Bhagavadgeeta - Adhyaya 1

Bhagavadgeeta - Adhyaya 1

Chapter #: 1
Chapter Name: Arjuna Vishaada Yoga (ಅರ್ಜುನವಿಷಾದಯೋಗಃ)
Total verses (slokas) in this chapter: 46

Adhyaya - 1, Arjuna Vishaada Yoga Chapter of Gita (here after referred as BG), introduces to us, the battlefield, the warriors on the Kuruskshetra field for the Mahabharata War on either sides and how Arjuna reviews the army on each side among whom are his dear relatives, teacher and friends who are all set to fight their life for this war. It later on explains Arjuna's state of mind and how he weakens at the sight of his people even before the war began.

This chapter could be briefly grouped under below two contexts:

1. Dhritarashtra Moha
2. Arjuna's Avicharika Karunya

1. Dhritarashtra Moha

BG:

The very two opening lines of the chapter 1, holds mirror to show how Dhritarashtra is emotionally attached (Moha) to his Kaurava Sons. Here it is:

ಧೃತರಾಷ್ಟ್ರ ಉವಾಚ ।

ಧರ್ಮಕ್ಷೇತ್ರೇ ಕುರುಕ್ಷೇತ್ರೇ ಸಮವೇತಾ ಯುಯುತ್ಸವಃ ।
ಮಾಮಕಾಃ ಪಾಂಡವಾಶ್ಚೈವ ಕಿಮಕುರ್ವತ ಸಂಜಯ ॥ 1-1॥

In above lines Dhritarashtra asks Sanjaya, What did his sons and Pandavas do.. He clearly hesitates to call pandavas as his own kids. He did not entertain the compromise between kauravas & pandavas on distribution of the land / kingdom despite multiple attempts all because of his extreme emotional attachment to his very own kids. When the battle field Kurukshetra is known to be uplifting Dharma virtues, and when Krishna happens to be on opposite side, he wondered with doubt if the battlefield in itself would impact the war result in anyway and if his sons would succeed. Hence the question to Sanjaya to enquire - what did Pandavas do?

Now lets explore this more in DVGs world. He beautifully highlights the issues with Moha, the problem, the solution and everything else. The concept of Moha comes across in below 4 poems in Makutimmana Kagga (here after referred as - MK). These lines are simple yet deep in their meanings which require no further elucidation.

There is a quote in zen philosophy for this extreme attachement which goes like this :
"Addressed love blackens even the Master's face"

MK:

ಕ್ಷಣವೊಂದರೊಳೆ ಪೂರ್ತಿ ಕೊಲ್ಲುವುದು ಯಮಶೂಲ ।
ಕ್ಷಣವನುಕ್ಷಣ ಕೊಲ್ಲುವುವು ಮೋಹಮಮತೆ ॥
ಕುಣಿಕೆಯನು ನಿನ್ನ ಕೊರಳಿಗೆ ಹೂಡಿ ಚಿರಕಾಲ ।
ವಣುವಣುವೆ ಬಿಗಿಯುವುವೊ – ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ॥ 181॥

kAshaNa odaroLe pUrti kolluvudu yamashUla ।
kShanavanukShaNa kolluvuvu mOha mamate ॥
kuNikeyanu ninna koraLige hUDi chirakAlavu ।
aNuvaNuve bigiyuvuvo – Mankutimma ॥ 181 ॥

“The trident of the lord of death kills you in an instant. But love and attachment kills you slowly second by second. It puts a noose around your neck and tightens it bit by bit all your life.” – Mankutimma

ಹೊಟ್ಟೆಯಲಿ ಹಸಿವು, ಮನದಲಿ ಮಮತೆ – ಈ ಯೆರಡು।
ಗುಟ್ಟು ಕೀಲುಗಳಿಹವು ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಯಂತ್ರದಲಿ॥
ಕಟ್ಟಿಪುವು ಕೋಟೆಗಳ, ಕೀಳಿಪುವು ತಾರೆಗಳ।
ಸೊಟ್ಟಾಗಿಪುವು ನಿನ್ನ – ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ।। 384 ||

hoTTeyali hasivu, manadali mamate E eraDu
guTTu kIlugaLihuvu sruShtiyantradali
kaTTipuvu koTegaLa, kILipuvu taaregaLa
soTTagipuvu ninna - mankutimma

O Mankutimma - A man's hunger and his love are two very intricate core parts of this lifes creation. These two reasons are enough for him to dare for any adventure - be it building castles in air or bringing down the stars from above. In this process, with limited view and failing to know his limits, he often ends up in untoward circumstances.

