Sanjaya frankly speaks to Dhritarāṣṭra at this time saying that Arjuna, who is the most noble minded, the most compassionate, the eternal well-wisher and the most virtuous;

although frequently fraught with difficulties along with his four brothers, instigated by thee and thy son, including horrid acts of treachery against them with intent to kill,

such as attempting to burn them all alive in a specially made house of combustible lac, administering poison and other unworthy deeds as well.

It is surely known to you that by Arjuna the destruction of all your clan is certain due to the fact that he has the support of the Parama Puruṣa, Krishna Himself, by his side.

He felt weak, overcome by his love and extreme compassion for his relatives. He was also filled with fear, not knowing what was Dharma(righteous) and what was Adharma (unrighteous). His mind was distracted by grief at the thought of losing his relatives.

So he cast aside his bow and arrow and sat down on the floor of the chariot as if to fast to the death.

43 'By such transgressions on the part of the destroyers of the family, leading to caste-intermingling, the caste's and the family's immemorial rites-and-customs are annihilated.

44 'And for such men-with the family's rites-and-customs annihilated-there ensues, O World-destroyer, an assured habitation in Hell, as we have heard.

45 'Woe and alas! We are engaged in committing heinous sin in that, out of lust for kingdom and pleasures, we are striving to slay our own kindred!

46 'If Dhṛitarāṣṭra's sons, weapons in hand, should, in battle, slay me, weaponless and unresisting, that were happier for me.' (257)

'See Lord, there gets committed one more sin here in that the immemorial rites-and-customs get annihilated by sinful contagion. Just as an unfortunate fire in one's house, consumes also the surrounding houses, in the same way those, that establish contact with sinful families, also get similarly affected by the contact of the sinful.' Arjuna said, 'The whole family getting affected by various sorts of sins is damned to suffer dreadful Hell; and once one gets there, there is never any escape from there and in this way, the fallen family suffers throughout all eternity.' Arjuna added, 'O Chakrapāṇi, why have you become as hard-hearted as a stone and why do you not pay attention to all I have said? Why should I not abandon this faulty thing, knowing that the motive with which the enjoyment of the kingdom is to be expected is all transitory? O Keshav, is it a small sin already committed that I viewed all these elders with the idea that they were to be killed? I cannot commit the dreadful sin of killing my own kinsmen. I would prefer death to bearing such sorrow.' In this manner, seeing on the battle-field all his own kinsmen, Pārtha expressed his feelings that the kingdom was nothing more than a suffering Hell.

'Yadi māmapratīkāramaśastam śastrapāṇayaḥ dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataram bhavet'—Arjuna says, 'If I turn away from the war, perhaps our opponents will also desist from it. Why will they fight, if we are determined not to fight? But even if, regarding us as their enemy, they zealously, armed with weapons kill me, that will indeed be in my own interest, as it will be a kind of repentance for the determination, which I had made, in the war to kill my preceptors, and I shall be purified of the sins. It means that if I do not wage war, I will escape sin and my race, will not be destroyed.'

[When a man talks about a subject, it has its effect, on him also. When Arjuna, possessed by extreme passion, started to

speak in sadness, in the twenty-eighth verse, he was not so much overwhelmed with grief as he was now. Then, Arjuna did not turn away from war, but went on speaking, overwhelmed with grief. But at last, he turns away from war, and sits down having laid down his bow and arrow. Lord Kṛṣṇa did not speak, to enable Arjuna to give an outlet for his feelings of sadness completely, because he knew, that his teachings would be of some avail to him, only when there was an outlet for his sorrow.]

An Important Fact

Worldly people will support the arguments adduced by Arjuna, but they will not agree with Lord Kṛṣṇa, who will justify war later. The reason is, that as Arjuna is full of attachment and love, the worldly people also belong to the same class. So they cannot understand the point of view, expressed by Lord Kṛṣṇa, who always thinks about the welfare and benediction of beings. They will say that Arjuna wanted to escape the sin, by not waging war, but it was Lord Kṛṣṇa, who inspired him to wage war. So, it was not proper on His part, to do so.

