A Bhagavad-gita Reading from Chapter 1.24 to 1.35 and a short explanation about the time before the battle and different literary styles in the Gita and the whole Mahabharata

 

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BG 1.24. – 1.35

sanjaya uvaca

evam ukto hrsikeso

 gudakesena bharata

 senayor ubhayor madhye

sthapayitva rathottamam

 

TRANSLATION

Saïjaya said: O descendant of Bharata, having thus been addressed by Arjuna, Lord Krsna drew up the fine chariot in the midst of the armies of both parties. Bg 1.24

 

 

 bhisma-drona-pramukhatah

 sarvesam ca mahi-ksitam

 uvaca partha pasyaitan

samavetan kurun iti

 

In the presence of Bhisma, Drona and all the other chieftains of the world, the Lord said, "Just behold, Partha, all the Kurus assembled here."

Bg 1.25

 

 tatrapasyat sthitan parthah

 pitrn atha pitamahan

 acaryan matulan bhratrn

 putran pautran sakhims tatha

 svasuran suhrdas caiva

senayor ubhayor api

 

There Arjuna could see, within the midst of the armies of both parties, his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, and also his fathers-in-law and well-wishers. Bg 1.26

 

When the son of Kunti, Arjuna, saw all these different grades of friends and relatives, he became overwhelmed with compassion and spoke thus. Bg  1.27

 

Arjuna said: My dear Krsna, seeing my friends and relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up. Bg 1.28

 

My whole body is trembling, my hair is standing on end, my bow Gandiva is slipping from my hand, and my skin is burning. Bg 1.29

 

I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I see only causes of misfortune, O Krsna, killer of the Kesi demon.  Bg 1.30

 

I do not see how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in this battle, nor can I, my dear Krsna, desire any subsequent victory, kingdom, or happiness.  Bg 1.31

 

O Govinda, of what avail to us are a kingdom, happiness or even life itself when all those for whom we may desire them are now arrayed on this battlefield? O Madhusudana, when teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives are ready to give up their lives and properties and are standing before me, why should I wish to kill them, even though they might otherwise kill me? O maintainer of all living entities, I am not prepared to fight with them even in exchange for the three worlds, let alone this earth. What pleasure will we derive from killing the sons of Dhrtarastra? Bg 1.32, Bg 1.33, Bg 1.34, Bg 1.35, Bg 1.32-35

 

 

 

Q: Sometimes we hear that Krsna contracted the time so that there was time to speak the Gita.

 

A: It is a huge logistical problem to organize and mobilize all these armies with millions of people, it is a very formal endeavor, so there was plenty to do. Also Krsna didn’t necessarily speak perfect slokas on the battlefield, he spoke through Vyasa.

 

Q: Some scholars claim the Gita is written by different authors because it is written in different styles.

 

A: The Mahabharata praises itself by saying it contains different styles, so what if that is a literary value, a positive thing that the author is able to write in different styles. Even in Prabhupada’s translation there are different styles of English. So that is a silly and naïve idea - especially if they are writing in a culture that praises that, because that is considered to be a literary accomplishment. Scholars claim to know far more than they know. They have to pretend they do know.