SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
Though arjuna’s dhOsham is not as popular as that of the rAkshasis, and he is known to be having good qualities, what is the dhOsham in him? piLLai lOkAchAryar raises this question and is showing his dhOshams.
sUthram 19
jithEndhriyaril thalaivanAy, Asthika agrEsaranAy “kESavasyAthmA” enRu krishNanukku dhArakanAy irukkiRa arjunanukku dhOsham Edhennil, bandhukkaL pakkal snEhamum, kAruNyamum vadhabhIthiyum.
Simple Explanation
What is the dhOsham (fault) of arjuna who is the leader amongst those who have control over their senses, who is the front-runner amongst believers and who is the life of krishNa as said in “kESavasyAthmA“? His dhOshams are friendship and compassion towards relatives, and fear to fight.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
jithEndhriyaril thalaivanAy …
jithEndhriyaril thalaivan – As the most beautiful UrvaSi who is praised in “AbharaNyasAbharaNam prasAdhana vidhE: prasAdhana viSEsha: – upamAnasyApi sakE prathyupAyam vapus thasyA:” (Oh friend! That UrvaSi’s form is like an ornament for the ornament, decoration for decoration and example for examples) pursued arjuna with great desire, he stepped back, informed her that she is like a mother for him (being one of the mistresses of indhra) and bowed to her – because of this, there is none who is greater than he in sense control.
Asthika agrEsaran – He is the front-runner among those who have deep faith in SAsthram which reveals aspects such as dharma (righteous acts), adharma (unrighteous acts), paralOka (higher world), chEthana (sentient beings), ISvara (Lord) and more.
“kESavasyAthmA” enRu krishNanukku dhArakan – As said in “arjuna: kESavasyAthmA krishNaSchAthmA kirItina:” (arjuna is krishNa’s life and krishNa is arjuna’s life), both are very dear to each other and he is so dear to krishNa that krishNa cannot sustain himself in separation from arjuna.
arjunanukku dhOshamEdhu – What is the dhOsham in him?
ennil – Posing the question.
Now, piLLai lOkAchAryar is explaining the dhOshams.
bandhukkaL pakkal snEhamum kAruNyamum vadha bhIthi
Among these three friendship and compassion are faults because they are done at the wrong place. Fearing for battle is a fault, because he considered his svadharmam (natural duty) to be adharmam (unrighteous). ALavandhAr mercifully said in gIthArtha sangraham 5 “asthAna snEha kAruNya dharmAdharmadhiyAkulam” (gIthA SAsthram was initiated (in the first chapter and the first part of the second chapter) towards arjuna who is surrendered [to krishNa] after being shaken up due to attachment with and compassion for naturally unfitting relatives (that which does not fit the nature of AthmA) and having bewildered intelligence considering one’s own righteous war as being unrighteous).
As said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 1.1 “dharmakshEthrE kurukshEthrE samavEthA yuyuthsuva: …” (Having assembled in the righteous land of kurukshEthra with the desire to fight) – after both armies assembled in the battlefield with the desire to fight, and the battle is to be fought, at that stage,
- arjuna said “how can we live and enjoy after killing all these people?” and showed friendship towards the relatives as said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 1.32 “na kAnkshE vijayam krishNa na cha rAjyam sukAni cha | kim nO rAjyEna gOvindha kim bhOgair jIvithEna vA ||” (Oh krishNa (one who gives pleasure to earth)! I don’t desire victory; nor do I desire kingdom and pleasures. Oh gOvindha (one who gives pleasures to cows, one gives pleasure to senses)! what is the use of this kingdom, the pleasures and our own lives for us?) and SrI bhagavath gIthA 1.33 “yEshAm arthE kAnkshitham nO rAjyam bhOgA:sukAnicha | tha imEvasthithAyudhdhE prANAms thyakthvA dhanAni cha ||” (For the purpose of which teachers et al we are desiring kingdom, pleasures, joy etc., those teachers et al are standing here willing to give up their lives, wealth etc) – since that act is contrary to the duties of his varNa, it is forbidden
- his compassion towards them as said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 1.27 and 1.28 ” thAn samIkṣhya sa kaunthEya: sarvAn bandhUn avasthithAn – krupayA parayAvishtO vIshIdhannidham abravIth” (He also saw his fathers-in-law and well-wishers in both the armies. kunthi’s son arjuna saw those relatives who are standing (to fight) well. Overwhelmed by compassion and being saddened, he spoke the following words) is also forbidden, since it is similar to showing compassion towards an animal which was brought into the sacrificial altar.
- as said in from SrI bhagavath gIthA SlOkams 1.39 “katham na gyEyam asmAbhi: pApAdh asmAn nivarthithum | kula kshaya krutham dhOsham prapaSyadhbhir janArdhana ||” (Oh janArdhana! Since we can clearly see ill-deeds arising out of vanquishing of the race, how can we not know to avoid the aforementioned two types of sins?) to 1.45 “ahO batha mahath pApam karththum vyavasithA vayam |
yadhrAjyasukalObhEna hanthum svajanamudhyathA: ||” (Alas! How painful! due to greed for the pleasures we get by ruling the kingdom, we are trying to kill our own kinsmen. We have dared to commit that big sin (of killing own kinsmen) which exists), he feared to engage in battle which is his duty as per his varNa.
These are the dhOshams present in arjuna.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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