Class Summary for Feb 4, 2018 - Chapter-1: 40 - 47

Summarized by Sudha:

Please see below, the summary for verses 40-47 of Chapter 1:

In these shlokas, Sanjaya continues to narrate about Arjuna’s confused state of mind. 

The underlying theme shifts from himself to that of other men facing him in the battleground.

He argues that when families are destroyed, their moral integrity and religious traditions also perishes, leading to an era of impiety.  He further adds that this situation would force women of the destroyed family to become corrupt, thereby causing un-restricted mingling of men and women from different strata.  From this action, will stem incompatible societal cultural traits.  He continues to lament that he will live in hell, and will continue to garner sin when he kills all his kinsmen for the sake of the kingdom.

Mentally exhausted from the long drawn internal conflicts, he throws aside all his weapons and concludes, that he’d rather die unarmed in the battlefield.

Subjective Analysis:

Sometimes one may feel helpless against the various tendencies controlling oneself. This is natural and one should not give up under these circumstances.

Tip:

During meditation, sometimes it may become impossible to focus. In such cases, chant Lord’s name (do Japa).  

Class Summary for Jan 28, 2018 - Chapter-1: 32-39

Summarized by Neelima:

After doing a quick recap of shlokas 24 to 31, we proceeded to shlokas 32-39.

Arjuna continues to be in this weak mental state and is trying to find reasons to not fight the war. He says he does not desire the kingdom or any pleasures, and what is the use of winning the kingdom, if all are at war. There are teachers, fathers, sons and relatives, whom he would not wish to kill, even for the three worlds, leave alone the kingdom, and even if they are willing to kill him. He is suddenly feeling pity and compassion, which seems to be misplaced.

Krishna is here referred to as "Govinda", which means, winning back the earth.

Arjuna continues to the extent of saying that there is no use killing the felons or "aatataayin', other than to garner sin. He very well knows that the Kaurava brothers committed every one of the six crimes that qualify a person to be a felon, and deserves to be killed as per the dharmashastras, yet he tries to take shelter behind the principles of ahimsa. Arjuna further concludes that there is no use killing the kauravas and other relatives and one can never be happy doing that and he would not stoop to that level. He also indicates that he needs to be different than Duryodhana and Kauravas, and not fight like them. 

An interesting comparison was also discussed. Arjuna equated to the mind and Krishna to intellect. The mind tends to get tumultuous and fickle, but  there is the intellect deep within that guides oneself.