Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2, Verse 4
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Contents
Chapter 2, Verse 4
अर्जुन उवाच |
कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्ख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन |
इषुभि: प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन || 4||
arjuna uvācha
kathaṁ bhīṣhmam ahaṁ sankhye droṇaṁ cha madhusūdana
iṣhubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāvari-sūdana
भावार्थ:
अर्जुन बोले- हे मधुसूदन! मैं रणभूमि में किस प्रकार बाणों से भीष्म पितामह और द्रोणाचार्य के विरुद्ध लड़ूँगा? क्योंकि हे अरिसूदन! वे दोनों ही पूजनीय हैं॥4॥
Translation
Arjun said: O Madhusudan, how can I shoot arrows in battle on men like Bheeshma and Dronacharya, who are worthy of my worship, O destroyer of enemies?
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.
Explanation in English:
Arjuna now expresses his internal conflict more clearly. He isn’t just afraid of battle — he’s emotionally torn because he’s being asked to fight people he deeply respects and reveres.
- Bhishma and Drona are not ordinary opponents.
Bhishma is his grand-uncle, a respected elder and warrior.
Drona is his guru (teacher) who taught him archery. - He calls them “pūjārhāv” – worthy of worship.
Arjuna sees them not as enemies, but as elders deserving honor and devotion, not arrows. - He calls Krishna “Madhusudana” (slayer of the demon Madhu) and “vari-sudana” (slayer of enemies), highlighting the contrast: Krishna destroys actual enemies, but Arjuna is being asked to raise weapons against his own kin and teachers.
📖 Related: Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 17, Verse 2
Key Takeaway:
Arjuna is struggling with the moral and emotional dilemma of duty vs. personal attachment. His heart is not ready to hurt those he honors. This verse highlights the deep human conflict that often arises when one must make tough choices for a greater cause — a theme central to the Gita.