The fact is, that Lord Kṛṣṇa did not make Arjuna wage war. He reminded him of his duty only. It was Arjuna, who had invited Lord Kṛṣṇa, to the war front. But seeing his kinsmen on the hostile side, he was turning away from his duty. So Lord Kṛṣṇa reminded him not to neglect his duty, out of delusion but to wage war, because there was nothing more welcome to a member of the warrior-class than a righteous war.

For example; if a man is going to Badrīnārāyaṇa, but by mistake he starts going in the opposite direction. He then happens to meet a person, who asks him where he was going. The latter, tells him that he has taken the wrong direction, so he should turn back, in order to reach his destination. Here, the person shows

the right direction (way), to the man who had lost it. Similarly, Lord Kṛṣṇa showed Arjuna the right direction, of his duty.

After seeing his kinsmen arrayed, on the war front, Arjuna said to Lord Kṛṣṇa, 'I will not fight' (2/9). But after hearing the gospel of Lord Kṛṣṇa he did not say 'I'll not fight' but he said, 'I will carry out your bidding' (18/73) viz., 'I will do my duty.' It shows, that Lord Kṛṣṇa reminded him of his duty.

The fact is, that war was inevitable because Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, while revealing his supreme divine form to Arjuna, said, 'I am the mighty world-destroying time, the destroyer of the world. My purpose here is to destroy these people. Even if you do not kill them, all those warriors arrayed in the enemy's camp, will not survive' (11/32). Thus this destruction of human beings was inevitable, even if Arjuna did not fight. If Arjuna did not fight, Yudhiṣṭhira, who with his four brothers married Draupadī by obeying his mother, would certainly fight by obeying her. Similarly, Bhīma would never deviate from the war because he had already taken a pledge to kill the Kauravas. As far as Draupadī is concerned, she had even said, that if her husbands, the Pāṇḍavas did not fight, her father (Drupada), her brother (Dhṛṣṭadyumna), her five sons and Abhimanyu, would fight against the Kauravas*. All these facts, show that the war was inevitable.

A man cannot control the happenings that are pre-destined. By discharging his duty one can attain salvation, but by neglecting it, he can degrade himself. It means that man is free to attain, either desirable or undesirable results. Therefore, Lord Kṛṣṇa, by reminding Arjuna of his duty, has preached to human beings, that they should always discharge their duty, by following the ordinance of scriptures and never turn away from these.

* Mahābhārata, Udyoga. 82/37-38.

Link:—In the preceding verse, Arjuna expressed his intention based on many arguments. What he did after this, is contained, in the verse that follows.

आतां यावरी जें जियावें । तयापासूनि हें बरवे । जे शस्त्र सांडूनि साहावे । बाण त्यांचे ॥ २६५ ॥

तयावरी होय जितुकें । तें मरणही वरी निकें । परी येणें कल्मषें । चाड नाहीं ॥ २६६ ॥

ऐसें देखोनि सकळ । अर्जुनें आपुलें कुळ । मग म्हणे राज्य तें केवळ । निरयभोगु ॥ २६७ ॥

(1.265) अतएव अतः पर जीते रहने की अपेक्षा यही अच्छा है कि शस्त्रों का त्याग करके इन्हीं के बाण सहें।

(1.266) फिर चाहे जो हो, मृत्यु भी आ जाए तो भी भला, परन्तु यह पाप हम नहीं चाहते।

(1.267) इस प्रकार अर्जुन ने अपने सब कुल को देख कर यह ठहराया कि राज्य केवल नरक-भोग है।

‘यदि माम्...’ ‘क्षेमतरं भवेत्’—अर्जुन कहते हैं कि अगर मैं युद्धसे सर्वथा निवृत्त हो जाऊँगा, तो शायद ये दुर्योधन आदि भी युद्धसे निवृत्त हो जायेंगे। कारण कि हम कुछ चाहेंगे ही नहीं, लड़ेंगे भी नहीं, तो फिर ये लोग युद्ध करेंगे ही क्यों? परन्तु कदाचित् जोशमें भरे हुए तथा हाथोंमें शस्त्र धारण किये हुए ये धृतराष्ट्रके पक्षपाती लोग ‘सदाके लिये हमारे रास्तेका काँटा निकल जाय, वैरी समाप्त हो जाय’—ऐसा विचार करके सामना न करनेवाले तथा शस्त्ररहित मेरेको मार भी दें, तो उनका वह मारना मेरे लिये हितकारक ही होगा। कारण कि मैंने युद्धमें गुरुजनोंको मारकर बड़ा भारी पाप करनेका जो निश्चय किया था, उस निश्चयरूप पापका प्रायश्चित्त हो जायगा, उस पापसे मैं शुद्ध हो जाऊँगा। तात्पर्य है कि मैं युद्ध नहीं करूँगा, तो मैं भी पापसे बचूँगा और मेरे कुलका भी नाश नहीं होगा।

