Devanagari
अर्जुन उवाच
ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन ।
तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव ॥ १ ॥
Verse text
arjuna uvāca
jyāyasī cet karmaṇas te
matā buddhir janārdana
tat kiṁ karmaṇi ghore māṁ
niyojayasi keśava
Synonyms
arjunaḥ uvāca
—
Arjuna said
;
jyāyasī
—
better
;
cet
—
if
;
karmaṇaḥ
—
than fruitive action
;
te
—
by You
;
matā
—
is considered
;
buddhiḥ
—
intelligence
;
janārdana
—
O Kṛṣṇa
;
tat
—
therefore
;
kim
—
why
;
karmaṇi
—
in action
;
ghore
—
ghastly
;
mām
—
me
;
niyojayasi
—
You are engaging
;
keśava
—
O Kṛṣṇa.
Translation
Arjuna said: O Janārdana, O Keśava, why do You want to engage me in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work?
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
1. Arjuna said: If it is Your opinion that intelligence is superior to action, O Janārdana, then why do You engage me in this terrible action. O Keśava?
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
1. Arjuna said: If it is your opinion that intelligence is superior to action, O Janārdana, then why to you engage me in this terrible action. O Keśava?
Purport
The Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa has very elaborately described the constitution of the soul in the previous chapter, with a view to delivering His intimate friend Arjuna from the ocean of material grief. And the path of realization has been recommended: buddhi-yoga, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sometimes Kṛṣṇa consciousness is misunderstood to be inertia, and one with such a misunderstanding often withdraws to a secluded place to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious by chanting the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa. But without being trained in the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is not advisable to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in a secluded place, where one may acquire only cheap adoration from the innocent public. Arjuna also thought of Kṛṣṇa consciousness or buddhi-yoga, or intelligence in spiritual advancement of knowledge, as something like retirement from active life and the practice of penance and austerity at a secluded place. In other words, he wanted to skillfully avoid the fighting by using Kṛṣṇa consciousness as an excuse. But as a sincere student, he placed the matter before his master and questioned Kṛṣṇa as to his best course of action. In answer, Lord Kṛṣṇa elaborately explained karma-yoga, or work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in this Third Chapter.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
In the third chapter, action offered to the Lord without personal desire is described. The discrimination necessary for a person desiring to conquer over lust and anger is shown.
Having accepted the superiority of bhakti which is transcendental to the guṇas, over jṣāna-yoga and niṣkāma-karma-yoga in previous statements, now, manifesting his own eagerness (for knowledge), Arjuna in a friendly manner censures the Lord who is encouraging him to fight according to his dharma.
“If fixed intelligence (buddhi), bhakti, transcending the guṇas, is superior (jyāyasī), then why do You engage me in this terrible action in the form of war? O Janārdana, by Your order You are causing pain (ardana) to Your own associate (jana). It is also not possible to avoid following Your order, O Keśava, controller of even Brahmā and Śiva!” Ka means Brahmā, īśa means Śiva, and va means vayase, “You control.”
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
The third chapter explains in detail niṣkāma karma. Here also is shown the method of conquering lust, which is however difficult to conquer.
The most merciful charioteer of Arjuna, desiring to deliver the universe covered in ignorance by teaching worship through knowledge of Himself, having taught knowledge of the real nature of the jīvātmā, which is portion of that knowledge of Himself, then taught knowledge of niskāma karma as a method of attaining knowledge of that jīvātmā.
This subject is now explained in four chapters in different ways, for clarifying the matter. The superiority of intelligence directed to the ātmā over whatever is produced by intelligence directed towards action has been established. Concerning this Arjuna now asks a question.
If you consider that intelligence (knowledge-buddhi) directed to the ātmā is superior to niṣkāma karma (karmaṇaḥ) whose goal is to produce ātmā jṣāna, why do You engage me in terrible actions, bringing violence? Why do You incite me with words commanding me to fight? That intelligence which gives rise to realization of ātmā produces detachment from the function of the senses. For that purpose one should employ sense control and other factors which are of the same nature, rather than dissimilar actions which engage all the senses.
Janārdana means one who is the object of entreaty for those desiring their ultimate benefit. Keśava means one who controls Brahma and Śiva.
Śiva says to Kṛṣṇa in the Hari Vaṁśa:
ka iti brahmaṇo nāma īśo’haṁ sarva-dehinām
āvāṁ tavāṅga-sambhūtau tasmāt keśava-nāma-bhāg
Ka means Brahma, and Iśa refers to me, the lord of all embodied beings. Both of us arise from your body. Therefore you are called “Keśava.”
