Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 11

        

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 11

 

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे |

गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिता: || 11||

shri bhagavan uvacha

ashochyan-anvashochas-tvam prajna-vadansh cha bhashase

gatasun-agatasunsh-cha nanushochanti panditah

Translation in English

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Lord said

aśhochyān—not worthy of grief 

anvaśhochaḥ—are mourning 

tvam—you

prajñā-vādān—words of wisdom 

cha—and 

bhāṣhase—speaking 

gata āsūn—the dead

agata asūn—the living 

cha—and

na—never 

anuśhochanti—lament 

paṇḍitāḥ—the wise

The Supreme Lord said: While you speak words of wisdom, you are mourning for that which is not worthy of grief. The wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.

Translation in Hindi

अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं (अशोच्यान् + अन्वशोचः + त्वम्) -

अशोच्यान् - जो शोक के योग्य नहीं हैं

अन्वशोचः - शोक करना

त्वम् - तू 

प्रज्ञावादांश्च (प्रज्ञावादान् + च) -

प्रज्ञावादान् - पण्डितोंके से वचनोंको

च - और

भाषसे - कहता है

गतासूनगतासूंश्च (गतासून् + अगतासून् + च) -

गतासून् - जिसके प्राण चले गये

अगतासून् - जिनके प्राण नहीं गये हैं

च - और

नानुशोचन्ति (न + अनुशोचन्ति) -

न - नहीं

अनुशोचन्ति - शोक करते

पण्डिताः - पण्डितजन

तू न शोक करने योग्य मनुष्योंके लिये शोक करता है और पण्डितोंके से वचनोंको कहता है परंतु जिनके प्राण चले गये हैं उनके लिये और जिनके प्राण नहीं गये हैं उनके लिए भी पण्डितजन शोक नहीं करते।

Commentary

Starting with this verse, Shree Krishna initiates his discourse with a dramatic opening statement. Arjun is lamenting, for what he feels are very valid reasons. But, rather than commiserating with him, Shree Krishna takes the wind out of his arguments. He says, “Arjun, though you may feel you are speaking words of wisdom, you are actually speaking and acting out of ignorance. No possible reason justifies lamentation. The Pundits—those who are wise—never lament, neither for the living nor for the dead. Hence the grief you visualize in killing your relatives is illusory, and it proves that you are not a Pundit.”

One does not need to go far into the Gita to find a wise person above lamentation, for Grandsire Bheeshma himself was the perfect example. He was a sage who had fathomed the mysteries of life and death, and risen above the dualities of circumstances. Serene in any eventuality, he had even consented to taking the side of the wicked, if it served the Lord. He thus demonstrated that those who are surrendered to God simply do their duty in all situations, without being affected by outcomes. Such persons never lament because they accept all circumstances as God’s grace.