SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 7
asmākaḿ tu viśiṣṭā ye
tān nibodha dvijottama
nāyakā mama sainyasya
saḿjñārthaḿ tān bravīmi te

asmākam — our; tu — but; viśiṣṭāḥ — especially powerful; ye — who; tān — them; nibodha — just take note of, be informed; dvija-uttama — O best of the brāhmaṇas; nāyakāḥ — captains; mama — my; sainyasya — of the soldiers; saḿjñā-artham — for information; tān — them; bravīmi — I am speaking; te — to you.

TRANSLATION

But for your information, O best of the brāhmaṇas, let me tell you about the captains who are especially qualified to lead my military force.

JOURNAL:

We are getting near the end of Bhagavad Gita. This is the last patch for chapter one. Please let me know if you, dear reader, have any ideas on what I should cover next.

SLOKA OF THE WEEK:

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.11.13
gopura-dvāra-mārgesu
krta-kautuka-toranām
citra-dhvaja-patākāgrair
antah pratihatātapām

gopura — the gateway of the city; dvāra — door; mārgesu — on different roads; krta — undertaken; kautuka — because of the festival; toraṇām — decorated arch; citra — painted; dhvaja —flags; patākā-agraih — by the foremost signs; antah — within; pratihata —checked; ātapām —sunshine.

TRANSLATION

The city gateway, the household doors and festooned arches along the roads were all nicely decorated with festive signs like plantain trees and mango leaves, all to welcome the Lord. Flags, garlands and painted signs and slogans all combined to shade the sunshine.


JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada tells us in his purport; The flags mentioned above were all painted with the picture of either Garuda or Hanumān, the two great servitors of the Lord.

Here, the flags fly as the citizens welcome Krishna to their city. Later, in Bhagavad Gita (1.20), Arjuna will ride into battle under a flag marked with Hanuman.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 46
sanjaya uvaca
evam uktvarjunah sankhye
rathopastha upavisat
visrjya sa-saram capam
soka-samvigna-manasah

sanjayah uvaca--Sanjaya said; evam--thus; uktva--saying; arjunah--Arjuna; sankhye--in the battlefield; ratha--of the chariot; upasthe--on the seat; upavisat--sat down again; visrjya--putting aside; sa-saram--along with arrows; capam--the bow; soka--by lamentation; samvigna--distressed; manasah--within the mind.

TRANSLATION

Sanjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.

PURPORT

While observing the situation of his enemy, Arjuna stood up on the chariot, but he was so afflicted with lamentation that he sat down again, setting aside his bow and arrows. Such a kind and soft-hearted person, in the devotional service of the Lord, is fit to receive self-knowledge. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the First Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 45
yadi mam apratikaram
asastram sastra-panayah
dhartarastra rane hanyus
tan me ksemataram bhavet

yadi--even if; mam--me; apratikaram--without being resistant; asastram--without being fully equipped; sastra-panayah--those with weapons in hand; dhartarastrah--the sons of Dhrtarastra; rane--on the battlefield; hanyuh--may kill; tat--that; me--for me; ksema-taram--better; bhavet--would be.

TRANSLATION

Better for me if the sons of Dhrtarastra, weapons in hand, were to kill me unarmed and unresisting on the battlefield.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada states in his purport that; All these symptoms are due to soft-heartedness resulting from his (Arjuna) being a great devotee of the Lord.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 44
aho bata mahat papam
kartum vyavasita vayam
yad rajya-sukha-lobhena
hantum sva-janam udyatah

aho--alas; bata--how strange it is; mahat--great; papam--sins; kartum--to perform; vyavasitah--have decided; vayam--we; yat--because; rajya-sukha-lobhena--driven by greed for royal happiness; hantum--to kill; sva-janam--kinsmen; udyatah--trying.

TRANSLATION

Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts. Driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness, we are intent on killing our own kinsmen.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 43
utsanna-kula-dharmanam
manusyanam janardana
narake niyatam vaso
bhavatity anususruma

utsanna--spoiled; kula-dharmanam--of those who have the family traditions; manusyanam--of such men; janardana--O Krsna; narake--in hell; niyatam--always; vasah--residence; bhavati--it so becomes; iti--thus; anususruma--I have heard by disciplic succession.

TRANSLATION

O Krsna, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those who destroy family traditions dwell always in hell.

