Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 1

Chapter 2 – Sankhya Yoga · Speaker: Sanjaya

Sanskrit verse

सञ्जय उवाच ।
तं तथा कृपयाविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् ।
विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः ॥

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca .
taṃ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭamaśrupūrṇākulekṣaṇam .
viṣīdantamidaṃ vākyamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ ॥

Meaning

Sanjaya said: To him who was thus overcome with pity, his eyes brimming with tears and troubled, and sinking in despair, Madhusudana spoke these words.

Word meanings

तम् – to him (Arjuna)
तथा – thus, in that way
कृपया – by pity, compassion
आविष्टम् – overcome, possessed
अश्रुपूर्ण – full of tears
आकुल-ईक्षणम् – with troubled, distressed eyes
विषीदन्तम् – grieving, sinking in despair
इदम् – this
वाक्यम् – speech, words
उवाच – spoke
मधुसूदनः – the slayer of the demon Madhu — Krishna

Anvaya (word order)

सञ्जयः उवाच — तथा कृपया आविष्टम् अश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणं विषीदन्तं तम् (अर्जुनम्) मधुसूदनः इदं वाक्यम् उवाच ।

Explanation

The first chapter closed with Arjuna casting aside his bow and sinking onto the seat of his chariot. The second chapter opens with Sanjaya picking up that very scene and painting Arjuna's condition in three strokes: he is overcome by pity, his eyes are full of tears and agitated, and he is sinking in despondency.

The phrase ‘kripaya avishtam’ — ‘possessed by pity’ — is telling. Arjuna is not holding compassion; compassion has taken hold of him. He is no longer master of the feeling but its captive. Shankara reads this pity as born of delusion and grief: not the clear-eyed kindness that flows from wisdom, but a weakness arising from the sense of ‘these are mine’. Compassion without discernment can lead a person away from duty rather than towards it.

Krishna is called ‘Madhusudana’ here, the slayer of the demon Madhu. The name is apt: the Lord who destroyed demons outside is now about to destroy the demon of delusion within Arjuna. With this verse the real teaching of the Gita is set in motion.

The verse also captures a deep truth about the spiritual life. The thirst for wisdom often awakens only in a moment of crisis. When our own reasoning is exhausted and we stand still in tears, we finally become ready to hear the voice of the teacher.

Context

At the end of Chapter 1 (1.47) Arjuna sat down in the chariot, overwhelmed with sorrow. Here Sanjaya resumes the narration for Dhritarashtra and announces that Krishna is about to speak. Krishna's first words follow in the next verse (2.2).

Life lesson

Emotions are precious, but when they cloud our judgement they turn into weakness. In a crisis, rather than acting in panic, the wise course is to turn to a mentor or teacher who can see clearly.

Key terms

Kripa: pity, compassion; here a sentimental pity born of attachment
Vishada: despondency, deep dejection
Madhusudana: slayer of the demon Madhu — a name of Krishna