You, whose instructions cannot be transgressed (since you control even Brahma and Śiva), Keśava, being requested by me, who desire the ultimate benefit, should clearly tell me what is most beneficial (Janardana).
Surrender Unto Me
Let's refer to the 2nd Chapter, Text 49 and while we are doing so let's remember Arjuna's situation and where the B.gita has been spoken.
B.gita is taking place on the battlefield and the two opposing armies are getting ready to fight, to destroy each other. There is excitment in the air and everyone is ready to fight. But what will be the result of this fight? Someone will win the kingdom and someone will loose, but there going to be unlimited bloodshed
In Text 49 (2nd Chapter), Krsna says:
durena hy avaram karma
buddhi‑yogad dhananjaya
buddhau saranam anviccha
krpanah phala‑hetavah
O Dhananjaya, keep all abominable activities far distant by (buddhi‑yoga) devotional service, and in that consciousness surrender unto the Lord. Those who want to enjoy the fruits of their work are misers."
Krsna is saying: "Rid yourself of all abominable activities by buddhi‑yoga, the yoga of intelligence. And the next verse,50,says:
buddhi‑yukto jahatiha
ubhe sukrta‑duskrte
tasmad yogaya yujyasva
yogah karmasu kausalam
A man engaged in (buddhi‑yoga) devotional service rids himself of both good and bad actions even in this life. Therefore strive for yoga, which is the art of all work.
Buddhi again means the yoga of the intelligence. And using the yoga of the intelligence put all "durena hy avaram karma", all abominable activities far, far away.
In fact in the 2nd Chapter, Krsna has used the term buddhi‑ yoga in Texts 39, 41, 44, 49, 50‑52, 63, 65,and 66. Ten times He has used the term buddhi‑yoga in the last 33 verses. That's one third.
In the 4th Section, Krsna had spoken about the yoga of intelligence but yet He is telling Arjuna in the beginning of this Chapter, that he should fight. In Text 70 Krsna had said:
apuryamanam acala‑pratistham
samudram apah pravisanti yadvat
tadvat kama yam pravisanti sarve
sa santim apnoti na kama‑kami
A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires‑‑that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still‑‑can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires.
One shouldn't try to satisfy one's desires, one should be fixed in jnana, one should be fixed in the yoga of intelligence, one should put all abominable activities far, far away, and yet Krsna is telling Arjuna that he should fight. Therefore Arjuna asks Krsna this question in the beginning of this Chapter. And he addresses Krsna by two different names: Janardhana and Kesava.
"Arjuna said: O Janardana, O Kesava, why do You want to engage me in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work (karma)?"
To add to that, Krsna in the last Section of the 2nd Chapter, "Samadhi ‑ Sthita prajna", He is just glorifying one who is more or less completely neutral in the material world and yet He is engaging Arjuna to fight. "If the goal is 'sthita‑prajna, samadhi', why are You asking me to fight, why shouldn't I be situated in sthita‑prajna?", Arjuna is asking.
Janardana, another meaning of this name of Krsna is: "one who gives problems (ardana) to people (jana)". And the word Kesava can be divided in: KE meaning Lord Brahma, SA or SE meaning Lord Siva, and VA meaning Visnu or the controller.
"O Janardana, You are the One who gives everyone problems, but You are Kesava, You control Brahma and Siva, You are Lord Visnu, therefore I have to do what You say but nonetheless You are Janardana, You are giving me this problem. Why are You doing this?" Srila Prabhupada explains in the Purport: " Arjuna also thought of Krsna consciousness or buddhi‑yoga, or intelligence in spiritual advancement of knowledge, as something like retirement from active life and the practice of penance and austerity at a secluded place.(because of that section on Jnana, generally the concept when one is going to be a spiritualist and one is going to become renounced it means in people's minds that one gives up his activities and retires from the world.Therefore Arjuna thought that he would like to retire from the world and specially from this horrible fight because he was interested in jnana just has Krsna was suggesting)." In other words,( Srila Prabhupada explains) Arjuna wanted to skill avoid the fighting by using Krsna consciousness as an excuse. But as a sincere student, he placed the matter before his master and questioned Krsna as to his best course of action. In answer, Lord Krsna elaborately explained karma‑yoga, or work in Krsna consciousness, in this Third Chapter."
Arjuna continues,