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Sanjaya said, “Observing Arjuna's profound compassion, his mind consumed by sorrow, and his eyes brimming with tears, Lord Krishna spoke the following words.” | |
The Supreme Lord said, “From where has this delusion come upon you at this critical moment? It is not befitting an honorable person; it is the path to degradation, and it does not lead to the higher abodes, O Arjuna.” | |
"O Partha, do not yield to cowardice. It does not befit you. Give up this petty weakness of heart and arise, O scorcher of enemies!" | |
"Arjuna said: O Madhusudana, how can I counterattack in battle with arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of my worship?" | |
"It is better to live in this world by begging than to enjoy life at the cost of killing great souls who are our teachers. If we kill them, the wealth and pleasures we enjoy will be tainted with blood.” | |
“We do not know which is better for us, to conquer them or be conquered by them. Even after killing them, we will not desire to live. Yet they are now standing before us on the battlefield.” | |
Arjuna said, "O Krishna, my inherent nature is overwhelmed by the fault of cowardice, and my mind is confused regarding my duty. I am seeking your guidance with a bewildered mind. Please tell me with certainty what is best for me. I am your disciple and surrender myself unto you. Please instruct me." | |
"I see no way to dispel this sorrow that dries up my senses, even if I were to obtain unrivaled and prosperous dominion on earth or lordship over the celestial gods." | |
Sanjaya said to Dhritarashtra, "Having thus addressed Hrishikesha, Paramtapah declared to Govinda: “I will not fight!” and became silent”. | |
“Hrishikesha, smiling, then spoke these words to the grieving Arjuna, who was in the midst of the two armies.” | |
The Supreme Lord said, “While speaking words of wisdom, you mourn for those who should not be mourned for, and yet you speak as if you possess knowledge. The wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.” | |
“Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be." | |
"As the embodied Self in the body passes through childhood, youth, and old age, so is its passage into another body; the wise therefore are not disturbed." | |
"O Son of Kunti (Arjuna), the ideas of heat and cold, pleasure and pain, are produced by the contacts of the senses with their objects. Such ideas are limited by a beginning and an end. They are transitory O Arjuna, bear them with patience!" | |
"O Arjuna, he who is unruffled by the contact of the senses with matter, who is calm and even- minded during pain and pleasure, he is ordained by the gods to attain the heavenly kingdom" | |
"Of the unreal, there is no existence. Of the real, there is no non-existence. The final truth of both is known by men of wisdom". | |
"The One by whom everything has been manifested and pervaded is imperishable. No one has the power to bring about annihilation of this Unchangeable Spirit." | |
“These fleshly garments have a termination of existence. The soul is imperishable and limitless. With this wisdom, O Arjuna, descendant of the brave Bharata, boldly enter the arena of inner battle!” | |
"He who considers the Self as the slayer; he who thinks that it can be slain: neither of them knows the truth. The Self does not kill, nor is it killed" | |
"This Self is never born nor does it ever perish; nor having come into existence will it again cease to exist. It cannot be slain, it is birth-less, eternal, changeless, ever-same (unaffected by the usual processes associated with time) and ever-new bliss" | |
"How can he who knows the Self to be imperishable, everlastingly permanent, birth-less and changeless, possibly think that this Self can cause the destruction of another? O Partha, whom does It slay?" | |
"Just as an individual forsaking old clothes dons new clothes, so the body-encased soul, during its wanderings on the path of delusion and mortal desires, casts off karma-worn bodies for new ones." | |
"No weapon can pierce the soul; no fire can burn it; no water can moisten it; nor can wind wither it." | |
"The soul is unbreakable; it cannot be burnt, wetted or dried. It is immutable, all-pervading, perpetually calm, and unchanging—forever unshaken" | |
"The soul is said to be imponderable, unmanifested, and unchangeable. Therefore, knowing it to be so, you should not be sorrowful!" | |
"If you imagine that the soul goes through many lives alternating between birth and death, still there is no cause for grief. " | |
"Death is certain for one who is born so is rebirth for one who is has died. Therefore, do not grieve over the inevitable" | |
"O descendant of Bharata, all beings remain in their unmanifest state before birth. They manifest at the advent of creation. At the arrival of destruction, they merge into the unmanifest once more. What cause is there for lamentation?" | |
"Few behold the soul in wonder. Others describe it as amazing and magnificent. There are others who, even after hearing, do not understand it at all." | |
"O Arjuna, the One who dwells in the bodies of all is immortal and remains unchanged. Therefore, do not grieve for anyone." | |
"Do not hesitate to fulfill your duty. For a warrior, there is no higher good than a war fought for the sake of righteousness." | |
"O Son of Pritha, fortunate are those to whom such righteous battle comes uninvited; therein they find an open door to heaven." | |
"If you decline to fight this righteous battle, relinquishing your own duty and glory, you will incur sin." | |
"People will speak of your disgrace forever. For a respectable person, disgrace is worse than death." | |
"The mighty warriors who hold high esteem for you will think that you fled from the battlefield out of fear and will lose their respect for you". | |
"Your enemies will humiliate you with unkind words. Alas, what could be more painful than this?" | |
"If you fight, you will either get slain and gain heaven or you will conquer and enjoy the kingdom on earth. Therefore, O Arjuna, lift yourself up and fight" | |
"With a steady mind through pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat, engage in this battle. In this way, you will never incur sin." | |
"Till now, I have explained the wisdom of Sankhya. Now listen to the wisdom of Yoga, with which you can shatter the bonds of karma." | |
"In this path of yoga, there is no loss or adverse effect. Even a little practice of this religion protects one from great fear." | |
"O descendent of the Kurus, the intellect of a devotee on this path is resolute whereas the intellect of the indecisive mind is multi-directional and unending." | |
"O Arjuna, those with limited understanding are attracted to the flowery words of the unwise." | |
Ascribing no other higher purpose to the Vedas, they perform only the ostentatious rituals for sense gratifications and celestial abodes, that result in rebirth." | |
Focused determination in Samadhi meditation never develops in those whose minds are confused and attached to material enjoyment and opulence" | |
"The Vedas deal with three modes of nature or Gunas. O Arjuna, free yourself from these triple qualities and the dualities. Ever calm, without material concerns, establish permanently in your true Self" | |
"To the knower of Brahman, all the Vedas are of no more utility than a reservoir when there is a flood from all directions." | |
"Your right is for activity only, never for the fruit of actions. Do not consider yourself to be the cause of the fruits of your actions; neither allow attachment to inactivity." |