Yatharth Geeta -Swami Adgadanand 67

Yatharth Geeta -Swami Adgadanand Ji

CHAPTER 1 The Yog of Irresolution and Grief तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितॄनथ पितामहान्। आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातॄन्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा। श्र्वश्रुरान्सुहृदश्र्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि॥26॥ तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान्। कृपया परयाविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत्॥27॥ [ “Parth then saw, mustered in the two armies, uncles, granduncles, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends, as well as fathers-in-law and well-wishers. Seeing all these kinsmen assembled together and overwhelmed by intense pity, he spoke thus in great sorrow:” ] Parth, the perfect marksman who has made a chariot of his earthformed body, looks at the army and sees his kinsmen. What is noteworthy is that in the two armies he sees only his own family, the families of maternal uncles, and of fathers-in-law, friends, and teachers. According to scholarly estimates, the two armies of the Mahabharat consisted of eighteen akshauhini chariots, elephants, horses, and foot soldiers, which is approximately 650 million, a very large number indeed. It hardly needs saying how the world is faced today with numerous grave problems of food and housing on account of rising population. So what are we to make of it when we are told that just three or four families of Arjun’s kinsmen are so large in number? Is it possible for any family to be so huge? The answer must be in the negative. So what we have here is a portrayal not of physical armies but of the sphere of the mind and heart. Overcome with deep compassion, when he sees all his kinsmen mustered for battle, Arjun speaks in grief. He grieves because he sees that he has to fight his own family.