TEXT 14
matra-sparsas tu kaunteya
sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah
agamapayino 'nityas
tams titiksasva bharata
sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah
agamapayino 'nityas
tams titiksasva bharata
SYNONYMS
matra--sensuous; sparsah--perception; tu--only; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; sita--winter; usna--summer; sukha--happiness; duhkha-dah--giving pain; agama--appearing; apayinah--disappearing; anityah--nonpermanent; tan--all of them; titiksasva--just try to tolerate; bharata--O descendant of the Bharata dynasty.
TRANSLATION
O
son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress,
and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and
disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense
perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them
without being disturbed.
PURPORT
In
the proper discharge of duty, one has to learn to tolerate nonpermanent
appearances and disappearances of happiness and distress. According to
Vedic injunction, one has to take his bath early in the morning even
during the month of Magha (January-February). It is very cold at that
time, but in spite of that a man who abides by the religious principles
does not hesitate to take his bath. Similarly, a woman does not hesitate
to cook in the kitchen in the months of May and June, the hottest part
of the summer season. One has to execute his duty in spite of climatic
inconveniences. Similarly, to fight is the religious principle of the ksatriyas,
and although one has to fight with some friend or relative, one should
not deviate from his prescribed duty. One has to follow the prescribed
rules and regulations of religious principles in order to rise up to the
platform of knowledge because by knowledge and devotion only can one
liberate himself from the clutches of maya (illusion).
The
two different names of address given to Arjuna are also significant. To
address him as Kaunteya signifies his great blood relations from his
mother's side; and to address him as Bharata signifies his greatness
from his father's side. From both sides he is supposed to have a great
heritage. A great heritage brings responsibility in the matter of proper
discharge of duties; therefore, he cannot avoid fighting.
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