Devanagari
अर्जुन उवाच
कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन ।
इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ॥ ४ ॥
Verse text
arjuna uvāca
kathaṁ bhīṣmam ahaṁ saṅkhye
droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana
iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi
pūjārhāv ari-sūdana
Synonyms
arjunaḥ uvāca
—
Arjuna said
;
katham
—
how
;
bhīṣmam
—
Bhīṣma
;
aham
—
I
;
saṅkhye
—
in the fight
;
droṇam
—
Droṇa
;
ca
—
also
;
madhu-sūdana
—
O killer of Madhu
;
iṣubhiḥ
—
with arrows
;
pratiyotsyāmi
—
shall counterattack
;
pūjā-arhau
—
those who are worshipable
;
ari-sūdana
—
O killer of the enemies.
Translation
Arjuna said: O killer of enemies, O killer of Madhu, how can I counterattack with arrows in battle men like Bhīṣma and Droṇa, who are worthy of my worship?
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
4. Arjuna said, “O Madhusūdana, killer of enemies, how will I fight in the battle with arrows against Bhīṣma and Droṇa, who are worthy of worship?”
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
4. Arjuna said: O Madhusūdana, killer of enemies, how will I fight with arrows in the battle against Bhīṣma and Droṇa, who are worthy of worship?
Purport
Respectable superiors like Bhīṣma the grandfather and Droṇācārya the teacher are always worshipable. Even if they attack, they should not be counterattacked. It is general etiquette that superiors are not to be offered even a verbal fight. Even if they are sometimes harsh in behavior, they should not be harshly treated. Then, how is it possible for Arjuna to counterattack them? Would Kṛṣṇa ever attack His own grandfather, Ugrasena, or His teacher, Sāndīpani Muni? These were some of the arguments offered by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
“According to scriptures of dharma, not respecting those worthy of worship is a cause of bondage: pratibadhnāti hi śreyaḥ pūjya-pūjā-vyatikramaḥ. [Note: Source is unknown. It is also quoted by Baladeva.] Therefore I withdraw from fighting. How can I kill them?” The form prati yotsyāmi (parasmaipada) is used instead of the form prati yotsye (ātmanepada, for oneself).
“But those two elders are fighting against you. Why are you not able to fight against them?”
“No, I cannot do so, for they are worthy of worship (pūjārhau): I should offer flowers to their feet in devotion rather than sharp arrows in anger. O friend Kṛṣṇa! Even You injure only the enemies in battle, and not Your own guru Sāndīpani Muni or your friends the Yadus, O Madhusūdana, killer of Madhu!”
“But I am a descendent of Madhu, [Note: Madhu was the father of Vṛṣṇi, whose later descendents included Vasudeva and Devakī. The demon Madhu along with his brother Kaitabha appeared after Brahmā appeared from the lotus of Viṣṇu’s navel, and stole the Vedas from him. Viṣṇu consequently killed them.] in the ancient lineage of the Yadu dynasty. Therefore I am called Mādhava. How could I have killed Madhu?”
“No, I do not mean that Madhu. I am speaking about the demon named Madhu who was Your enemy (ari-sūdana).”
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
“If Bhīṣma and others attack, why should you not attack them? Is this not the rule for the kṣatiryas to fight, since there is the rule in battle āhūto na nivarteta: one should not turn from battle when challenged?” (Mahābhārata, 3.56.8)
“Bhīṣma, the grandfather, and Droṇa are teachers who give knowledge. How will I attack them with arrows? It is not proper to attack even with joking words those who should be worshipped with flowers and other articles of respect. So how can I attack them with arrows? The smṛti also says pratibadhnāti hi śreyaḥ pūjya -pūjā-vyatikramaḥ: an excellent person who disrespects those worthy of worship becomes bound up.”
There is the fault of repetition in addressing Kṛṣṇa twice (punar ukti), using the words Madhusūdana and Arisūdana. This is because of Arjuna, being afflicted with grief, is unaware of the connection between previous and later statements. The implication here is: “O Kṛṣṇa, You also kill enemies in battle (arisūdana), but not men worthy of worship such as Ugrasena and Sāndipani (so why should I do that?).”
Surrender Unto Me
Arjuna is answering: "it is not weakness of heart, this is generosity of heart!"
There are two Madhus. One was a relative of Krsna, a forefather and the other was a demon.
So Arjuna is arguing : "You are not asking me to kill a demon like Madhu, You are asking me to kill my superiors, who are worthy of my worship! I shouldn't be offering them arrows but flowers!"