ರಾವಣನ ಹಳಿವವನೆ, ಜೀವವನೆ ಬಿಸುಡಿಸುವ
ಲಾವಣ್ಯವೆಂತಹುದೋ? ನೋವದೆಂತಹುದೋ?
ಬೇವಸವ ಪಟ್ಟು ತಿಳಿ, ತಿಳಿದು ಹಳಿಯುವೊಡೆ ಹಳಿ
ಗಾವಿಲನ ಗಳಹೇನು? – ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||283||

RavaNana haLivavane jeeva bisuDisuva
laavaNya veNtahudo nOvadentahudo
bEvasava paTtu tiLi 
Gavilána gaLahEnu - Mankutimma

One who wants to scoff at Ravana, have you ever wondered before that, what could be the sheer magnitude of sita's beauty, what could be the intensity of his pain? Know the reasons with effort and talk with some understanding. Of what use is the evaluation of a novice who talks without any hold - Mankutimma.

ದ್ವೇಷ ರೋಷಗಳವೊಲೆ ನೇಹಮುಂ ಮೋಹಮುಂ ।
ಪಾಶವಾಗಲ್ಬಹುದು ನಿನಗೆ ಮೈಮರಸಿ ॥
ವಾಸನೆಗಳುರುಬಿ ಚಿತ್ತಜ್ವರಂಗಳ ಬಿತ್ತಿ ।
ಮೋಸದಲಿ ಕೊಲ್ಲುವುವೊ – ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ॥ 178॥

dwesha roshagaLaVole nehamum mohamum
paashaVaagaLubahudu ninage maimaresi
vaasanegaLurubi chitta jvaraGaLam bitti 
mosadali Kolluvavo - Mankutimma 

Just like hatred and rage can hurt you; so can friendship and attachment (excessive love). They can make you forget yourself and become a noose around your neck. It will make you get into bad habits , give you mental agony and kill you by deceit - Mankutimma


2. Arjuna's Avicharika Karunya (Weak Heartedness)

BG:

After waiting for 11 years, doing severe penance for 5 years to get "Pashupatastra", preparing for this war with such focused anger and reasons - him to back out of war in the very beginning to say he sees his guru, grandpa in war and cant fight against them - shows his Hrudaya Daurbalya or the weak heart at its best. His state is expressed in detail from verses 29 to 45. To quote are below few:

Here Arjuna can be seen telling Krishna that he is trembling and his Gandiva is slipping from his hands:

ಸೀದನ್ತಿ ಮಮ ಗಾತ್ರಾಣಿ ಮುಖಂ ಚ ಪರಿಶುಷ್ಯತಿ ।
ವೇಪಥುಶ್ಚ ಶರೀರೇ ಮೇ ರೋಮಹರ್ಷಶ್ಚ ಜಾಯತೇ ॥ 1-29॥

ಗಾಂಡೀವಂ ಸ್ರಂಸತೇ ಹಸ್ತಾತ್ತ್ವಕ್ಚೈವ ಪರಿದಹ್ಯತೇ ।
ನ ಚ ಶಕ್ನೋಮ್ಯವಸ್ಥಾತುಂ ಭ್ರಮತೀವ ಚ ಮೇ ಮನಃ ॥ 1-30॥

Here he gives up saying he does not need anything which this war might bring to them - like victory, kingdom or happiness

ನ ಕಾಂಕ್ಷೇ ವಿಜಯಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣ ನ ಚ ರಾಜ್ಯಂ ಸುಖಾನಿ ಚ ।
ಕಿಂ ನೋ ರಾಜ್ಯೇನ ಗೋವಿನ್ದ ಕಿಂ ಭೋಗೈರ್ಜೀವಿತೇನ ವಾ ॥ 1-32॥

ಯೇಷಾಮರ್ಥೇ ಕಾಂಕ್ಷಿತಂ ನೋ ರಾಜ್ಯಂ ಭೋಗಾಃ ಸುಖಾನಿ ಚ ।
ತ ಇಮೇಽವಸ್ಥಿತಾ ಯುದ್ಧೇ ಪ್ರಾಣಾಂಸ್ತ್ಯಕ್ತ್ವಾ ಧನಾನಿ ಚ ॥ 1-33॥

Here he says - he doesn't mind even if his grandfather, elderly brothers, teacher, uncle end up killing him, but he cannot make up his mind to kill them.

