Bhagavad Gita 2.4अर्जुन उवाच कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन।इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ॥

arjuna uvācha kathaṁ bhīṣhmam ahaṁ sankhye droṇaṁ cha

madhusūdana iṣhubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāvari-sūdana

Sanskrit recitation

2.3 2.5

Read the reflection ↓Ask Madhav about this verse

Krishna turns to face him · 2.1–2.10 · Scene

Translation

Arjuna said, "O Madhusudana, how can I fight in battle with arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of being worshipped, O destroyer of enemies?"

Hindi translation

अर्जुन बोले - हे मधुसूदन! मैं रणभूमिमें भीष्म और द्रोणके साथ बाणोंसे युद्ध कैसे करूँ? क्योंकि हे अरिसूदन! ये दोनों ही पूजाके योग्य हैं।

Meaning

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.

After A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Krishna turns to face him· 2.1–2.10→

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

Word-by-word→

cha: and
aham: I
katham: how
sankhye: in battle
droṇam: Dronacharya
ari-sūdana: destroyer of enemies
bhīṣhmam: Bheeshma
iṣhubhiḥ: with arrows
pūjā-arhau: worthy of worship
madhu-sūdana: Shree Krishn, slayer of the Madhu demon
pratiyotsyāmi: shall I shoot
arjunaḥ uvācha: Arjun said

Bhagavad Gita 2.4अर्जुन उवाच कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन।इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ॥

Translation

Hindi translation

Meaning

Read this when you feel

Themes

Related verses

Your reflection