JOURNAL:

Last Thanksgiving one of the traditions that I had started twenty years ago was broken. My son was not happy about it and nether was I. "Hell" might be too strong a word but, it being one of those signs, it was depressing, to say the least.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 42
dosair etaih kula-ghnanam
varna-sankara-karakaih
utsadyante jati-dharmah
kula-dharmas ca sasvatah

dosaih--by such faults; etaih--all these; kula-ghnanam--of the destroyers of the family; varna-sankara--of unwanted children; karakaih--which are causes; utsadyante--are devastated; jati dharmah--community projects; kula-dharmah--family traditions; ca--also; sasvatah--eternal.

TRANSLATION

By the evil deeds of those who destroy the family tradition and thus give rise to unwanted children, all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are devastated.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport; Community projects for the four orders of human society, combined with family welfare activities, as they are set forth by the institution of sanatana-dharma, or varnasrama-dharma, are designed to enable the human being to attain his ultimate salvation.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 41
sankaro narakayaiva
kula-ghnanam kulasya ca
patanti pitaro hy esam
lupta-pindodaka-kriyah

sankarah--such unwanted children; narakaya--make for hellish life;eva--certainly;kula-ghnanam--for those who are killers of the family; kulasya--for the family; ca--also; patanti--fall down; pitarah--forefathers; hi--certainly; esam--of them; lupta--stopped; pinda--of offerings of food; udaka--and water; kriyah--performances.

TRANSLATION

An increase of unwanted population certainly causes hellish life both for the family and for those who destroy the family tradition. The ancestors of such corrupt families falldown, because the performances for offering them food and water are entirely stopped.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 40
adharmabhibhavat krsna
pradusyanti kula-striyah
strisu dustasuvarsneya
jayate varna-sankarah

adharma--irreligion; abhibhavat--having become predominant; krsna--O Krsna; pradusyanti--become polluted; kula-striyah--familyladies; strisu--by the womanhood; dustasu--being so polluted; varsneya--O descendant of Vrsni; jayate--comes into being; varna-sankarah--unwanted progeny.

TRANSLATION

When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Krsna, the women of the family become polluted, and from the degradation of womanhood, O descendant of Vrsni, comes unwanted progeny.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 39
kula-ksaye pranasyanti
kula-dharmah sanatanah
dharme naste kulam krtsnam
adharmo 'bhibhavaty uta

kula-ksaye--in destroying the family; pranasyanti--become vanquished; kula-dharmah--the family traditions; sanatanah--eternal; dharme--religion; naste--being destroyed; kulam--family; krtsnam--whole; adharmah--irreligion; abhibhavati--transforms; uta--it is said.

TRANSLATION

With the destruction of dynasty, the eternal family tradition is vanquished, and thus the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligion.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada's lecture on these last three slokas (7-27-1973, London) has been all about family. It helps to hear these values expressed now that I am not living with mine.

I still see my eighteen year old son a couple of times a week. Just yesterday he had a small crisis and called me for comfort and advice. We went to lunch and ran some errands and I helped him as much as I could. It seemed to be enough.

My daughter and grand kids I see a couple of times a month. She has invited me to her church for Passover this Friday. She attends a Christian church that observes Jewish traditions. It is always interesting and I always enjoy myself when I go. She is about to have her third child, a boy, and she wants to name it after me! I can't think of a higher honor.

My wife, although friendly, is cold. The kids don't seem to approve of her attitude, but I understand. I must have been hard to live with these last twenty years. So these children and grandchildren who honor me help make this transition to "retired life" much easier.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 37-38
yady apy ete na pasyanti
lobhopahata-cetasah
kula-ksaya-krtam dosam
mitra-drohe ca patakam

katham na jneyam asmabhih
papad asman nivartitum
kula-ksaya-krtam dosam
prapasyadbhir janardana

yadi--if; api--even; ete--they; na--do not; pasyanti--see; lobha--by greed; upahata--overpowered; cetasah--their hearts; kula-ksaya--in killing the family; krtam--done; dosam--fault; mitra-drohe--in quarreling with friends; ca--also; patakam--sinful reactions; katham--why; na--should not; jneyam--be known; asmabhih--by us; papat--from sins; asmat--these; nivartitum--to cease; kula-ksaya--in the destruction of a dynasty; krtam--done; dosam--crime; prapasyadbhih--by those who can see; janardana--O Krsna.

TRANSLATION

O Janardana, although these men, their hearts overtaken by greed, see no fault in killing one's family or quarreling with friends, why should we, who can see the crime in destroying a family, engage in these acts of sin?

