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Bhagavad-gītā 1.27

तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान् । कृपया परयाविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत् ॥ २७ ॥
tān samīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ
[taan sameekshya sa kaunteyah]
sarvān bandhūn avasthitān
[sarvaan bandhoon avasthitaan]
kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo
[kripayaa parayaavishto]
viṣīdann idam abravīt
[visheedann idam abraveet]
Word-for-word
tān — all of them samīkṣya — after seeing saḥ — he kaunteyaḥ — the son of Kuntī sarvān — all kinds of bandhūn — relatives avasthitān — situated kṛpayā — by compassion parayā — of a high grade āviṣṭaḥ — overwhelmed viṣīdan — while lamenting idam — thus abravīt — spoke .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tān samīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ
tān
all of them
samīkṣya
after seeing
saḥ
he
kaunteyaḥ
the son of Kuntī
sarvān bandhūn avasthitān
sarvān
all kinds of
bandhūn
relatives
avasthitān
situated
kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo
kṛpayā
by compassion
parayā
of a high grade
āviṣṭaḥ
overwhelmed
viṣīdann idam abravīt
viṣīdan
while lamenting
idam
thus
abravīt
spoke .
Important Words
  • kṛpayā — by compassion
    Instrumental of *kṛpā* — compassion, pity. A divine quality in its purified form (Kṛṣṇa's own *kṛpā* on the devotee). But here Arjuna's *kṛpā* is *bodily compassion* — pity rooted in identification with bodies, not souls. The Gītā distinguishes the two; this verse marks the lower one.
  • parayā — of a high grade
    *Paraḥ* — supreme, highest. Arjuna's compassion is *supreme*-grade — but supreme in *intensity*, not in correctness. The Gītā uses *parā* both for the Lord (*parā prakṛti*, BG 7.5) and, here, for an intensity of misplaced feeling. Intensity alone does not equal truth.
  • āviṣṭaḥ — overwhelmed
    Past participle of *ā-viś* — to enter, to be entered into. Arjuna has been *entered* by compassion as though by a possessing force. Same root as *āveśa* (possession). The Gītā recognizes that even noble emotions can *take possession* of the soul; the discipline is to be moved by them, not occupied.
  • viṣīdan — while lamenting
    Present participle of *vi-sad* — to sink, to despond. Same root as *Viṣāda-yoga*, the title of this very chapter. *Viṣāda* is the lowest psychological state in the Gītā's atlas — the necessary collapse that precedes surrender. The chapter is named for what is happening to Arjuna in this very word.
When the son of Kuntī, Arjuna, saw all these different grades of friends and relatives, he became overwhelmed with compassion and spoke thus.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Arjuna's emotion is named precisely by Sañjaya: 'paramā kṛpā' (supreme compassion). He is not a coward; he is overcome by tenderness. The participle 'viṣīdan' gives the chapter its name (Arjuna-viṣāda-yoga) — the despondency that becomes the doorway to the entire Gītā.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Viṣīdan (pres. participle of vi+√sad 'to sink') is the keyword that titles Chapter 1. Sañjaya diagnoses Arjuna with compassion (kṛpā) — a noble quality — but qualifies it as 'paramā' (extreme): the suggestion is that even virtue, when displaced from dharma, becomes a paralysis. Kṛṣṇa will later (BG 2.2) call this an unbecoming 'kaśmala' (delusion) rather than kṛpā — naming the same state differently. The verse is a hinge: the next 19 ślokas are Arjuna's first-person lament.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
सः कौन्तेयः तान् सर्वान् अवस्थितान् बन्धून् समीक्ष्य परया कृपया आविष्टः विषीदन् इदम् अब्रवीत् ।
saḥ kaunteyaḥ tān sarvān avasthitān bandhūn samīkṣya parayā kṛpayā āviṣṭaḥ viṣīdan idam abravīt |
That son of Kuntī, having beheld all these kinsmen drawn up before him, overwhelmed by deep compassion, lamenting, spoke these words.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
तान् समीक्ष्य सः कौन्तेयः सर्वान् बन्धून् अवस्थितान् । कृपया परया आविष्टः विषीदन् इदम् अब्रवीत् ॥
tān samīkṣya saḥ kaunteyaḥ sarvān bandhūn avasthitān | kṛpayā parayā āviṣṭaḥ viṣīdan idam abravīt ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
तान् tān तद् dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) acc.pl. (accusative plural)m. them
समीक्ष्य samīkṣya सम्+√ईक्ष् abs. (absolutive) having looked at
सः saḥ तद् dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. that
कौन्तेयः kaunteyaḥ कौन्तेय (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) son of Kuntī (Arjuna)
सर्वान् sarvān सर्व adj. acc.pl. (accusative plural)m. all
बन्धून् bandhūn बन्धु (m.) acc.pl. (accusative plural) kinsmen
अवस्थितान् avasthitān अव+√स्था p.p.p. (past passive participle) acc.pl. (accusative plural)m. stationed
कृपया kṛpayā कृपा (f.) ins.sg. (instrumental singular) by compassion
परया parayā पर adj. ins.sg. (instrumental singular)f. supreme, intense
आविष्टः āviṣṭaḥ आ+√विश् p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. overcome, entered into
विषीदन् viṣīdan वि+√सद् pres. (present) part. nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. despairing, sinking
इदम् idam इदम् dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. this
अब्रवीत् abravīt √ब्रू impf. (imperfect) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) he spoke
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
27. The son of Kuntī, seeing all his relatives situated there, overcome with compassion and depressed, spoke as follows.
Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
27. The son of Kuntī, seeing all his relatives situated there, overcome with compassion and depressed, spoke as follows.
Commentary

