(1)
Sañjaya
said: "Seeing his friend in pain and moved to
desperation, spoke devil's despair the following
words:
(2) The
great soul said: 'This is really not the time to give
it up Arjuna. This doesn't befit you at all. This is
the way of losers who never make for a better world,
it's a disgrace really! Arjuna, get yourselves
together! (3) Do not give in to such a weakness of
heart, it leads to nothing but madness, so stand and
engage in the battle, get over your fear of
death!'
(4) Arjuna
retorted: 'How can I launch an attack on Bhîshma
and master Drona, they are honorable men of great
standing! What would I then be o devil's despair? (5)
Wouldn't it be better to live for the rest of my life
on charity than to bring those high and respectable
gentleman down, even though they, as leaders and
teachers, want the kingdom of heaven on earth? I'm not
going to dirty my hands on matters like these, that's
way beyond anything honorable! (6) And what if - their
defeating us is as good as our defeating them. I
wouldn't want to live to the victory of either of us,
no way, whatever position we would end up in, in
relating to uncle Dhritarâshthra . (7) With my
fear and fright, I ask you, confused within on what to
do, what would be the ideal compromise to all of us?
Confide it to me, instruct me on this and accept me as
your pupil so to say. (8) I'm at a loss in figuring
out what to do, on how to proceed from here; how can I
not be desperate and lame, wishing for an undisputed
position on earth or even the supreme of a set of
angel wings?' "
(9) Secretary
Sañjaya said: "Thus addressing the sense
master, said he who had proven himself stronger than
sleep and used to be the terror of his opponents, 'I
give it up, I won't engage', and next fell silent.
(10) O descendant of Bharata, then, right there
between the opposing armies of the family gathered for
the battle, spoke the sense master with a smile the
following words.
(11) The
master of happiness said: 'Don't be sad over that what
doesn't deserve such an emotional commitment; with all
your words so educated should you, whether you win or
lose the battle, being a wise man, not be moved in any
such way. (12) Listen, yesterday I existed and so I
will tomorrow, and so it is with you, and with all
these important people here. (13) In your lifetime you
change from a child into a youngster and from a
youngster into a grown man; but, honestly, did that
make you a different person? (14) What the senses tell
you, o son of aunt Kuntî, in the sense of pain
and happiness, comes and goes like summer and winter.
Such things don't last, just take it like a man, o son
of the Kurus. (15) He who's not upset in this, o best
of them all, he who is equal and steady in distress
and happiness, is the man fit for the job.
(16) So
don't expect anything durable from outer appearances,
nor think that the person you stay within will ever
come to an end; and this is what the greatest scholars
confirm in their studies on the subject. (17) Just
keep in mind that what is there in all states of your
physical existence as a constant factor, that that
self, cannot perish or be defeated by anybody. (18)
All these material bodies are perishable, while the
indestructible and immeasurable one that is embodied
is called eternal; and therefore fight, o son of the
noble line of Bharata. (19) Anyone who says that that
self of yours can kill any essential self of someone
else or can be killed by others, is in either position
out of his wits; you can't really kill anyone, nor can
anyone kill you really. (20) So, to be clear: actually
you never began living nor will you ever stop living;
you never took birth, nor will you ever die really.
Just the same you don't reincarnate either in that
sense; the soul as it is, is never born, is eternal
and constant. It's in existence from the first day of
creation and it never ends when the body ends. (21)
Once you realize that that soul we talk about is
indestructible and everlasting, without any change or
birth, how then, o son of Prithâ, could you
cause anyone's death or be killed yourself? (22)
Wearing your body and the ego along with it like a
garment, you can change them just as easy, and thus
can you end a life and pick up a new one as you like.
(23) That what you really are cannot drop apart, fry,
drown or wither away. (24) You are unbreakable, you
can't burn up or dissolve; you're everlasting, you
reach wherever you want, you'll stay the same self
always, nobody can touch you as such and you've always
been that way, and that's that.
(25) Considering
this real self of yours that can't be seen really,
that can't even be conceived really, nor undergo any
change really, you should know that it as such is
nothing for you to worry or despair about. (26) And
even if you'd reincarnate and die again, o man of
power, never worry about it. (27) He who dies will
certainly be born again, just as the one born will die
again of course; such irrevocable facts do not deserve
any worry, that you should know. (28) Each and every
one is, o descendant Bharata, to begin with a nobody,
then he or she is known and then is he or she
forgotten again, so why worry when it's all like this?
(29) This soul is by some seen as amazing, some speak
about it as amazing, and some know it as amazing,
while still others never come to understand what this
real self all means. (30) This soul, this owner of
each his body, never perishes, o son of the dynasty,
and thus you shouldn't be troubled about anybody.
(31) And,
concerning your duties in the debate, I must say that
you must always stand your ground to serve God, your
actual quality, virtue and righteousness, in the first
place, that is the very best thing a ruler can do.
(32) O son of aunt Prithâ, praise yourself as a
ruler happy to find opposition in battle, for that
offers you the opportunity to excel and make
yourselves known. (33) So defend your interest as if
it concerned God Himself, for if you fail to serve
your own nature with Him you'll be nothing but a
profiteer without any self-respect. (34) Not engaging
you'll lose your reputation and to an honorable man
that is something far worse than death. (35) Your
comrades in the battlefield, all thinking highly of
you, will write you off as a looser, if you back-off
now out of fear. (36) They'll gossip and deride your
ability, and you know how painful that is. (37)
Consider it this way; you either lose with honor, or
you win the battle adding to your repute; so, stand
and be sure in this choice, o son of Kuntî! (38)
Whether the outcome is to be happy or unhappy, whether
it is to your advantage or disadvantage, whether you
win or lose, you'll never be making a wrong move if
you engage in this fight being equanimous with this in
mind!'
