Bhagavad Gita: Understanding One Shloka at a time. (Chp. 3, Verse 1&2) – HBR Patel

Trying to understand Bhagavad Gita, one Shloka at a time…

अर्जुन उवाच |
ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन |
तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव || 1||
व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे |
तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् || 2||

Arjuna said that O Janardan, if you consider knowledge superior to action, then why do Keshav you ask me to wage this terrible war? My spiritual intellect is becoming confused by your words of conflicting conclusions. Please tell me decisively the one path by which I may attain the highest good.

Arjuna is confused by the wisdom imparted by Bhagwan Shri Krishna. At one point, Arjuna is advised to stick to knowledge and let go of the desires for fruits of his actions while sometimes he is advised to stick to his Kshatriya dharma and fight the war.

Arjuna cleverly uses the name of Bhagwan Shri Krishna to highlight what is the confusion that Arjuna is facing. In the first line…