FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 2.4

అర్జున ఉవాచ కథం భీష్మమహం సంఖ్యే ద్రోణం చ మధుసూదన । ఇషుభిః ప్రతియోత్స్యామి పూజార్హావరిసూదన ॥ ౪ ॥
arjuna uvāca
[arjuna uvaacha]
kathaṁ bhīṣmam ahaṁ saṅkhye
[katham bheeshmam aham sankhye]
droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana
[dronam cha madhusoodana]
iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi
[ishubhih pratiyotsyaami]
pūjārhāv ari-sūdana
[poojaarhaav ari-soodana]
Word-for-word
arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said katham — how bhīṣmam — Bhīṣma aham — I saṅkhye — in the fight droṇam — Droṇa ca — also madhu - sūdana — O killer of Madhu iṣubhiḥ — with arrows pratiyotsyāmi — shall counterattack pūjā - arhau — those who are worshipable ari - sūdana — O killer of the enemies .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
arjuna uvāca
arjunaḥ uvāca
Arjuna said
kathaṁ bhīṣmam ahaṁ saṅkhye
katham
how
bhīṣmam
Bhīṣma
aham
I
saṅkhye
in the fight
droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana
droṇam
Droṇa
ca
also
madhu - sūdana
O killer of Madhu
iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi
iṣubhiḥ
with arrows
pratiyotsyāmi
shall counterattack
pūjārhāv ari-sūdana
pūjā - arhau
those who are worshipable
ari - sūdana
O killer of the enemies .
Important Words
  • bhīṣmam — Bhīṣma
    Named first — the patriarch, vow-keeper, grandsire. To draw a bow against him is, in the natural world, unthinkable. Arjuna places the hardest case before Kṛṣṇa first.
  • droṇam — Droṇa
    The personal teacher of archery. Arjuna's very ability to fight came from Droṇa. To kill him is to turn the gift against the giver — a contradiction the natural mind cannot resolve.
  • pūjā - arhau — worthy of worship
    These two are not mere relatives — they are *pūjya*, fit for ritual worship. Arjuna is not raising a sentimental objection; he is naming a hierarchy of dharma. The Gītā will show that hierarchy has one further step.
  • iṣubhiḥ — with arrows
    Not 'with arguments' or 'with refusal' — with arrows. The contradiction is made physical. The hand that should fold in praṇāma must instead release the string.
  • madhu - sūdana — killer of Madhu
    Arjuna calls Kṛṣṇa by His demon-slayer name precisely while protesting against killing. The chapter's irony is built in: the one who slew Madhu is now telling him to fight, and he is still calling Him by that very name.
Arjuna said: O killer of enemies, O killer of Madhu, how can I counterattack with arrows in battle men like Bhīṣma and Droṇa, who are worthy of my worship?
Purport

Respectable superiors like Bhīṣma the grandfather and Droṇācārya the teacher are always worshipable. Even if they attack, they should not be counterattacked. It is general etiquette that superiors are not to be offered even a verbal fight. Even if they are sometimes harsh in behavior, they should not be harshly treated. Then, how is it possible for Arjuna to counterattack them? Would Kṛṣṇa ever attack His own grandfather, Ugrasena, or His teacher, Sāndīpani Muni? These were some of the arguments offered by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
4. Arjuna said, “O Madhusūdana, killer of enemies, how will I fight in the battle with arrows against Bhīṣma and Droṇa, who are worthy of worship?”
Commentary

“According to scriptures of dharma, not respecting those worthy of worship is a cause of bondage: pratibadhnāti hi śreyaḥ pūjya-pūjā-vyatikramaḥ. [Note: Source is unknown. It is also quoted by Baladeva.] Therefore I withdraw from fighting. How can I kill them?” The form prati yotsyāmi (parasmaipada) is used instead of the form prati yotsye (ātmanepada, for oneself). “But those two elders are fighting against you. Why are you not able to fight against them?” “No, I cannot do so, for they are worthy of worship (pūjārhau): I should offer flowers to their feet in devotion rather than sharp arrows in anger. O friend Kṛṣṇa! Even You injure only the enemies in battle, and not Your own guru Sāndīpani Muni or your friends the Yadus, O Madhusūdana, killer of Madhu!” “But I am a descendent of Madhu, [Note: Madhu was the father of Vṛṣṇi, whose later descendents included Vasudeva and Devakī. The demon Madhu along with his brother Kaitabha appeared after Brahmā appeared from the lotus of Viṣṇu’s navel, and stole the Vedas from him. Viṣṇu consequently killed them.] in the ancient lineage of the Yadu dynasty. Therefore I am called Mādhava. How could I have killed Madhu?” “No, I do not mean that Madhu. I am speaking about the demon named Madhu who was Your enemy (ari-sūdana).”

