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Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION: ARJUNA'S DESPONDENCY
2. Arjuna’s Standpoint and Its Relation with the Genesis of the Gita
9. I am reminded here of the story of a judge. He had sentenced to death hundreds of criminals. But one day, his own son was produced before him, accused of murder. His guilt was proved and the time came for the judge to pronounce the sentence. It is then that the judge hesitated, and started arguing, “The death sentence is inhuman. It does not behove a man to inflict such a punishment. It destroys all hopes of reforming the guilty. One commits murder in a fit of passion. The moment of bloodthirsty madness then passes off. Still we coolly take him to the gallows and hang him to death. It is disgraceful to humanity.” Such were the judge’s arguments. But, had his son not been there, he would have gone on sentencing people to death. His arguments lacked inner conviction; they were born out of attachment to his son. 10. Arjuna’s condition was like that of the judge in this story. His arguments were not unsound. The world has witnessed precisely the same consequences of the First World War. But the point is that Arjuna was not voicing his own authentic conviction. His arguments were words seemingly wise, but not really so. Krishna realised this. He, therefore, paid no attention to Arjuna’s arguments and straightaway proceeded to dispel his delusion. Had Arjuna really become a votary of non-violence, he would not have been satisfied until his arguments had been convincingly answered. But the Gita nowhere deals with them, and yet, Arjuna was ultimately satisfied. This means that Arjuna had not really become a votary of non-violence. The intrinsic propensity to fight was still very much a part of his nature. War was for him his natural and inescapable duty. But he was trying to evade this duty under the spell of delusion. And it is this delusion that the Gita attacks most pointedly. |
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