Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 8 (BG 2.8) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

Here, Arjun indicates that he requires guidance immediately, and in its absence, he is suffering from inner anguish. He finds himself unable to articulate the cause of his sorrow. This grief is affecting even his faculties of perception—he can neither see nor hear properly. For any thoughtful person, it is natural to become impatient when faced with a problem and to seek its swift resolution in order to attain peace. Poor Arjun has made great efforts through his intellect to solve his dilemma, yet he has not succeeded. As his own words make clear, his suffering is no longer about acquiring material possessions, for he himself declares that even the kingdom of all the earth or of heaven could not relieve his anguish. Now Arjun's condition resembles that of an ardent seeker of liberation, one who has become impatient to be freed from all the limitations and bondages of mortal existence. What is needed now is only an authentic wisdom, which the Blessed Lord Hrishikesha Himself bestows upon him in the divine poetry of the Bhagavad Gita.