Read a Lecture by Srila Prabhupada on this Verse
Na cETaiÜÚ" k-Taràae GarqYaae
YaÜa JaYaeMa Yaid va Naae JaYaeYau" )
YaaNaev hTva Na iJaJaqivzaMa‚
STae_viSQaTaa" Pa[Mau%e DaaTaRraí\a" )) 6 ))
na caitad vidmaù kataran no garéyo
yad vä jayema yadi vä no jayeyuù
yän eva hatvä na jijéviñämas
te 'vasthitäù pramukhe dhärtaräñöräù
SYNONYMS
na-nor; ca-also; etat-this; vidmaù-do we know; katarat-which; naù-for us; garéyaù-better; yat vä-whether; jayema-we may conquer; yadi-if; vä-or; naù-us; jayeyuù-they conquer; yän-those who; eva-certainly; hatvä-by killing; na-never; jijéviñämaù-we would want to live; te-all of them; avasthitäù-are situated; pramukhe-in the front; dhärtaräñöräù-the sons of Dhåtaräñöra.
TRANSLATION
Nor do we know which is better-conquering them or being conquered by them. If we killed the sons of Dhåtaräñöra, we should not care to live. Yet they are now standing before us on the battlefield.
PURPORT
Arjuna did not know whether he should fight and risk unnecessary violence, although fighting is the duty of the kñatriyas, or whether he should refrain and live by begging. If he did not conquer the enemy, begging would be his only means of subsistence. Nor was there certainty of victory, because either side might emerge victorious. Even if victory awaited them (and their cause was justified), still, if the sons of Dhåtaräñöra died in battle, it would be very difficult to live in their absence. Under the circumstances, that would be another kind of defeat for them. All these considerations by Arjuna definitely proved that not only was he a great devotee of the Lord but he was also highly enlightened and had complete control over his mind and senses. His desire to live by begging, although he was born in the royal household, is another sign of detachment. He was truly virtuous, as these qualities, combined with his faith in the words of instruction of Çré Kåñëa (his spiritual master), indicate. It is concluded that Arjuna was quite fit for liberation. Unless the senses are controlled, there is no chance of elevation to the platform of knowledge, and without knowledge and devotion there is no chance of liberation. Arjuna was competent in all these attributes, over and above his enormous attributes in his material relationships.
