2. Transcendental Knowledge

Sānkhya Yog

BG 2.7

My heart is besieged by cowardice, and I need your guidance on what my duty is. Tell me the best course of action, as I am your disciple and have completely surrendered to your wisdom.

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः
पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसंमूढचेताः
यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्िचतं ब्रूहि तन्मे
शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्



A key word in this verse is karpanya, which refers to "pity" or "compassion". The subsequent dosha modifies it to mean "misplaced compassion", and is an important clue as to Arjuna's mindset at this point in the Gita. Arjuna already sees his own compassion toward the Kauravas as a weakness, and will learn from Krishna that he has simply substituted pity for wisdom. Arjuna is still attached to his family, his teachers, and the existing social order within Hastinapura. He does not yet know where genuine happiness comes from, so he is unsure as to whether the kingdom he is entitled to is even worth fighting for.

Charity and theft

An act of charity is a readily apparent expression of karpanya in a generous person. Suppose that person becomes a victim of theft, and treats the thief with compassion - this is karpanya-dosha. Such a magnanimous person may express ideas that sound of wisdom - "the thief needs it more than I do", "the thing they stole might not bring me happiness anyways", or in the case of the Kauravas, "they are too misguided to see the error in their ways". This is the nature of Arjuna's ignorance, even though he recognizes that his own pity represents weakness in a warrior.

  • kārpaṇya-doṣhopahata-svabhāvaḥ — besieged by the flaw of cowardice
    kārpaṇya-doṣha—the flaw of cowardice; upahata—besieged; sva-bhāvaḥ—nature

    • kārpaṇya — pity, compassion

    • doṣha — fault, defect

    • upahata — besieged

    • svabhāvaḥ — nature
      A compound of sva, meaning "one's own", and bhāvaḥ meaning "state of being" or "existence". It refers to one's innate personality or natural disposition.

    कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभाव

  • pṛichchhāmi — I am asking

  • tvāṁ — to you

  • dharma-sammūḍha-chetāḥ — heart confused by duty

    • dharma — duty

    • sammūḍha — confused

    • chetāḥ — in heart

  • yach-chhreyaḥ — what is best

    • yach — what
      yat

    • chhreyaḥ — best
      śhreyaḥ - best

  • syānniśhchitaṁ — may decisively be

    • syāt — may be

    • niśhchitam — decisively

  • brūhi — tell

  • tanme — that to me

    • tat — that

    • me — to me

  • śhiṣhyaste — your disciple

    • śhiṣhyaḥ — disciple

    • te — yours

  • ’haṁ — I

  • śhādhi — please instruct

  • māṁ — me

  • tvāṁ — unto you

  • prapannam — surrendered

...2.3

Arjuna replied: How can I shoot an arrow at Grandsire Bhishma or my teacher Dronacharya, men who are worthy of my worship?

[4]

It would be better to live as a beggar than to kill my exalted teachers. Anything gained from killing my elders would be always be stained by their blood.

[5]

We do not know if it is better for us to conquer or to be conquered. The sons of Dhritarashtra, who we do not want to kill, stand ready to kill us.

[6]

My heart is besieged by cowardice, and I need your guidance on what my duty is. Tell me the best course of action, as I am your disciple and have completely surrendered to your wisdom.

[7]

I do not see this overwhelming grief going away even if I were the most prosperous king in the world, or even if I were to gain sovereignty over all of heaven.

[8]

2.9...

Similar verses

Chapter 2, Verse 7