Bhagavad-gītā 3.1
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अर्जुन उवाच ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन। तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव।।3.1।।
arjuna uvācha jyāyasī chet karmaṇas te matā buddhir janārdana tat kiṁ karmaṇi ghore māṁ niyojayasi keśhava
Arjuna questioned: My Lord! If wisdom is superior to action, why do you advise me to engage in this terrible fight?
English rendering by Shri Purohit Swami. Each source voice remains named.
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 |
| jyāyasī | superior |
| chet | if |
| karmaṇaḥ | than fruitive action |
| te | by you |
| matā | is considered |
| buddhiḥ | intellect |
| janārdana | he who looks after the public, Krishna |
| tat | then |
| kim | why |
| karmaṇi | action |
| ghore | terrible |
| mām | me |
| niyojayasi | do you engage |
| keśhava | Krishna, the killer of the demon named Keshi |
In verses 49, 50 and 51 of chapter II, Lord Krsihna has spoken very highly about Buddhi Yoga. That is the reason why Arjuna is perplexed now.
Attributed explanatory witness: Swami Sivananda. Chapter lens: Distinguish action, duty, sacrifice, example, desire and attachment without treating karma-yoga as inactivity.
Three named reading witnesses
Śaṅkara edition witness
Swami GambiranandaArjuna said, "O Janardana (Krishna), if it is Your opinion that wisdom is superior to action, why do You urge me to take such horrible action, O Kesava?"
Rāmānuja edition witness
Swami AdidevanandaArjuna said, "O Krsna, if you deem knowledge to be superior to action, why then do you urge me to engage in this terrible deed?"
Sivananda commentary witness
Swami SivanandaIn verses 49, 50 and 51 of chapter II, Lord Krsihna has spoken very highly about Buddhi Yoga. That is the reason why Arjuna is perplexed now.
These are concise, attributed reading witnesses from identified editions. They are presented for comparison and are not merged into one anonymous interpretation.
Meaning map
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- 1
Arjuna questioned
- 2
My Lord! If wisdom is superior to action, why do you advise me to engage in this terrible fight?
- 3
arjunaḥ uvācha: Arjun said
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