ಆಚಾರ್ಯಾಃ ಪಿತರಃ ಪುತ್ರಾಸ್ತಥೈವ ಚ ಪಿತಾಮಹಾಃ ।
ಮಾತುಲಾಃ ಶ್ವಶುರಾಃ ಪೌತ್ರಾಃ ಶ್ಯಾಲಾಃ ಸಮ್ಬನ್ಧಿನಸ್ತಥಾ ॥ 1-34॥

ಏತಾನ್ನ ಹನ್ತುಮಿಚ್ಛಾಮಿ ಘ್ನತೋಽಪಿ ಮಧುಸೂದನ ।
ಅಪಿ ತ್ರೈಲೋಕ್ಯರಾಜ್ಯಸ್ಯ ಹೇತೋಃ ಕಿಂ ನು ಮಹೀಕೃತೇ ॥ 1-35॥

In below verses, he asks wont he be committing sin by fighting his own kin in this war & how can he end up living happily after fighting them all:

ನಿಹತ್ಯ ಧಾರ್ತರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಾನ್ನಃ ಕಾ ಪ್ರೀತಿಃ ಸ್ಯಾಜ್ಜನಾರ್ದನ ।
ಪಾಪಮೇವಾಶ್ರಯೇದಸ್ಮಾನ್ಹತ್ವೈತಾನಾತತಾಯಿನಃ ॥ 1-36॥

ತಸ್ಮಾನ್ನಾರ್ಹಾ ವಯಂ ಹನ್ತುಂ ಧಾರ್ತರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಾನ್ಸ್ವಬಾನ್ಧವಾನ್ ।
ಸ್ವಜನಂ ಹಿ ಕಥಂ ಹತ್ವಾ ಸುಖಿನಃ ಸ್ಯಾಮ ಮಾಧವ ॥ 1-37॥

In below verses, he thinks out loud saying he might be wiping off the entire progeny of his kins, and that would end up as going against Dharma.

ಕುಲಕ್ಷಯೇ ಪ್ರಣಶ್ಯನ್ತಿ ಕುಲಧರ್ಮಾಃ ಸನಾತನಾಃ ।
ಧರ್ಮೇ ನಷ್ಟೇ ಕುಲಂ ಕೃತ್ಸ್ನಮಧರ್ಮೋಽಭಿಭವತ್ಯುತ ॥ 1-40॥

ಅಧರ್ಮಾಭಿಭವಾತ್ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಪ್ರದುಷ್ಯನ್ತಿ ಕುಲಸ್ತ್ರಿಯಃ ।

ಸ್ತ್ರೀಷು ದುಷ್ಟಾಸು ವಾರ್ಷ್ಣೇಯ ಜಾಯತೇ ವರ್ಣಸಂಕರಃ ॥ 1-41॥

DVG explains this in beautiful way ; it’s easy to talk courageous when there are no people or in absence of them. But to talk equally courageous in front of the very same people is different. Loka roopada shaktigalu weakens our mind or makes our mind feel for them. Pratyakshavagi doddavaru nintaaga makes our mind vikara (take a different form than what was planned). One will be unable to do or execute what he thought he would do. These are the powers of the loka roopa shakti. 

MK: 

ಎನಿತೆನಿತ್ತು ವಿಕಾರ ಪರಿಣಾಮಗಳ ನಮ್ಮ ।
ಮನಕಾಗಿಪುವೊ ಲೋಕರೂಪಶಕ್ತಿಗಳು ॥
ಅನಿತನಿತು ಸತ್ಯತೆಯವಕ್ಕುಂಟು ಜೀವಿತದಿ।
ಅನುಭವವೆ ದಿಟದಳತೆ – ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ  ।। 393 ||

enitenithu vikaara parinaamagaLa namma
manakaagipuvo loka roopa shaktigaLu
anitanitu satyate avakke untu jeevitadi

anubhavave dita aLate - Mankutimma

Vikara parinama can be either ways. When you intended to do harsh talk, you might end up talking soft and sweet, when you face the loka roopa shakti, or you can end up taking harsh and breaking heart when you intended to just have a casual conversation. The real measure to keep a check on this is “experience”

ರಸಧಾರೆ – ೨೪೬
ಪ್ರೇಮಬೀಜಗಳಿಹವು ವೈರಬೀಜಗಳವೊಲೆ
ಸೌಮ್ಯಮುಂ ಸಂಕ್ಷೋಭೆಯಂತೆ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಯಲಿ
ಭ್ರಾಮಕದ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಯಾ ವಿಷಮಲಕ್ಷಣಗಳಲಿ
ಸಾಮರಸ್ಯವನರೆಸೋ-ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ || 246 ||

Prema beejagaLihavu vairabeejagaLavole
soumyamum sankshobeyante prakrutiyali
Bhramakada srushtiya Aa vishama lakshanagaLali
saamarasyavanu araso - Mankutimma

When bhagavadgeeta explains what Arjuna went through, Kagga says how we should come out of it. His solution is : we are all born with two minds inside us, emotional mind and rational mind. To bring a balance between this two and to reduce the distance between them is the solution. At many occasions, we react based on emotional mind. Talk when you know for sure you have reached rational mind and not in an emotional state of mind.