In Krishna’s last instructive words in the Gita, he assures Arjuna protection from all ‘papa,’ which is usually translated as sinful reactions. Additionally, another standard translation of ‘papa’ as ‘sin’ or ‘sinful action’ also works here. Let’s see how.
Krishna spoke the Gita because Arjuna was afraid of doing the wrong thing. And after providing much analysis about right and wrong action, Krishna concludes with the ultimate guideline: if Arjuna acts out of loving surrender, striving to serve Krishna, he will be protected from wrong choices. In fact, Krishna has already stated this as a broad principle: a devotional inner connection equips us for wise outer action (10.10). And that principle is echoed by Sanjaya in the Gita’s last verse: where Arjuna is together with Krishna, there will manifest, among other auspicious things, both morality and victory (18.78).
Let’s see how this principle was demonstrated in the subsequent Kurukshetra war. On the war’s fourteenth day, Arjuna vowed to neutralize Jayadratha before sunset. After fighting heroically throughout the day, Arjuna finally neared Jayadratha with the sun fast sinking into the horizon. But he was suddenly blocked by a wall of many Kaurava warriors and their combined firepower. Seeing Arjuna thwarted, Krishna used his mystic power to summon his divine disc, Sudarshan, and cover the sun. Thinking that the sun had set, the Kaurava warriors lowered their weapons and Jayadratha emerged from behind them to mock Arjuna.
At that moment, Krishna told Arjuna to behead Jayadratha with a celestial dart. Arjuna faced a dilemma: by shooting after sunset, wouldn’t he be violating the war-codes and acting sinfully? Reposing his faith in Krishna, Arjuna promptly surrendered to Krishna’s will. And, just before the arrow left Arjuna’s bow, Krishna uncovered the sun, revealing that a few moments still remained for sunset. As Arjuna watched his arrow decapitate an aghast Jayadratha, he appreciated how Krishna had both protected him from sin and paved the way for his victory.
One-sentence summary:
When we act in a mood of devotional surrender, Krishna protects us not just from sinful reactions, but also from sinful actions themselves.
Think it over:
- What are the two broad meanings of the word ‘papa’?
- How does the Gita support the secondary reading of ‘papa’ as ‘wrong action’?
- During the Kurukshetra war, how does Krishna protect Arjuna from sin?
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18.66: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.
To know more about this verse, please click on the image
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