Bhagavad-gītā 2.4
Read once with your eyes. Read again aloud.
अर्जुन उवाच कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन। इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन।।2.4।।
arjuna uvācha kathaṁ bhīṣhmam ahaṁ sankhye droṇaṁ cha madhusūdana iṣhubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāvari-sūdana
:But how can I, in battle, O slayer of Madhu, fight with arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are rather worthy to be worshipped, O destroyer of foes!
English rendering by Swami Swarupananda. Public domain first edition, 1909.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| arjunaḥ uvācha | Arjun said |
| katham | how |
| bhīṣhmam | Bheeshma |
| aham | I |
| sankhye | in battle |
| droṇam | Dronacharya |
| cha | and |
| madhu-sūdana | Shree Krishn, slayer of the Madhu demon |
| iṣhubhiḥ | with arrows |
| pratiyotsyāmi | shall I shoot |
| pūjā-arhau | worthy of worship |
| ari-sūdana | destroyer of enemies |
Use the word map to follow the relation among arjunaḥ uvācha (Arjun said), cha (and), and ari-sūdana (destroyer of enemies). Ask what changes between the first and last term, and how that movement contributes to the enduring self and steady wisdom. State the connection in your own words, then check it against Bhagavad-gita 2.4.
Original school explanation. Written independently from the Sanskrit word map. It is not a quotation, translation, or summary of a named modern commentary. Chapter lens: Trace the movement from grief through self, duty, disciplined action and the description of steady intelligence.
Five careful reading routes
The cards below are reading references, not claims about what an acharya says in this verse. Modern wording stays inside authorized editions. Classical commentary will appear only after an independent translation has passed scholarly and rights review.
Meaning map
Follow the thought
- 1
But how can I, in battle, O slayer of Madhu, fight with arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are rather worthy to be worshipped, O destroyer of foes!
- 2
arjunaḥ uvācha: Arjun said
- 3
cha: and
Look, link, cover, teach
Look
Picture the enduring self.
Link
Use the line starts: arjuna uvācha / kathaṁ bhīṣhmam / iṣhubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi.
Cover
Hide the verse and rebuild one line at a time.
Teach
Explain the flow to another person without looking.
Turn this reading into a study record
Save it, return from memory, and write one idea in your own words. Your record stays in this browser unless you export it.
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bhagavad-gita As It IsFor Bhagavad-gita 2.4, consult the authorized BBT edition. No purport, translation, or author-attributed summary is reproduced here.
Find the authorized editionBhaktivinoda Thakura
Rasika-ranjanaA verified independent rendering for Bhagavad-gita 2.4 has not yet passed scholarly and rights review. Modern translations are not copied here.
Independent rendering pending reviewBaladeva Vidyabhushana
Gita-bhushana-bhashyaThe original work is classical. A newly commissioned or independently prepared translation for Bhagavad-gita 2.4 must be verified before publication.
Independent translation pending reviewVishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura
Sarartha-varshini-tikaThe original work is classical. A newly commissioned or independently prepared translation for Bhagavad-gita 2.4 must be verified before publication.
Independent translation pending reviewOther Gaudiya acharyas
Authorized Gaudiya editionsFor Bhagavad-gita 2.4, later teachers remain a further-reading route. Their wording and distinctive teaching structures require permission or a separate rights review.
Use an authorized edition