Bhagavad-gītā 1.46
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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saṅkhye
—
in the battlefield
*Saṅkhya* — battle (here); but the same word, with another stress, names the philosophy of *sāṅkhya* (enumeration, analysis). Sanskrit lets the same letters mean *battle* and *analysis*. The chapter ends on a word that contains the next chapter's name: Sāṅkhya-yoga (BG 2). Vyāsa is preparing the transition phonetically.
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upasthe
—
on the seat
Locative of *upastha* — lap, seat. Arjuna sits down on the *seat* of the chariot — not on the ground, not in retreat. He stays *on* the chariot. The collapse is contained within the divine framework. He has not fled the war; he has only sat down on the platform from which the Gītā will be heard.
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upāviśat
—
sat down again
Aorist of *upa-viś* — to sit down. Same root *viś-* as in *praviśanti* and *viśvatomukha*. "He took his seat." The same verb the Vedic tradition uses for a disciple *taking his seat* before a teacher (*upaviṣat*). The military *upāviśat* is, by its very verb, also the disciplic *upaveśana* — sitting down to learn.
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visṛjya
—
putting aside
Absolutive of *vi-sṛj* — to release, to let go, to discharge. Same root as *sṛṣṭi* (creation, lit. "emission"). Arjuna *releases* his bow and arrows. The Gītā will use *visṛjya* repeatedly for the act of *renouncing*. The first *visṛjya* of the Gītā is a confused one. The last *visṛjya* (BG 18.66: *sarva-dharmān parityajya*) will be the perfected one.
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śoka
—
by lamentation
*Śoka* — grief, sorrow. The exact word Kṛṣṇa will name in His first teaching reply (BG 2.11: *aśocyān anvaśocas tvam* — "you grieve for those not worthy of grief"). The chapter ends on the word the next chapter will diagnose. *Śoka* is the disease; the Gītā is its medicine.
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 Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā in the matter of Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra.
Sitting on his chariot (rathopaṣṭhe) amidst the assembly of warriors (saṅkhye), Arjuna gave up his weapons.
Thus the commentaries on the first chapter of the Gītā, Sārārtha Varṣiṇī, has been completed for giving joy to the hearts of devotees, following after the tradition of our ācāryas.
“Then what happened?” Saṣjaya then replied with this verse. Arjuna sat down on the chariot in the midst of the battle. Previously he had been standing in order to fight, and to see the opposing army. From the first chapter it is understood that inquiry about ātmā takes place in a person who is compassionate in nature and non-violent, and not in one who is cruel and violent. Chapter 2
Arjuna had vowed to kill anyone who even suggested that he put down his bow. An incident later
tested that vow.
During the battle, Karṇa defeated and severely injured Yudhiṣṭhira. Karṇa then taunted Yudhiṣṭhira,
saying, “You are not even a kṣatriya! You should learn how to fight. See how easily I have defeated
you! I’m not even going to bother to kill you.”
When Arjuna heard of Yudhiṣṭhira’s injury, he immediately left the battlefield and went to Yudhi-
ṣṭhira’s tent. Upon hearing that Arjuna had left the battlefield, Yudhiṣṭhira concluded that Arjuna,
avenging his honor, had already killed Karṇa and had now come to inform him.
But it wasn’t true. Arjuna had left the battlefield only out of concern for Yudhiṣṭhira’s injury.
As soon as Yudhiṣṭhira saw Arjuna, he asked, “Have you killed Karṇa and avenged me?”
Arjuna replied, “No, I did not kill Karṇa. I only came to see how badly you were hurt.”
Yudhiṣṭhira was furious. He said, “You have left the battlefield without even killing Karṇa? You
coward! How could you have done this? It is better that you give up your Gāṇḥīva bow!”
Upon hearing his words, Arjuna became enraged and thought, “How dare Yudhiṣṭhira suggest that I
give up my Gāṇḥīva bow, which is more dear to me than my life! I have vowed to kill anyone . . .”