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 36
papam evasrayed asman
hatvaitan atatayinah
tasman narha vayam hantum
dhartarastran sa-bandhavan
sva-janam hi katham hatva
sukhinah syama madhava

papam--vices; eva--certainly; asrayet--must come upon; asman--us; hatva--by killing; etan--all these; atatayinah--aggressors; tasmat--therefore; na--never; arhah--deserving; vayam--we; hantum--to kill; dhartarastran--the sons of Dhrtarastra; sa-bandhavan--along with friends; sva-janam--kinsmen; hi--certainly; katham--how; hatva--by killing; sukhinah--happy; syama--will we become; madhava--O Krsna, husband of the goddess of fortune.

TRANSLATION

Sin will overcome us if we slay such aggressors. Therefore it is not proper for us to kill the sons of Dhrtarastra and our friends. What should we gain, O Krsna, husband of the goddess of fortune, and how could we be happy by killing our own kinsmen?

JOURNAL:

So, as the week comes to an end, we leave our hero, Arjuna, hitting his bottom and asking that question that we have all asked at one time or another in our lives; "Why Lord? Why has this happened?"

It seems to me that bad things happen to good people so that even better things can happen later. It can be very hard to see when I am in the midst of it but that is the way of faith. If Arjuna knew that his problem would bring the Bhagavad Gita into existence he might be reacting differently.

But he doesn't know, so he takes a moment and asks God "why"? Is it not these moments that all faith boils down to?

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 32-35
kim no rajyenagovinda
kim bhogair jivitena va
yesam arthe kanksitam no
rajyam bhogah sukhani ca

ta ime 'vasthita yuddhe
pranams tyaktva dhanani ca
acaryah pitarah putras
tathaiva ca pitamahah

matulah svasurah pautrah
syalah sambandhinas tatha
etan na hantum icchami
ghnato 'pi madhusudana

api trailokya-rajyasya
hetoh kim nu mahi-krte
nihatya dhartarastran nah
ka pritih syajjanardana

kim--what use; nah--to us; rajyena--is the kingdom; govinda--O Krsna; kim--what; bhogaih--enjoyment; jivitena--living; va--either; yesam--of whom; arthe--for the sake; kanksitam--is desired; nah--by us; rajyam--kingdom; bhogah--material enjoyment; sukhani--all happiness; ca--also; te--all of them; ime--these; avasthitah--situated; yuddhe--on this battlefield; pranan--lives; tyaktva--giving up; dhanani--riches; ca--also;acaryah--teachers; pitarah--fathers; putrah--sons; tatha--as well as; eva--certainly; ca--also; pitamahah--grandfathers; matulah--maternal uncles; svasurah--fathers-in-law; pautrah--grandsons; syalah--brothers-in-law; sambandhinah--relatives; tatha--as well as; etan--all these; na--never; hantum--to kill; icchami--do I wish; ghnatah--being killed; api--even; madhusudana--O killer of the demon Madhu (Krsna); api--even if; trai-lokya--of the three worlds; rajyasya--for the kingdom; hetoh--in exchange; kim nu--what to speak of; mahi-krte--for the sake of the earth; nihatya--by killing; dhartarastran--thesons of Dhrtarastra; nah--our; ka--what; pritih--pleasure; syat--will there be; janardana--O maintainer of all living entities.

TRANSLATION

O Govinda, of what avail to us are a kingdom, happiness or even life itself when all those for whom we may desire them are now arrayed on this battlefield? O Madhusudana, when teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives are ready to give up their lives and properties and are standing before me, why should I wish to kill them, even though they might otherwise kill me? O maintainer of all living entities, I am not prepared to fight with them even in exchange for the three worlds, let alone this earth. What pleasure will we derive from killing the sons of Dhrtarastra?

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 31
na ca sreyo 'nupasyami
hatva sva-janam ahave
na kankse vijayam krsna
na ca rajyam sukhanica

na--nor; ca--also;sreyah--good; anupasyami--do I foresee; hatva--by killing; sva-janam--own kinsmen; ahave--in the fight; na--nor; kankse--do I desire; vijayam--victory; krsna--O Krsna; na--nor; ca--also; rajyam--kingdom; sukhani--happiness thereof; ca--also.

TRANSLATION

I do not see how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in this battle, nor can I, my dear Krsna, desire any subsequent victory, kingdom, or happiness.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 30
na ca saknomy avasthatum
bhramativa ca me manah
nimittani ca pasyami
viparitani kesava

na--nor; ca--also; saknomi--am I able; avasthatum--to stay; bhramati--forgetting; iva--as; ca--and; me--my; manah--mind; nimittani--causes; ca--also; pasyami--I see; viparitani--just the opposite; kesava--O killer of the demon Kesi (Krsna).

