Whereas Arjuna had been known as a mighty warrior and renown hero, a worthy opponent for any of the valiant warriors of the Kaurāvas such as Karna, Duryodhana etc.

If Arjuna were to retire from the fight on the eve of battle they would all consider him a coward and they immediately would assume that Arjuna had abstained from battle due to feeling dread at their prowess.

For Arjuna to think that he would be vindicated by his abstention from battle by motives of fraternity and familial ties would be wrong for these sentiments are not considered sanctions for heroes towards belligerents.

“सांख्यम् ज्ञानम् | शुद्धात्मतत्त्वविज्ञानं सांख्यनित्यमित्यभिधीयते | इति भगवद्वचनाद् व्यासमुतौ | योगः उपायः | दृष्टा योगाः प्रयुक्ताश्च पुंसां श्रेयः प्रसिद्धये | इति प्रयोगाद् भागवते | नेतरौ सांख्याग्निवुपादेयत्वेन विवक्षितौ कुत्रचित् समास्येन | कर्मयोग इत्यादिप्रयोगाच्च | निन्दितत्वाच्चेतरयोः मोक्षधर्मेषु भिन्नमतत्वं उक्त्वा पञ्चरात्रस्तुता युक्तम् | तत्रैव चित्रशिखरिशास्त्रे पञ्चरात्रमूले वैदिकयोक्तेच्च | एवमेव सर्वत्र साख्य योग शब्दार्थ उपादेयो वर्णनीयः ५ युक्तेश्च ज्ञानं हि जैवमुक्तम् | उपायश्च वक्ष्यते | बुद्धयतेऽनया इति बुद्धिः | सांख्यविषयो यया वाचा बुद्धयते सा वागभिहिता इत्यर्थः ||” - सांख्य means wisdom. Thus in Vyasasmriti by the Lord having been said that knowledge of the Pure Self is saankhya. योग is उपाय, the procedure for experiencing communion which the wise men have made the propriety known, thus in Bhagavat Puraana. Other than these nothing else has been referred to as science of Sankhya or science of Yoga (equanimity). In other contexts, the word 'karmayoga' (equanimity in performance of action) has been used. Others having denounced these sciences and in respect of the Perennial Principles regarding Deliverance, Pancharatra has been eulogized for deliverance. In Vedas, verily, there being unitive comprehensive Wisdom, no contradiction. Subjective interpretation therein may be due to the wrong interpretation of saankhya. In Chitra Shikhandi Shastra, the similarity between Panchraatra and the Vedas has been pointed out and also in respect of Sankhya (Action) and Yoga (equanimity) have similarly been described as the means (for deliverance). That is quite proper Because Wisdom, verily, is the means of deliverance. And the means have also (further) been spoken. It becomes known by this, therefore it is the knowledge. By whatever speech the subject matter of saankhya comes be known, by those words it has been explained.

“देही कुतोऽवध्यः? यस्मादयमीश्वरः सर्वस्य जीवस्य सूक्ष्मे सन्ध्यक् स्थूलं च देहे रक्षकत्वेनावस्थितः अत अवध्यः | न स्वसामर्थ्यं कस्यापि | द्रव्यं कर्म च कालश्च स्वभावो जीव एव च | यदनुग्रजः सन्ति न सन्ति यदुपेक्षया || इति हि भागवते | तत्र तत्र स्थितो विणार्नित्यं रक्षति नित्यदा | अनित्यदेवानित्यं च नित्यानित्यं ततस्ततः | भवाभावानियन्ता हि तदेकः पुरुषोत्तमः || इति पादमे |” - How is the Jiva indestructible? The Lord is dwelling in the subtle as well as the gross body, for the protection of all the Jivas. Therefore, he is indestructible, not due to the strength of the Jivas; elements, action and Time the attributes of Jiva which exist or cease to exist by the grace of the Lord, thus in Bhagavat Puraana. Establishing Himself in the respective places, Sri Vishnu protects Jiva eternally, permanent objects permanently and impermanent objects temporarily. As the manifested (bhaava) and as the un-manifest (a-bhaava) He, The Supreme Person alone maintains (Jiva) in proper order, thus, in Padma Puraana.

“जित्वा स्वर्गं हाहीं च | ये युध्यन्ते प्रधनेषु शूरासो || ऋग्वेद | सम्यक् ख्यातिज्ञानं सांख्यम् | युज्यतेऽनेनेति योगस्तदुपायः - सम्यक् तत्वदृशिः सांख्यम् योगतात्माधनम् स्मृतम् | इति शब्दनिर्णये |” - If triumphant, heavens and the earth. Those who battle, being brave and successful, acquire predominant splendour. Thus speak, the scriptures. Equal importance is given to both Jnyana (Wisdom) and Sankhya (Action). By Yoga (equanimity) these two become enjoined; therefore it (equanimity) becomes the means. The Seer of Truth having equanimity, considers Yoga (equanimity) to be the precursor to Sankhya (Action) thus, in Sbabda Nirnaya.