The merciful Lord of all beings, desiring to deliver the universe through instructions to His dear associate, put Arjuna under illusion, making it appear that his duty to fight was against religious principles, through a distortion of the philosophy of non-violence mentioned in the śruti with mā hiṁsyāt sarva-bhūtāni: do not commit violence against any living entity. [Note: Ahiṁsan sarva bhūtāni is found in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad, 8.15. Na hiṁsyāt sarva bhūtāni is quoted by Rāmānuja in 2.19 and Srīdhara Svāmī in 18.3. na hiṁsyāt sarva bhūtāni maitrayāṇa gataḥ caret is found in Mahābharata, 12.316.18.] By addressing Arjuna as the son of Kuntī (kaunteya), as the son of his father’s sister, thereby suggesting Arjuna’s kṣatriya background, lamentation and bewilderment concering his kṣatriya dharma are here suggested. Because of his extremely compassionate nature (parayā kṛpayā), he showed remorse (viṣīdan). Because of the word krpayā in the instrumental case, there is a suggestion that this mercy is an inherent and perefect quality, emphasized by the word para, superior. Through analyzing the saṅdhi differently, the word aparayā can also be formed. In that case the meaning is “Though he had previously shown compassion for those in his own army, now he also showed different compassion for the members of the opposing army (aparayā kṛpāyā).” In stating that Arjuna talked while lamenting at the same time, it is suggested that while talking he showed the effects of remorse—tears, quivering body and contracted throat.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Arjuna sees all the relatives assembled on both the sides and thus overwhelmed with

compassion, he starts speaking

Focus of Learning

(a) Different grades of relatives mentioned

Grandfathers Bhisma and Somadatta; Father’s contemporaries like Bhurisrava
Teachers like Dronacharya and Krpacharya; Maternal uncles like Salva and Sakuni
Brothers like Duryodhana; Sons like Laksma
Friends like Asvatthama; Well-wishers like Krtavarma etc.
The armies containing many of his friends

(a) Lord as Hrsikesa – Lord knows Arjuna’s mind and thus knows everything being the Supersoul of all

living entities

(b) Arjuna referred to as ‘Partha’ – Indicates son of aunt ‘Prtha'. Thus Krishna wants to point out:

He became charioteer because Arjuna is son of aunt (Queen Kunti)
Krishna said to Arjuna: “Behold the Kurus” – This phrase indicates Arjuna’s mind “Do you want to stop and not fight?”
Krishna does not expect such cowardly action from the son of his aunt
Mood of friendly joking expressed here.