TRANSLATION

I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I see only causes of misfortune, O Krsna, killer of the Kesi demon.

JOURNAL:

In his purport Srila Prabhupada states; Excessive attachment for material things puts a man in such a bewildering condition of existence. Bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syat (SB. 11.2.37): such fearfulness and loss of mental equilibrium take place in persons who are too affected by material conditions.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 29
vepathus ca sarire me
roma-harsas ca jayate
gandivam sramsate hastat
tvak caiva paridahyate

vepathuh--trembling of the body; ca--also; sarire--on the body; me--my; roma-harsah--standing of hair on end; ca--also;jayate--is taking place; gandivam--the bow of Arjuna; sramsate--is slipping; hastat--from the hand; tvak--skin; ca--also; eva--certainly; paridahyate--is burning.

TRANSLATION

My whole body is trembling, my hair is standing on end, my bow Gandiva is slipping from my hand, and my skin is burning.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 28
arjuna uvaca
drstvemam sva-janam krsna
yuyutsum samupasthitam
sidanti mama gatrani
mukham ca parisusyati

arjunah uvaca--Arjuna said; drstva--after seeing; imam--all these; sva janam--kinsmen; krsna--O Krsna; yuyutsum--all in a fighting spirit; samupasthitam--present; sidanti--are quivering; mama--my; gatrani--limbs of the body; mukham--mouth; ca--also; parisusyati--is drying up.

TRANSLATION

Arjuna said: My dear Krsna, seeing my friends and relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 27
tan samiksya sa kaunteyah
sarvan bandhun avasthitan
krpaya parayavisto
visidann idam abravit

tan--all of them; samiksya--after seeing; sah--he; kaunteyah--the son of Kunti; sarvan--all kinds of; bandhun--relatives; avasthitan--situated; krpaya--by compassion; paraya--of a high grade; avistah--overwhelmed; visidan--while lamenting; idam--thus; abravit--spoke.

TRANSLATION

When the son of Kunti, Arjuna, saw all these different grades of friends and relatives, he became overwhelmed with compassion and spoke thus.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 26
tatrapasyat sthitan parthah
pitrn atha pitamahan
acaryan matulan bhratrn
putran pautran sakhims tatha
svasuran suhrdas caiva
senayor ubhayor api

tatra--there; apasyat--he could see; sthitan--standing; parthah--Arjuna; pitrn--fathers; atha--also; pitamahan--grandfathers; acaryan--teachers; matulan--maternal uncles; bhratrn--brothers; putran--sons; pautran--grandsons; sakhin--friends; tatha--too; svasuran--fathers-in-law; suhrdah--well-wishers; ca--also; eva--certainly; senayoh--of the armies; ubhayoh--of both parties; api--including.

TRANSLATION

There Arjuna could see, within the midst of the armies of both parties, his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, and also his fathers-in-law and well-wishers.

PURPORT

On the battlefield Arjuna could see all kinds of relatives. He could see persons like Bhurisrava, who were his father's contemporaries, grandfathers Bhisma and Somadatta, teachers like Dronacarya and Krpacarya, maternal uncles like Salya and Sakuni, brothers like Duryodhana, sons like Laksmana, friends like Asvatthama, well-wishers like Krtavarma, etc. He could see also the armies which contained many of his friends.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 25
bhisma-drona-pramukhatah
sarvesam ca mahi-ksitam
uvaca partha pasyaitan
samavetan kurun iti


bhisma--Grandfather Bhisma; drona--the teacher Drona; pramukhatah--in front of; sarvesam--all; ca--also; mahi-ksitam--chiefs of the world; uvaca--said; partha--O son of Prtha; pasya--just behold; etan--all of them; samavetan--assembled; kurun--the members of the Kuru dynasty; iti--thus.

TRANSLATION

In the presence of Bhisma, Drona and all the other chieftains of the world, the Lord said, Just behold, Partha, all the Kurus assembled here.

JOURNAL:

In his lecture on this sloka (7-20-1973, London) Srila Prabhupada discusses how Sañjaya could see what was happening on the battlefield. I mentioned this to my Catholic friend and he pointed out a verse in the bible which reads, "... 'The Israelite prophet Elisha can tell the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.'" (2 Kings 6:12, N.A.B.)