Verse-7
Chapter 2 — Sānkhya Yog
Verse 7
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
kārpaṇyadoṣopahatasvabhāvaḥ pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharmasammūḍhacetāḥ
yacchreyaḥ syānniścitaṁ brūhi tanme śiṣyaste'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam
🕉 English Translation
📜 Translation
English
I, who has been overcome by the vice of cowardice, and confused in my view of what is right and wrong I seek your advice, tell me decisively which path lies in my welfare, because I am your disciple and I have taken your refuge kindly guide me.
If one suffers from some weakness and accepts it then a way can be found to emerge out of it. The behaviour of Arjun had become like that of a coward. He had become entangled in the web of his own logic-ill-logic. He became imprisoned in his limited, narrow, one-sided way of thinking. He was unaware that something was lacking from his end. Unless one is aware of one's weakness, one will not be able to get rid of it even if anybody strives to the utmost for the same. After hearing words like 'impotence' from the Blessed Lord Arjun's eyes opened. He realized his mistake. He felt that somewhere or the other his viewpoint is incorrect. His thoughts are of a lower nature and relate to cowardice. Not limited to this, in the context of duty also my intellect and mind are deluded and under the influence of attachment. Due to this reason Arjun has used such words as 'karpanyadoshpahatah' and 'Dharamsamudchetah' for himself.
This is the deluded and dejected state, where there is the necessity for right guidance. Where the keenness to know arises in the mind and a suitable environment is found for its satisfaction, then it takes no time to remove delusion and to convert dejection into joy. From here starts the journey of the Gita from dejection to union (yoga) or from dejection to ecstasy. Most of the thinkers throughout the world are amazed at this extraordinary emotional transformation of the Gita. Ordinarily dejection breaks and does not make. But praiseworthy is the inspiration from Gita. One end is the abyss of hopelessness and on the other, the pinnacle of hope seeped in joy and elevation. In the grave state of sorrow and dejection one badly needs a ground ahead otherwise situation can worsen. Fortunately, if the dejected mind finds the firm ground of the Lord then it is certain that despondency will change into joy.
Arjun understood that his welfare lay not in chariot-charioteer or in friendly relationship but by becoming disciple. By accepting to become a disciple means giving up one's obstinacy, ego, entanglements of logical and illogical arguments one should wait for the orders of the teacher (guru) with humility. 'shishyaste' aham shadhimamtvam prapanam'–I am your disciple, not just your disciple but one seeking refuge in you. Therefore, whatever is good for my welfare, enlighten me, guide me.