Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 1 (BG 3.1) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

3.1 ज्यायसी superior? चेत् if? कर्मणः than action? ते by Thee? मता thought? बुद्धिः knowledge? जनार्दन O Janardana? तत् then? किम् why? कर्मणि in action? घोरे terrible? माम् me? नियोजयसि Thou engagest? केशव O Kesava.Commentary In verses 49? 50 and 51 of chapter II? Lord Krsihna has spoken very highly about Buddhi Yoga. He again asks Arjuna to fight. That is the reason why Arjuna is perplexed now.

Commentaries

Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.

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Modern

Arjun still holds the conviction that fighting against his teachers, elders, and ancestors is a terrible deed. It appears that Arjun has either forgotten the Lord's teaching or never truly understood it. Sri Krishna had made it absolutely clear that in the Mahabharata war, Arjun was not the slayer of his teachers, for this was not a conflict between individuals but a struggle between two principles. The Pandavas' cause was that of dharma and righteousness. Yet, unfortunately, Arjun, lost in his ego, could not align himself with his own cause. To the extent that he failed to identify with the ideal, his ego persisted, and he perceived moral fault in fighting the war. In this verse, Arjun's meaning is this: although Sri Krishna had endorsed the path of wisdom and renunciation through reasoning, yet he was being driven toward a terrible action.