Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 2

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 2

 

श्रीभगवानुवाच |
कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम् |
अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन || 2||
 

shri bhagavan uvacha

kutastva kashmalamidam vishame samupasthitam

anarya-jushtamaswargyam akirti-karam arjuna

Translation in English

shri bhagavan uvacha—the Supreme Lord said 
kutah—wherefrom
tva—to you
kashmalam—delusion
idam—this
vishame—in this hour of peril
samupasthitam—has come
anarya—crude person
jushtam—practiced
aswargyam—which does not lead to the higher abodes
akirti-karam—leading to disgrace
arjuna—Arjun
 

The Supreme Lord said: My dear Arjun, how has this delusion overcome you in this hour of peril? It is not befitting an honorable person. It leads not to the higher abodes, but to disgrace.

Translation in Hindi

श्रीभगवानुवाच - श्रीभगवान बोले
कुतस्त्वा (कुतः+ त्वा) =
कुतः = कहां से (किस हेतु से)
त्वा = तुझे
कश्मलमिदं (कश्मलम् + इदम्) =
कश्मलम् = मोह
इदम् = यह
विषमे = संकट की इस घड़ी में
समुपस्थितम् = आया है
अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन (अनार्य-जुष्टम् + अस्वर्ग्यम् + अकीर्तिकरम् + अर्जुन)
अनार्य-जुष्टम्  =अश्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंका
अस्वर्ग्यम् = न स्वर्गको देनेवाला
अकीर्तिकरम् = अपकीर्तिको करनेवाला
अर्जुन = अर्जुन
 
श्रीभगवान बोले- हे अर्जुन! तुझे इस असमय में यह मोह किस हेतु से प्राप्त हुआ? क्योंकि न तो यह श्रेष्ठ पुरुषों द्वारा आचरित है, न स्वर्ग को देने वाला है और न कीर्ति को करने वाला ही है॥2॥

Translation in Marathi

श्रीभगवानुवाच - श्रीभगवान म्हणाले
कुतस्त्वा (कुतः+ त्वा) =
कुतः = कुठून
त्वा = तू (तूम्ही)
कश्मलमिदं (कश्मलम् + इदम्) =
कश्मलम् = मोह
इदम् = हे
विषमे = संकटाच्या या क्षणी
समुपस्थितम् = आले
अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन (अनार्य-जुष्टम् + अस्वर्ग्यम् + अकीर्तिकरम् + अर्जुन)
अनार्य-जुष्टम्  =अश्रेष्ठ पुरुषांची
अस्वर्ग्यम् = स्वर्ग देणारा नाही
अकीर्तिकरम् = निंदा करणारा
अर्जुन = अर्जुन
 
भगवान श्रीकृष्ण म्हणाले, हे अर्जुना, या भलत्याच वेळी हा मोह तुला कशामुळे उत्पन्न झाला? कारण हा थोरांनी न आचरलेला, स्वर्ग मिळवून न देणारा आणि कीर्तिकारकही नाही. ॥ २ ॥

Commentary

The word Arya in our sacred books does not refer to any race or ethnic group.  The Manu Smriti defines an Aryan as a highly evolved and cultured person.  “Aryan” connotes goodness, like the term “perfect gentleman.”  The aim of the Vedic scriptures is to induce humans to become Aryans in all respects.  Shree Krishna finds Arjun’s present condition in conflict with that ideal, and so reprimands him by calling attention to his confusion in how to live up to this ideal state of being under the current circumstances.
 
The Bhagavad Gita, or “Song of God,” effectively begins from here because Shree Krishna, who was quiet until now, starts speaking in this verse.  The Supreme Lord first begins by inducing in Arjun a hunger for knowledge.  He does this by pointing out that his state of confusion is dishonorable and inappropriate for virtuous persons.  He then goes on to remind Arjun of the consequences of delusion, which are pain, infamy, failure in life, and degradation of the soul.
 
Rather than comforting him, Shree Krishna is making Arjun uncomfortable about his current state.  We all feel uncomfortable when we are confused because it is not the natural condition of the soul.  That feeling of discontentment, if properly channeled, can become a powerful impetus to search for true knowledge.  The suitable resolution of doubt helps a person acquire a deeper understanding than before.  Thus, God sometimes deliberately puts a person in turmoil, so that he or she may be forced to search for knowledge to remove the confusion.  And when the doubt is finally resolved, that person reaches a higher level of understanding.