Read a Lecture by Srila Prabhupada on this Verse
Yaid MaaMaPa[Taqk-arMaXañ&
XañPaa<aYa" )
DaaTaRraí\a r<ae hNYauSTaNMae +aeMaTar& >aveTa( )) 45 ))
açastraà çastra-päëayaù
dhärtaräñörä raëe hanyus
tan me kñemataraà bhavet
SYNONYMS
yadi—even if; mäm—me; apratékäram—without being resistant; açastram—without being fully equipped; çastra-päëayaù—those with weapons in hand; dhärtaräñöräù—the sons of Dhåtaräñöra; raëe—on the battlefield; hanyuù—may kill; tat—that; me—for me; kñema-taram—better; bhavet—would be.
TRANSLATION
Better for me if the sons of Dhåtaräñöra, weapons in hand, were to kill me unarmed and unresisting on the battlefield.
PURPORT
It is the custom—according to kñatriya fighting principles—that an unarmed and unwilling foe should not be attacked. Arjuna, however, decided that even if attacked by the enemy in such an awkward position, he would not fight. He did not consider how much the other party was bent upon fighting. All these symptoms are due to soft-heartedness resulting from his being a great devotee of the Lord.