“ब्रह्मतर्कस्तर्कशास्त्रं विष्णुना यस्मीरितम् | अक्षपादकणादौ च सांख्ययोगो च हेतुकाः || बौद्धपाशुपाताद्यास्तु पाखंडा इति कीर्तिताः मिमांसा त्रिविधा प्रोक्ता बाह्मी देवी च कर्मिकी || बृह्मतार्कं च मिमांसा सेवेत ज्ञानसिद्धये | वैदिकज्ञानवैरुष्यान्नान्यात् सेवेत पण्डितः || इत्यन्नसांख्ययोगोयविर्मिद्धत्वान्नारदीये || सांख्यस्य निरीश्वरत्वादुक्तत्वाच्चैरस्य | सांख्ययोगैश्च विहितहिंसाया अप्यनर्थहेतुत्वाङ्गीकारात् | अत्र तु युद्धविधानाच्च | मोक्षार्थत्वेनैव कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि इति | परमसंख्ययोगोश्चेत्कार्थत्वेनैव न विरोधः ||” - Brahma Tarka is dialectical method propounded by Sri Vishnu (descending as Kapila). Nyaya philosophy (of Gautama) Vaisheshika philosophy (of Kanada) are imitation sankhya philosophy which is athletic of Kapila Muni and are dialectical arguments, not dialectical methods for attaining the Ultimate Truth. Buddha (Mayavadi) and Pashupata philosophies etc. are known as profane. Mimaamsa (explanations) are threefold - concerning rituals, concerning Gods and concerning Brahman. Brahmatarka and Mimaasas contribute to the success of Wisdom. The knowledge of Vedas is the only sign of Wisdom; the learned do not serve anything else. According to Narada Puraana others like Sankhya and Yoga being non-acceptable should not be followed. The atheist Sankhya is (essentially) non-deistic, but here (in Gita) its deistic part is spoken. Sankhya as well as Yoga declares desirable killing cause undesirable results. Here in Gita war (for upholding dharma or righteousness and I as prescribed duties of a kshatriya) is recommended as desirable activity as means for deliverance, when it is said 'karmabandham prahasyasi'. (But) what has been intended in Sankhya and Yoga cannot be surmised as contrary to what has been said in Gita.

35 *'Through fear holding back from battle: so will deem thee the mighty car-warriors, of whom, having once been highly esteemed, thou wilt incur light estimation.* (206)

You forget one thing more; you came here full of zeal for fight. Were you out of kindness to start back tell me, O Arjuna, would your feelings of kindness be believed by your wicked enemies?

'Bhayādraṇāduparatam maṃsyante tvām mahārathāḥ'—If you think that you have desisted from war, in order to attain salvation by avoiding sin, it is not true. If you had thought of it as a sin to wage the war, you might have spent sometime in devotion and meditation in solitude, and would not have invited Me to wage this war. Therefore, if you desist from the war, all the living beings will think that you have done so out of fear, not out of a sense of duty and righteousness, as it is the first and foremost duty of a Kṣatriya to fight.

'Yeṣām ca tvam bahumato bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam'—The great chariot-warriors such as Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kṛpa and Śalya etc., who hold you in high esteem for your mighty valour, (because you have defeated several demons, gods and demigods etc.,) you will fall in their esteem as one who has fled from the war-front out of fear, of death.

तूं आणिकही एक न विचारिसी । एथ संभ्रमे झुंजो आलासी । आणि सकणवपणे निघालासी । मागुता जरी ॥ २०६ ॥

तरी तुझें तें अर्जुना । या वैरियां दुर्जनां कां प्रत्यया येईल मना । सांगे मज ॥ २०६ ॥

(2.206) तुम एक बात और नहीं विचारते। तुम यहाँ युद्ध की तैयारी से आये हो और यदि दयालुता से पीछे फिरोगे

(2.207) तो हे अर्जुन! कहो क्या तुम्हारी इस दयालुता को ये दुर्जन वैरी पतियावेंगे?

‘भयाद्रणादुपरतं मस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः’— तू ऐसा समझता है कि मैं तो केवल अपना कल्याण करनेके लिये युद्धसे उपरता हुआ हूँ; परन्तु अगर ऐसी ही बात होती और युद्धको तू पाप समझता, तो पहले ही एकान्तमें रहकर भजन-स्मरण करता और तेरी युद्धके लिये प्रवृत्ति भी नहीं होती। परन्तु तू एकान्तमें न रहकर युद्धमें प्रवृत्त हुआ है। अब अगर तू युद्धसे निवृत्त होगा तो बड़े-बड़े महारथीलोग ऐसा ही मानेंगे कि युद्धमें मारे जानेके भयसे ही अर्जुन युद्धसे निवृत्त हुआ है। अगर वह धर्मका विचार करता तो युद्धसे निवृत्त नहीं होता; क्योंकि युद्ध करना क्षत्रियका धर्म

है। अतः वह मरनेके भयसे ही युद्धसे निवृत्त हो रहा है। ‘येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम्’— भीष्म, द्रोणाचार्य, कृपाचार्य, शल्य आदि जो बड़े-बड़े महारथी हैं, उनकी दृष्टिमें तू बहुमान्य हो चुका है अर्थात् उनके मनमें यह एक विश्वास है कि युद्ध करनेमें नामी शूरवीर तो अर्जुन ही है। वह युद्धमें अनेक दैत्यों, देवताओं, गन्धर्वों आदिको हरा चुका है। अगर अब तू युद्धसे निवृत्त हो जायगा, तो उन महारथियोंके सामने तू लघुता- (तुच्छता-) को प्राप्त हो जायगा अर्थात् उनकी दृष्टिमें तू गिर जायगा।