subtly highlighting the distinction between Krishna's deeds and what is being asked of him. Essentially, Arjuna implies, “You have destroyed enemies and demons, but you would not raise weapons against your own family or teachers. How then can you expect me to do what you yourself would not?” This rhetorical approach is Arjuna's way of expressing his position as not stemming from fear or cowardice, but from a deep sense of duty and reverence towards his elders.
In the heart of his argument, Arjuna lays out a principle: elders and teachers, even when standing in opposition, are worthy of worship, not warfare. He feels that honor and respect for Bhishma and Drona should preclude any thought of violence towards them, regardless of the situation. This frame of mind is a testament to the ancient Indian tradition of respecting gurus and elders, where even the idea of confronting them, let alone with deadly force, appears as an act of sacrilege to Arjuna.
Arjuna's emotional reasoning creates a powerful dilemma. On one side is his deep-seated love, gratitude, and reverence for those who have guided him; on the other is the call to arms—a sacred duty as a Kshatriya (warrior) to uphold justice and fight in the cause of righteousness. This clash between personal feelings and societal responsibility is at the core of his turmoil. He is not merely overwhelmed by the prospect of battle, but by the ethical complexity of the roles each person plays on the battlefield and the shifting definitions of right action.
In using the terms 'worthy of my worship' and referencing the act of shooting arrows as opposed to offering flowers, Arjuna underscores the unnaturalness of the situation. Warfare, in his mind, should be reserved for true enemies, not for those whom one adores and honors. For Arjuna, the very idea of fighting against such figures creates a sense of internal contradiction; the hands that once folded in respect are now being asked to wield weapons against those same recipients of honor.
Underlying Arjuna’s words is both a real emotional pain and a certain defensiveness. He insists that his reluctance to fight stems not from a lack of resolve, but rather from his noble intention to honor his elders. However, this defense may also be a way to avoid facing the difficult but necessary path of duty prescribed to him. The verse highlights how powerful emotions and personal relationships can cloud one’s judgment, making moral clarity challenging even for the most capable and principled individuals.
Arjuna’s predicament in this verse is a timeless reflection of the human condition. Faced with competing demands of the heart and duty, people often struggle to find the right course of action. Arjuna’s questioning is not just a personal struggle; it is a universal one—how to reconcile love and respect for individuals with a higher responsibility to society, justice, and dharma (righteousness). This verse sets the stage for Krishna’s deeper guidance, as the conversation shifts from emotion and attachment towards wisdom and clarity.
The beauty of this exchange is that it reveals the inner workings of a noble mind in crisis. Arjuna’s sincerity, his vulnerability, and his unwillingness to act blindly—even in the heat of a monumental struggle—invite readers to examine their own responses when faced with moral dilemmas. His heartfelt questions and reluctance to act against his deepest values foreshadow the profound philosophical discourse that Krishna is about to unfold, moving from personal attachments towards universal principles that form the core of the Bhagavad Gita itself.
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