Scripture Study: Bhagavad Gita verses 24-31

We are doing a scripture study together: reading along through some scriptures and discussing the passages. This is the fifth post on The Bhagavad Gita.

From the Winthrop Sargeant translation of The Gita…

24. Thus Krishna was addressed by Arjuna, O Dhritarashtra,
Having caused the chief chariot
To stand in the middle between the two armies.

25. Before the eyes of Bhishma and Drona
And all these rulers of the earth,
Arjuna said: Behold these Kurus assembled.

26. Arjuna saw standing there
Fathers, then grandfathers,
Teachers, maternal uncles, brothers,
Sons, grandsons, friends as well;

27. Arjuna saw fathers-in-law, companions,
In the two armies,
And contemplated
All his kinsmen, arrayed.

28. Filled with infinite pity,
Despondent, he said this:
Having seen my own people, Krishna,
Desiring to fight, approaching.

29. My limbs sink down,
My mouth dries up,
My body trembles,
And my hair stands on end;

30. Gandiva (his bow) falls from my hand,
My skin burns,
I am unable to remain as I am,
And my mind seems to ramble.

31. I perceive inauspicious omens, O Krishna,
And I foresee misfortune
In destroying my own people in battle.

I don’t envy Arjuna his position here at all. What a horrible place to be. His distress here seems extremely justified and understandable. He’s having compassion. Isn’t that something we should all want? Isn’t that to be encouraged? He sees on the other side of the battle so many people that he knows. Not just people he loves, but also people that he knows. And he knows that they are fathers and mothers and grandsons and uncles and fathers-in-law. How can it be okay to fight them?

That is, of course, what Krishna is here to tell Arjuna and to tell us.

It’s going to be difficult, I think, to understand how Arjuna could be mistaken. I too would be seeing this as a bad omen of misfortune on me.

His enemies don’t appear to have the same reservations. Not that we see, here, anyway. We know from earlier that Bhishma and Drona both wish they were on the side of the Pandava. They are trapped where they are and they will give their all to the fight, but their hearts are not with the Kurus.

Duryodhana, though? The one who has forced this war? He has not seemed to have any concern for the mess that he is dragging the known-world into in his quest to hang on to his power.  He is ready to fight, “desiring to fight.” He has been trying to kill his cousin Bheema (Arjuna’s brother) since they were children. It is sad to me that Duryodhana does not feel this pity that Arjuna feels.

*Interesting side note, another of Arjuna’s descriptors is as the “thick-haired one” and the translation of “thick” is given as also “molasses” and “juice of the sugar cane.” That’s an interesting image.