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yajvan
10 April 2009, 06:53 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
Namasté

Many an author give Arjuna this stature. A person that in the beginning chapters is weak and confused. It is taken for granted by many a reader (and author) that this is in fact the condition of Arjuna. Perhaps you have a view on this matter?
Let me offer the following.
Arjuna अर्जुन means white , clear ; made of silver; the lightning. If we dis-assemble his name we find ṛjra meaning going straightforward, moving on , quick (as horses). This word has its root in raj. Many recognize this word as king, or royalty and it too applies to Arjuna no doubt, yet that is raja. This raj brings us to the equivalent or equal word rañj. It means to be dyed or colored , to redden , grow red , glow. Hence the association of royalty with red.

Yet we are not done as yet - rañj is to be affected or moved , be excited or glad , be charmed or delighted and also means to worship. A most appropriate word , as Arjuna is delighted by Lord Kṛṣṇa and as we read worships and praises Kṛṣṇa in the later chapters of the Bhāgavad gītā.

I have read another view of Arjuna - a+rajju+na : a - 'no' + rajju is a rope + na - 'no' or 'not' . A rope is the symbol for being held, for bondage. As you add these syllables together you get no-rope-not, meaning, although he is free ( no rope), he thinks he is not (na) and is in bondage .

If one were to read the 1st verse of the 2nd chapter of the Bhāgavad gītā casually , there would be little doubt that one would apply the notion of confusion to Arjuna. This verse says ( from saṃjaya's words), To him thus overcome by compassion, full of sorrow, his eyes distressed and filled with tears Madhusūdana(Kṛṣṇa) spoke these words.

I offer the wisdom and POV of Mahṛṣi Mahesh Yogī¹ co-mingled with my POV (any errors can only be attributable to me). Mahṛṣi suggests that Arjuna's heart is full of compassion. If that is true, then full of sorrow does not apply to the heart but to the mind and how Arjuna sees the situation.

There is the two extremes - the mind with distraught and the heart filled with compassion suggests a person fully engaged in the moment. This says Mahṛṣi does not suggest weakness or confusion.

Saṃjaya says his eyes filled with tears . Mahṛṣi suggests that if Arjuna was dis-engaged, confused, or weak then Arjuna's eyes would have been vacant, distant; yet they showed he was engaged with the situation and knew the gravity thereof, albeit filled in tears. Mahṛṣi also suggests that the distress seen in Arjuna's eyes is that of great concern and shows mental alertness - not imbalance.

From my point of view, if Arjuna was in fact 'confused' or imbalanced, he could not have clearly articulated the last 21 verses that succinctly describe humanity's issues/problems that could occur to an individual. From where comes this clarity of thinking if Arjuna was not balanced? So what is the real state of Arjuna then?
It's how to reconcile the compassion of the heart and the requirements of the mind , of duty and what needs to be done - both are tugging at Arjuna. There is the struggle - how to fulfill contradictory aspirations - of duty and of compassion.

Mahṛṣi suggests that there is a condition of suspension (between heart and mind) that is occurring and it's of great value. He also says that this suspension is a worthy place to begin teaching a student. He also says this condition was influenced/produced by the very first words (and only words of Chapt 1) Kṛṣṇa offers to Arjuna: Pārtha¹ ! Behold these kuru-s gathered together. We will leave the wisdom of these words to another time, but it needed to be pointed out.

Yes I agree there is the struggle within Arjuna - how to fulfill contradictory aspirations of hear and mind. Yet I entertain the possibility that Arjuna's behavior is above weakness and a confused state.

What assists me with this notion? The first words of Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna in Chapter 2. He does not appeal to Arjuna's heart to console him, but directly addresses his intellect and mind by saying, Whence has this blemish, alien ( or foreign) to honorable men, causing disgrace and opposed to heaven come upon you Arjuna at this untimely hour?

If a person is imbalanced, confused, weak I am of the opinion that no words will yield any effective results as the mind will not be able to digest them in such an imbalanced state. Hence my POV that Kṛṣṇa would have addressed Arjuna differently if that mind was not ready to comprehend the question of blemish, honor & disgrace.

praṇām

words & references

partha पार्थ - pārthiva , a prince , king , yet also the son of pritha; It is used here as the Pandavas's mother, Kunti, maiden name was Pritha.
Mahṛṣi Majesh Yogī on the Bhāgavad gītā , A New Translation and Commentary, Chapters 1 to 6. Published by Penguin Books, 1969

vcindiana
11 April 2009, 06:17 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~



Dear Yajavan: I find Arjuna neither confused nor weak. I do not find the word compassion used here is right; perhaps it has a different meaning in Geeta. My take in this foundation chapter is Arjuna’s “Moha” towards his family and friends, the very people he was brought up, ate together, played together and went to school together. He finds killing these people hard in his “Moha” and cleverly tries to lecture Krishna on the evil effects of killing. In the concluding chapter in Geeta he was asked whether he was able to kill this “ Moha”. I find Arjuna is no different from me except I, as a human being struggle to be open minded all the time.
Love..............VC