Gita 01.28 – To Avoid Being Consumed By Material Emotions Cultivate Spiritual Emotions

 

Audio Link 2: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-01-28-to-avoid-being-consumed-by-material-emotions-cultivate-spiritual-emotions/

 

arjuna uvāca

dṛṣṭvemaṁ sva-janaṁ kṛṣṇa

yuyutsuṁ samupasthitam

sīdanti mama gātrāṇi

mukhaṁ ca pariśuṣyati 

 

Word-for-word:

arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said; dṛṣṭvā — after seeing; imam — all these; sva-janam — kinsmen; kṛṣṇa — O Kṛṣṇa; yuyutsum — all in a fighting spirit; samupasthitam — present; sīdanti — are quivering; mama — my; gātrāṇi — limbs of the body; mukham — mouth; ca — also; pariśuṣyati — is drying up.

 

Translation:

Arjuna said: My dear Kṛṣṇa, seeing my friends and relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up.

 

Explanation:

In the previous verse, it was described how Arjuna saw a wide variety of relatives, and that sight petrified him. Now, he is about to express his reaction, describing both his emotional and physical state. Verses 27 through 48 form the second half of the first chapter, known as ‘Arjuna Viṣāda-yoga.’ The first half was titled ‘Sainya-nirīkṣa-yoga.’

 

Now, in this verse, Arjuna expresses his lamentations:

dṛṣṭvemaṁ sva-janaṁ kṛṣṇa: “O Kṛṣṇa, I am seeing my own people, sva-janam.” The very people whom Arjuna considers ‘sva-janam’ may not share the same sentiment towards him. Duryodhana definitely doesn’t think of Arjuna and the Pāṇḍavas as ‘sva-janam’—he sees them as ‘para-janam,’ as his enemies. But for Arjuna, because of the compassion that has overwhelmed him—and since there are actually many people whom he considers ‘sva-janam’ and who, in turn, consider him as ‘sva-janam’—this sentiment is indeed true.

yuyutsuṁ samupasthitam: He sees them determined to fight.

sīdanti mama gātrāṇi: “My limbs are trembling and quivering.”

mukhaṁ ca pariśuṣyati: “My mouth is drying up.”

 

Trembling of bodily limbs and the drying up of the mouth are both symptoms of strong, overpowering emotions. For Arjuna, these emotions manifest as agony—the agony of knowing that all his relatives are about to die and will kill each other. There may be a few survivors left, but they will have to live with painful memories. The thought of this impending catastrophe devastates him so much that he begins to question the point of fighting this war at all. Thus, he will later decide that he will not fight.

 

But here, as he begins his description, Arjuna states that they are all his own people. While he can see them now, he fears that he may not see them in the future if he continues fighting and they become casualties in the battle. Yet, if he doesn’t fight and kill them, they will kill him, as they have assembled here for combat. Hence, his limbs are quivering.

 

The body is neither the root nor the seat of emotions—that distinction belongs to the heart, which refers to the soul. The soul is the source of consciousness. When we say, “my heart is broken,” we are not speaking of a physical breakage of the biological heart. Instead, it refers to the intense pain one experiences when faced with impending distress, as Arjuna will soon encounter. He is going to feel immense turmoil.

 

The heart is the locus of emotions, and these emotions manifest in the body. For example, when we hear a joke, it enters through our ears and registers in our consciousness. This registration and grasping of humor send signals from the brain to the lips and mouth, prompting laughter.

 

All of this happens instantaneously, with such blinding speed that we may not even comprehend it. However, there is a time lag between the arrival of a stimulus and the choice of action. Thoughtful individuals can positively utilize this time lag, provided they don’t let their thoughts wander in the interim.

 

If intelligent people hear spiritual thoughts during their journey of life, that hearing may change their lives in the future, especially for those who would have never otherwise heard of Kṛṣṇa. Every person distributing Kṛṣṇa’s message has an opportunity to elevate others above misery by enabling them to experience transcendental emotions in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. When we understand that, yes, suffering, distress, and death are unavoidable at the bodily level, and they will cause pain, we also realize that these bodily relationships don’t have to constrict all our emotions. By connecting with Kṛṣṇa and relating to Him in a mood of devotion, our entire life becomes subsumed in devotional inspiration, which enables us to tolerate and transcend material afflictions.

 

Here, Arjuna is becoming overwhelmed by emotions arising from within—emotions that originate from the self, the heart, which is practically non-different from the soul. The soul is the locus of consciousness, while the heart is the locus of emotions. Arjuna’s heart is being shaken and shattered. Although he is not oblivious of spiritual knowledge, the gravity of the impending disaster, the brutality of the upcoming battle, and the ghastliness of many dynasties and generations fighting to death, all begin to weigh on him. As this reality sinks in, Arjuna wonders, is this fight really essential? Can it be avoided? These thoughts cause great emotional upheaval within him. However, by remembering that he is a soul and that the soul has a real relationship with Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna realizes that to the extent he relates to Kṛṣṇa, he will not be overwhelmed by these misleading material emotions.

 

That message of connection with Kṛṣṇa will come later in the Bhagavad-gītā, and it will enable Arjuna to break free from the emotional turmoil he is currently experiencing, helping him become steady and strong, firmly dedicated to the service of Kṛṣṇa. The same principle applies to us. In this unpredictable world, we may also face danger and disaster, and we may become overwhelmed by negative emotions. However, if we hear Kṛṣṇa’s message, that hearing will help us stay connected with Him, allowing us to keep material upheavals from consuming too much of our mental energy or causing excessive disturbance. By understanding that material things will come and go, and knowing that we, as souls, are eternal and have an eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa, we will be able to remain steady in our duties, both material and spiritual.

 

Thank you.