(a) Arjuna as Gudakesh – one who conquers sleep

Gudaka means sleep; sleep also means ignorance
Arjuna conquered sleep & ignorance because of friendship with Krishna
Nature of the devotee
Cannot forget Krishna even for a moment (Samadhi); even while walking or asleep condition
Devotee conquers sleep and ignorance; because of constant Krishna consciousness. (This is called Samadhi)

(b) Krishna as Hrsikesa – As director of mind and senses, He could understand Arjuna’s purpose in

placing the chariot in the midst of the armies – “hestitation to fight”

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
1.27 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
1.26 - 1.47 Arjuna said - Sanjaya said Sanjaya continued: The high-minded Arjuna, extremely kind, deeply friendly, and supremely righteous, having brothers like himself, though repeatedly deceived by the treacherous attempts of your people like burning in the lac-house etc., and therefore fit to be killed by him with the help of the Supreme Person, nevertheless said, 'I will not fight.' He felt weak, overcome as he was by his love and extreme compassion for his relatives. He was also filled with fear, not knowing what was righteous and what unrighteous. His mind was tortured by grief, because of the thought of future separation from his relations. So he threw away his bow and arrow and sat on the chariot as if to fast to death.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
1.12 1.29 Sri Abhinavgupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
1.27. (He saw) fathers-in-law and friends also in both the armies. The son of Kunti, Arjuna, seeing all those kinsmen thus standing arrayed, spoke this, sorrowfully filled with deep pity.
Commentary

1.27 श्वशुरान् fathersinlaw? सुहृदः friends? च and? एव also? सेनयोः in armies? उभयोः (in) both? अपि also? तान् those? समीक्ष्य having seen? सः he? कौन्तेयः Kaunteya? सर्वान् all? बन्धून् relatives? अवस्थितान् standing (arrayed)? कृपया by pity? परया deep? आविष्टः filled? विषीदन् sorrowfully? इदम् this? अब्रवीत् said.No Commentary.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
1.27 The son of Kunti (Ajuna), seeing all those rlatives arrayed (there), became overwhelmed by supreme compassion and said this sorrowfully:
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
1.27 Fathers-in-law and benefactors, arrayed on both sides. Arjuna then gazed at all those kinsmen before him.
Related values & verses
Related values
Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Kritajnata (Gratitude)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Arjava (Simplicity / Straightforwardness)Nyaya (Justice / Righteous Judgment)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Saurya (Heroism / Bravery)
Related verses
BG 2.1 BG 2.11 BG 12.13 SB 1.7.13 SB 10.14.58 SB 7.5.31 CC Madhya 20.117 CC Ādi 4.165 CC Madhya 8.69 Īśa Upaniṣad 1 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.8
Concepts
Dharma
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Material compassion — born from bodily identification — is not real compassion; true compassion is rooted in the eternal soul.
Practical Applications
  • Distinguish in your own reactions between sentimental compassion (avoiding others' discomfort) and real compassion (serving their eternal good).
  • Ask: would Prabhupāda call this compassion, or attachment?
  • When you feel pulled to 'protect' someone, check if you are protecting their soul or their body.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is my 'compassion' actually a refusal to do what dharma requires?
  • Whom am I 'sparing' from a truth they need to hear?
Analogy

Compassion (*kṛpā*) is a fine thing — but compassion mixed with confusion is a paralysis disguised as virtue. Arjuna is *overwhelmed* (*āviṣṭa*) by compassion the way a swimmer is overwhelmed by a wave: it does not save him; it takes him under.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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