Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 72 (BG 18.72) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

# BG 18.72 Here, the Teacher of the Gita, the Blessed Lord Krishna, asks Arjuna a question to ascertain how much he has benefited from His teaching. Although He harbored no doubt whatsoever regarding the infallibility of His instruction, yet like a skilled physician, He wished to hear the account of restored health from the very lips of Arjuna, who had been afflicted by the disease of worldly confusion. "Have you listened to My teaching with a concentrated mind?" — This question itself subtly reveals that if you have heard with undivided attention the chain of causation underlying all things, persons, and circumstances, then you would have fully comprehended this knowledge. The study of Vedanta expands and elevates our vision. In the light of this knowledge, we begin to recognize the world, already familiar to us, from an entirely new perspective. In this new vision, all the previously perceived ugliness of the world vanishes away. "Has your delusion born of ignorance been destroyed?" — Through ignorance of our true nature, countless false notions become firmly established in our mind. Because of these, our perspective in viewing the world becomes distorted, and our judgments prove erroneous. Arjuna was suffering from precisely this confusion born of ignorance, which is extensively described in the opening chapters of the Gita. To sever a poisoned or corrupted limb for the protection of the body is no crime; rather, it is a life-giving blessing for the body. In that age of cultural decline, the Kauravas had taken up arms against dharma and culture. At that time, the valiant Arjuna was called upon to defend dharma. Yet, overcome by delusion born of ignorance, Arjuna made an erroneous assessment of the entire situation and began to shrink from battle. The cause of this confusion was ignorance of truth. Through true knowledge, this ignorance, along with all its distortions and false notions, is instantly dispelled. Therefore, the Lord Krishna's question is entirely justified. Knowledge of truth expresses itself as skillfulness in action, and its perfection lies in service to society. If Arjuna has understood the Lord's teaching, he will never hesitate to face the challenge. This appears to be the unspoken intention of the Lord's heart. In answering the Lord's question—