My book is in the nature of a primer, an introduction to our amazing
ancient Hindu scriptures, covering a span of about 2000 years in just 66
pages. Of necessity, therefore, the book
had to restrict information on the individual texts to the barest minimum. I
thought, through this blog, I would elaborate some more on the basic
information of our books.
I start with the Bhagvad Gita. It is the dialogue between Arjun and
Krishna in a situation where the warrior Arjun throws down his arms, dejected
at the thought of the ensuing war with his relatives and respected elders on
the other side. The book, in Sanskrit verses, has eighteen adhyayas or chapters.
The first adhyaya is called ‘Vishad
Yog” (विषाद योग). Vishad
here means despondency. It starts with the blind King Dhitrarashtra asking his
charioteer and advisor, Sanjay (who has been given divine vision and hearing)
to narrate what is happening in the far-away battlefield of Kurushetra. The
entire Bhagvad Gita is Sanjay’s narration before the start of the war.
The Kaurav prince Duryodhan, the eldest of the hundred sons of
Dhitrarashtra, accompanied by Dronacharya, the guru or teacher of the princes
of both sides, surveys the army of his opponents - the Pandavs (his cousins). It is a mighty army with several brave and
strong warriors led by Arjun, the third son and an archer par excellence, accompanied
by the second son, the mighty Bheem. Duryodhan
is confident of victory when he compares them with the might and valour
of his own army, which includes the patriarch Bhishma. There is a fearsome
sound as the leaders of all the armies blow their conch shells before the start
of the war.
Arjun requests his charioteer Krishna, the eighth incarnation of God
Vishnu, to drive to the middle of the battlefield so he too can take stock. He is
dismayed on seeing all his near and dear on the other side – his guru, his
respected elders, close relatives and even dear youngsters, his in-laws,
friends and others close to his heart. And so starts his dismay, confusion, worry,
apprehension and anxiety – how can he possibly fight against them and kill them
– his own family?
He tells Krishna, that not for the three worlds would he embark on a
journey that can only be considered sinful, and here at stake is only a part of
the earth. Such a course would doom his entire kin. The other side had not
thought of the unpardonable crimes that would be committed by this war, but
that could be no reason for they themselves not to see this.
His weapons fall to the ground and Arjun is ready to give up.
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