Read a Lecture by Srila Prabhupada on this Verse
AJauRNa ovac
k-Qa& >aqZMaMah& Sa&:Yae d]ae<a& c MaDauSaUdNa )
wzui>a" Pa[iTaYaaeTSYaaiMa PaUJaahaRvirSaUdNa )) 4 ))
kathaà bhéñmam ahaà saìkhye
droëaà ca madhusüdana
iñubhiù pratiyotsyämi
püjärhäv ari-südana
SYNONYMS
arjunaù uväca—Arjuna said; katham—how; bhéñmam—Bhéñma; aham—I; saìkhye—in the fight; droëam—Droëa; ca—also; madhu-südana—O killer of Madhu; iñubhiù—with arrows; pratiyotsyämi—shall counterattack; püjä-arhau—those who are worshipable; ari-südana—O killer of the enemies.
TRANSLATION
Arjuna said: O killer of enemies, O killer of Madhu, how can I counterattack with arrows in battle men like Bhéñma and Droëa, who are worthy of my worship?
PURPORT
Respectable superiors like Bhéñma the grandfather and Droëäcärya 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 Kåñëa ever attack His own grandfather, Ugrasena, or His teacher, Sändépani Muni? These were some of the arguments offered by Arjuna to Kåñëa.