Arjuna drew his sword to slay his brother. Kṛṣṇa, who was watching, immediately caught Arjuna’s
arm and said, “All right, you have to kill Yudhiṣṭhira. It is your vow, but kill him by insulting him. For
a kṣatriya, an insult is worse than death.”
As Yudhiṣṭhira sat there regretting his words to Arjuna,
Arjuna angrily approached him and said, “You say I am a coward because I left the battlefield with-
out killing Karṇa, but look what you have done. You looked on as our wife Draupadī was insulted. I
would have alone killed the entire Kaurava army, but you would not allow me. You are not a man.
You are not a king!”
Arjuna finished hurling his insults at Yudhiṣṭhira, but then quickly touched Yudhiṣṭhira’s feet and
begged forgiveness for his words.
Arjuna had not lightly made his “Gāṇḥīva vow.” Therefore it is significant that Arjuna—the great
son of Pāṇḥu and Indra—himself cast aside his bow and sat down on the chariot, his mind over-
whelmed with grief. We can only imagine how disturbed Arjuna must have been about the disaster
awaiting him and the entire world
1.46 यदि if? माम् me? अप्रतीकारम् unresisting? अशस्त्रम् unarmed? शस्त्रपाणयः with weapons in hand? धार्तराष्ट्राः the sons of Dhritarashtra? रणे in the battle हन्युः should slay? तत् that? मे of me? क्षेमतरम् better? भवेत् would be.No Commentary.
- BG 01 46 - Chaitanya Charan Prabhu - When the eye disheartens let the ear hearten
- Priya Valabha Mataji BG 01-46 Sindhi
- Priya Valabha Mataji BG 01-46 Hindi
- UM BG 01-46 Indonesian Tanslation - Compassion for Enemies - 2015-01-15 Lampung
- Chaitanya Charan Pr BG 01-46 - When the eye disheartens let the ear hearten - 2014-12
- Kartikeya Pr BG 01-46 - 2020-10-25 ISKCON Whitefield
- Revati Raman Pr BG 01-46 Telugu Translation - 2014-05-04 ISKCON Tirupati
- Shikshashtakam Pr Hindi BG 01-46
- BKG BG Course - BG 01-46 02-06 - 2020-05-21 New Goloka
- Haladhar Sw BG 01-46 Oriya - Lessons from 2nd Chapter Acarya nista nahele atmagyana udaya heba nahin - 2021-06-28 Odia
- RGS BG 01-46 Hindi - Vrindavan
- Treat your moments of total collapse as Kṛṣṇa's invitation to formally take shelter.
- When you cannot continue under your own steam, do not bandage yourself — surrender.
- Read BG 2.7 immediately after this verse to feel the natural progression from collapse into surrender.
- Where has the bow fallen from my hand in this season of life?
- Am I willing to use this collapse as a doorway to formally surrender to Kṛṣṇa?
The bow falls. The arrows are laid aside. The warrior sits down on the seat of his own chariot — which is now, with Kṛṣṇa at its reins, no longer a war-chariot but a teaching-platform. The collapse is total, and exact: the *visṛjya* (laying aside) prepares the *prapadye* (taking shelter) that will come in 2.7.
Hanumān, riding on the flag above the chariot, had agreed to remain there until the war was complete. When Arjuna's bow falls in this verse, the flag is still flying. The servant of Rāma is watching the descendant of Pāṇḍu collapse. Hanumān himself, in another age, had refused to despair even before Laṅkā with its hundred-thousand soldiers and golden walls. He had said: *I am the servant of Rāma; what is impossible for the Lord's servant?*
Arjuna's collapse is the moment Hanumān's quiet presence on the flag becomes most pointed. The lineage of perfect service is silently overhead while the warrior of imperfect service sinks. The Gītā will now begin the work of bringing Arjuna into the same posture Hanumān has always held — and the bow that has just fallen will, by chapter 18, be picked up again in that very spirit.
My note
Source: vedabase.io