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
4. Arjuna said: O Madhusūdana, killer of enemies, how will I fight with arrows in the battle against Bhīṣma and Droṇa, who are worthy of worship?
Commentary

“If Bhīṣma and others attack, why should you not attack them? Is this not the rule for the kṣatiryas to fight, since there is the rule in battle āhūto na nivarteta: one should not turn from battle when challenged?” (Mahābhārata, 3.56.8) “Bhīṣma, the grandfather, and Droṇa are teachers who give knowledge. How will I attack them with arrows? It is not proper to attack even with joking words those who should be worshipped with flowers and other articles of respect. So how can I attack them with arrows? The smṛti also says pratibadhnāti hi śreyaḥ pūjya -pūjā-vyatikramaḥ: an excellent person who disrespects those worthy of worship becomes bound up.” There is the fault of repetition in addressing Kṛṣṇa twice (punar ukti), using the words Madhusūdana and Arisūdana. This is because of Arjuna, being afflicted with grief, is unaware of the connection between previous and later statements. The implication here is: “O Kṛṣṇa, You also kill enemies in battle (arisūdana), but not men worthy of worship such as Ugrasena and Sāndipani (so why should I do that?).”

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Arjuna is answering: "it is not weakness of heart, this is generosity of heart!" There are two Madhus. One was a relative of Krsna, a forefather and the other was a demon. So Arjuna is arguing : "You are not asking me to kill a demon like Madhu, You are asking me to kill my superiors, who are worthy of my worship! I shouldn't be offering them arrows but flowers!"

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

Arjuna wants Kṛṣṇa to know that his decision not to fight is due to strong-heartedness, not weak-

heartedness. As Śrīla Prabhupāda mentions, offering even a verbal argument to one’s superiors

transgresses Vedic etiquette, what to speak of fighting and killing them.

According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, by addressing Kṛṣṇa as Madhusūdana and

Arisūdana, Arjuna calls attention to the fact that Kṛṣṇa is the killer of His enemies, not of His guru

and grandfather. Arjuna would prefer to offer flowers at the feet of Droṇa and Bhīṣma, not arrows.

But how would Arjuna maintain himself if he were to give up his duty as a warrior and not fight?

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
2.4 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
2.4 - 2.5 Arjuna said Again Arjuna, being moved by love, compassion and fear, mistaking unrighteousness for righteousness, and not understanding, i.e., not knowing the beneficial words of Sri Krsna, said as follows: 'How can I slay Bhisma, Drona and others worthy or reverence? After slaying those elders, though they are intensely attached to enjoyments, how can I enjoy those very pleasures which are now being enjoyed by them? For, it will be mixed with their blood.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
2.4 See Comment under 2.6
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
2.4 Arjuna said How, O Madhusudana, shall I fight in battle with arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are fit to be worshipped, O destroyer of enemies?
Commentary

2.4 कथम् how? भीष्मम् Bhishma? अहम् I? संख्ये in battle? द्रोणम् Drona? च and? मधुसूदन O Madhusudana? इषुभिः with arrows? प्रतियोत्स्यामि shall fight? पूजार्हौ worthy to be worshipped? अरिसूदन O destroyer of enemies.No commentary.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
2.4 Arjuna said O Madhusudana, O destroyer of enemies, how can I fight with arrows in battle against Bhisma and Drona who are worthy of adoration?
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
2.4 Arjuna argued: My Lord! How can I, when the battle rages, send an arrow through Bheeshma and Drona, who should receive my reverence?
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)
Related verses
BG 1.34 BG 2.5 BG 2.33 SB 1.7.13 SB 3.1.10 SB 10.4.41 CC Madhya 10.137 CC Madhya 22.97 CC Antya 3.151 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.1.7BRS 1.2.234
Concepts
Dharma
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Even the surrendered devotee voices honest objections; surrender does not mean silencing the heart, it means letting Krishna answer it.
Practical Applications
  • Voice your real objections in prayer — Krishna prefers honest doubt to performed devotion.
  • When you object, also listen for the answer; do not argue your way out of the room.
  • Welcome your own mind's protests as part of the dialogue, not as obstacles.
Reflection Questions
  • What honest objections am I withholding from Krishna?
  • Where am I performing surrender instead of practicing it?
Analogy

A son cannot raise his hand against the father who taught him to walk — this is the natural human revulsion Arjuna is voicing. The image is real and the affection is honest. But Kṛṣṇa will show that there is a duty above the duty of personal reverence: the duty owed to dharma itself.

Stories
Paraśurāma and his mother

When Jamadagni ordered his sons to behead their mother Reṇukā for a momentary lapse, the elder sons refused — and were cursed. Only Paraśurāma obeyed, then asked his father for a boon: bring her back. The father, pleased with the obedience, did.

The story is not a recommendation for matricide but a hard mirror: the dharma of the father's command can override the natural pull of the heart, and the obedient son trusts the larger order. Arjuna here voices the heart's pull; the rest of chapter 2 will show him the larger order.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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