[जो मनुष्य अपने लिये जिस किसी विषयका वर्णन करता है, उस विषयका उसके स्वयंपर असर पड़ता है। अर्जुनने भी जब शोकाविष्ट होकर अट्ठाईसवें श्लोकसे बोलना आरम्भ किया, तब वे उतने शोकाविष्ट नहीं थे, जितने वे अब शोकाविष्ट हैं। पहले अर्जुन युद्धसे उपरत नहीं हुए, पर शोकाविष्ट होकर बोलते-बोलते अन्तमें वे युद्धसे उपरत हो जाते हैं और बाणसहित धनुषका त्याग करके बैठ जाते हैं। भगवान्ने यह सोचा कि अर्जुनके बोलनेका वेग निकल जाय तो मैं बोलूँ अर्थात् बोलनेसे अर्जुनका शोक बाहर आ जाय, भीतरमें कोई शोक बाकी न रहे, तभी मेरे वचनोंका उसपर असर होगा। अतः भगवान् बीचमें कुछ नहीं बोले।]

विशेष बात

अबतक अर्जुनने अपनेको धर्मात्मा मानकर युद्धसे निवृत्त होनेमें जितनी दलीलें, युक्तियाँ दी हैं, संसारमें रचे-पचे लोग अर्जुनकी उन दलीलोंको ही ठीक समझेंगे और आगे भगवान् अर्जुनको जो बातें समझायेंगे, उनको ठीक नहीं समझेंगे! इसका कारण यह है कि जो मनुष्य जिस स्थितिमें हैं, उस स्थितिकी, उस श्रेणीकी बातको ही वे ठीक समझते हैं; उससे ऊँची श्रेणीकी बात वे समझ ही नहीं सकते। अर्जुनके भीतर कौटुम्बिक मोह है और उस मोहसे आविष्ट होकर ही वे धर्मकी, साधुताकी बड़ी अच्छी-अच्छी बातें कह रहे हैं। अतः जिन लोगोंके भीतर कौटुम्बिक मोह है, उन लोगोंको ही अर्जुनकी बातें ठीक लगेंगी। परन्तु भगवान्की दृष्टि जीवके कल्याणकी तरफ

है कि उसका कल्याण कैसे हो? भगवान्की इस ऊँची श्रेणीकी दृष्टिको वे (लौकिक दृष्टिवाले) लोग समझ ही नहीं सकते। अतः वे भगवान्की बातोंको ठीक नहीं मानेंगे, प्रत्युत ऐसा मानेंगे कि अर्जुनके लिये युद्धरूपी पापसे बचना बहुत ठीक था, पर भगवान्ने उनको युद्धमें लगाकर ठीक नहीं किया!

वास्तवमें भगवान्ने अर्जुनसे युद्ध नहीं कराया है, प्रत्युत उनको अपने कर्तव्यका ज्ञान कराया है। युद्ध तो अर्जुनको कर्तव्यरूपसे स्वतः प्राप्त हुआ था। अतः युद्धका विचार तो अर्जुनका खुदका ही था; वे स्वयं ही युद्धमें प्रवृत्त हुए थे, तभी वे भगवान्को निमन्त्रण देकर लाये थे। परन्तु उस विचारको अपनी बुद्धिसे अनिष्टकारक समझकर वे युद्धसे विमुख हो रहे थे अर्थात् अपने कर्तव्यके पालनसे हट रहे थे। इसपर भगवान्ने कहा कि यह जो तू युद्ध नहीं करना चाहता, यह तेरा मोह है। अतः समयपर जो कर्तव्य स्वतः प्राप्त हुआ है, उसका त्याग करना उचित नहीं है।

