II. SANKHYA YOGA SANJAYA SAID:
1. To him who was thus overcome with pity and afflicted and whose eyes
were full of tears and agitated, the destroyer of Madhu spoke as follows:
THE LORD SAID:
2. Whence in (this) perilous strait has come upon thee this weakness cherished by the unworthy, debarring from heaven and causing disgrace, O Arjuna ?
3. Yield not to unmanliness, O son of Pritha. It does not become thee. Cast off this base weakness of heart and arise, O tormentor of foes.
ARJUNA SAID:
4. O slayer of Madhu, how shall I assail in battle with arrows Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of worship, O slayer of enemies.
5. Better indeed in this world to live even upon alms than to slay the teachers of high honor. But, were I to slay these teachers, I should only in this world enjoy the pleasures of wealth, delights stained with blood.
6. And we know not which is the better alternative for us; nor do we know whether we shall
conquer them or they will conquer us. Even the sons of Dhritarashtra, after killing whom we do not wish to live, stand arrayed against us.
7. My heart contaminated by the taint of helplessness, my mind confounded about Dharma, I ask Thee: tell me what is absolutely good. I am Thy pupil. Instruct me, who have sought Thy grace.
8. I do not indeed see what can dispel the grief which burns up my senses, even after attaining unrivalled and prosperous dominion on earth or even lordship over gods.
SANJAYA SAID:
9. Having spoken thus to Hrishikesa, Gudakesa, the tormenter of foes, said to Govinda, ‘I will not fight’ and verily remained silent
10. To him who was grieving in the midst of the two armies, O
descendant of Bharata, Hrishikesa as if smiling, spoke these words:
THE LORD SAID:
11. For those who deserve no grief thou hast grieved and words of wisdom thou speakest. For the living and for the dead the wise grieve not.
12. Never did I not exist, nor thou, nor these rulers of men; and no one of us will ever hereafter cease to exist.
13. Just as in this body the embodied (Self) passes into childhood and youth and old age, so does He pass into another body. There the wise man is not distressed.
14. The sense-contacts it is, O son of Kunti, which causes heat and cold; pleasure and pain; they come and go, they are impermanent. Them endure bravely, O descendant of Bharata.
15. That wise man whom, verily, these afflict not, O chief of men, to whom pleasure and pain are same, he for immortality is fit.
16. Of the unreal no being there is; there is no non-being of the real. Of both these is the truth seen by the seers of the Essence.
17. But know that to be imperishable by which all this is pervaded. None can cause the destruction of That, the Inexhaustible.