कोई बद्रीनारायण जा रहा था; परन्तु रास्तेमें उसे दिशाभ्रम हो गया अर्थात् उसने दक्षिणको उत्तर और उत्तरको दक्षिण समझ लिया। अतः वह बद्रीनारायणकी तरफ न चलकर उलटा चलने लग गया। सामनेसे उसको एक आदमी मिल गया। उस आदमीने पूछा कि ‘भाई! कहाँ जा रहे हो?’ वह बोला—‘बद्रीनारायण’। वह आदमी बोला कि ‘भाई! बद्रीनारायण इधर नहीं है, उधर है। आप तो उलटे जा रहे हैं!’ अतः वह आदमी उसको बद्रीनारायण भेजनेवाला नहीं है; किन्तु उसको दिशाका ज्ञान कराकर ठीक रास्ता बतानेवाला है। ऐसे ही भगवान्ने अर्जुनको अपने कर्तव्यका ज्ञान कराया है, युद्ध नहीं कराया है।

स्वजनोंको देखनेसे अर्जुनके मनमें यह बात आयी थी कि मैं युद्ध नहीं करूँगा—‘न योत्स्ये’ (२। ९), पर भगवान्का उपदेश सुननेपर अर्जुनने ऐसा नहीं कहा कि मैं युद्ध नहीं करूँगा; किन्तु ऐसा कहा कि मैं आपकी आज्ञाका पालन करूँगा;—‘करिष्ये वचनं तव’ (१८। ७३) अर्थात् अपने कर्तव्यका पालन करूँगा। अर्जुनके इन वचनोंसे यही सिद्ध होता है कि भगवान्ने अर्जुनको अपने कर्तव्यका ज्ञान कराया है।

वास्तवमें युद्ध होना अवश्यम्भावी था; क्योंकि सबकी आयु समाप्त हो चुकी थी। इसको कोई भी टाल नहीं सकता था। स्वयं भगवान्ने विश्वरूपदर्शनके समय अर्जुनसे कहा है कि ‘मैं बड़ा हुआ काल हूँ और सबका संहार करनेके लिये

यहाँ आया हूँ। अतः तेरे युद्ध किये बिना भी ये विपक्षमें खड़े योद्धालोग बचेंगे नहीं। (ग्यारहवें अध्यायका बत्तीसवाँ श्लोक)। इसलिये यह नरसंहार अवश्यम्भावी होनहार ही था। यह नरसंहार अर्जुन युद्ध न करते, तो भी होता। अगर अर्जुन युद्ध नहीं करते, तो जिन्होंने माँकी आज्ञासे द्रौपदीके साथ अपने सहित पाँचों भाइयोंका विवाह करना स्वीकार कर लिया था, वे युधिष्ठिर तो माँकी युद्ध करनेकी आज्ञासे युद्ध अवश्य करते ही। भीमसेन भी युद्धसे कभी पीछे नहीं हटते; क्योंकि उन्होंने कौरवोंको मारनेकी प्रतिज्ञा कर रखी थी। द्रौपदीने तो यहाँतक कह दिया था कि अगर मेरे पति (पाण्डव) कौरवोंसे युद्ध नहीं करेंगे तो, मेरे पिता (द्रुपद),

भाई (धृष्टद्युम्न) और मेरे पाँचों पुत्र तथा अभिमन्यु कौरवोंसे युद्ध करेंगे। इस तरह ऐसे कई कारण थे, जिससे युद्धको टालना सम्भव नहीं था।

होनहारको रोकना मनुष्यके हाथकी बात नहीं है; परन्तु अपने कर्तव्यका पालन करके मनुष्य अपना उद्धार कर सकता है और कर्तव्यच्युत होकर अपना पतन कर सकता है। तात्पर्य है कि मनुष्य अपना इष्ट-अनिष्ट करनेमें स्वतन्त्र है। इसलिये भगवान्ने अर्जुनको कर्तव्यका ज्ञान कराकर मनुष्यमात्रको उपदेश दिया है कि उसे शास्त्रकी आज्ञाके अनुसार अपने कर्तव्यके पालनमें तत्पर रहना चाहिये, उससे कभी च्युत नहीं होना चाहिये।

सम्बन्ध—पूर्वश्लोकमें अर्जुनने अपनी दलीलोंका निर्णय सुना दिया। उसके बाद अर्जुनने क्या किया—इसको संजय आगेके श्लोकमें बताते हैं।

संजय उवाच