Gita 02.02 Identify Behavior That Is Out Of Character With Our Character

Audio Link 1: Gita 02.02 Identify behavior that is out of character with our character

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ
viṣame samupasthitam
anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam
akīrti-karam arjuna (Bg 2.2)

Word-for-word:
śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; kutaḥ — wherefrom; tvā — unto you; kaśmalam — dirtiness; idam — this lamentation; viṣame — in this hour of crisis; samupasthitam — arrived; anārya — persons who do not know the value of life; juṣṭam — practiced by; asvargyam — which does not lead to higher planets; akīrti — infamy; karam — the cause of; arjuna — O Arjuna.

Translation:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, how have these impurities come upon you? They are not at all befitting a man who knows the value of life. They lead not to higher planets but to infamy.

Explanation:
Here, Kṛṣṇa exhorts Arjuna to fight by forcefully reminding him that weakness does not befit him. He says:
kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ : “From where has this impurity come
viṣame samupasthitam : at a time of crisis?
anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam : This does not suit you, O Arjuna. You are an ārya, a person who ultimately understands the spiritual value of life.”

This means that life is meant to be lived according to spiritual values. Our human existence ultimately holds spiritual significance—it is an opportunity for us to realize our own eternal spirituality.

Spiritual values guide us toward this realization. These include dedicating adequate time to our sādhana (spiritual practice), svādhyāya (study of scripture), meditative practices, and satsaṅga (association with spiritually minded individuals). By giving due importance to these spiritual disciplines, we cultivate a deeper understanding of life’s spiritual essence.

These values not only enrich our present experience but also help us realize our eternality and glimpse the profound truth of life unending—life eternal.

anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam: This kind of action does not befit you and will not lead to any auspicious destination. It will not take you to svarga—an elevated destination—but instead, even in this life, it will bring you infamy. That infamy will mark you as a coward in the eyes of others.

Kṛṣṇa, in this verse, asks: From where has this weakness come upon you, O Arjuna?

What this essentially means is that each of us has certain characteristics that define us to others. For example, if a person who is usually very calm and gentle suddenly begins speaking harshly, loudly, or cruelly, one might say, “Why are you speaking like this? This kind of speech does not befit you—it does not behoove you.”

Kṛṣṇa’s words to Arjuna reflect a similar sentiment, urging him to recognize that his behavior is out of character and unworthy of his true nature. In this verse, Kṛṣṇa asks, “Where has this weakness come from?” He highlights that this kind of thinking is out of sync with who he truly is. Kṛṣṇa’s question can be understood as an expression of surprise, as if saying, “I didn’t even know you were capable of entertaining such thoughts, ideas, or desires.”

To illustrate, if a typically peace-loving person suddenly begins talking about violently attacking someone, it would naturally be shocking. One might respond, “Hey, what is going on? I never thought you could think like this. Where has this thought come from within you?”

When we remind people, “This is completely out of sync with who you are,” it can prompt self-reflection. Even in the best among us, certain desires, thoughts, or feelings may unexpectedly arise. They might seem to pop up out of nowhere. If such impulses surface, it is crucial to recognize—This is not who I am, and this is not who I want to be. A moment of clarity may reveal—I have become someone I never wanted to become—someone unworthy of the person I aspire to be.

With this understanding, we gain the strength to reject that particular desire or impurity, refusing to let it define us. This conscious choice reaffirms our commitment to living in alignment with our values.

Often, life distracts or diverts us—not through sudden, sharp turns, but through subtle, gradual shifts. By “life,” we refer to the various negative forces that influence us. Externally, these manifest as tempting situations, and internally, as distractions created by the mind.

These influences rarely force us into an obvious change of direction. Instead, they lead us down a road with a continuous, gentle curve that, over time, effectively becomes a U-turn. This gradual deviation can take us far from our intended path before we even realize it.

If we suddenly take a sharp right turn or a U-turn when we intend to go straight, we immediately realize we are on the wrong path. However, if the road we are following begins to curve gently—turning slightly, then more and more—we may not even notice that we have ended up moving in the opposite direction of where we intended to go.

Similarly, the mind often subtly nudges us onto such a turning road. It doesn’t force an abrupt change but instead gently prods us to follow a path that seems harmless at first. Over time, this gradual shift leads to a complete U-turn, taking us far from our original goal before we are even aware of it.

But if someone points out to us, “Hey, this is not what you were meant to do,” it can awaken our awareness. We may realize, “Yes, this is not the path I intended to take,” and with that recognition, we can check ourselves and stop from continuing down a road we would normally avoid.

For Arjuna—a heroic warrior who has triumphed in extraordinarily difficult battles through his skill, speed, and courage—to suddenly feel weakness right before the most significant fight of his life is extremely uncharacteristic. Such hesitation is utterly unbecoming of him and contrary to his true nature.

Thus, Kṛṣṇa asks Arjuna, kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ, “Where has such a desire come from within you?” This desire does not befit you at all, O Arjuna. Let go of it and step forward to act courageously, in harmony with your true self, and to honor who you really are.

Of course, the true nature of Arjuna will be revealed later in the Bhagavad-gītā. He is ultimately a soul, a part of Kṛṣṇa, a part of the divine. This realization will serve as the foundation for understanding his true purpose and strength.

At this stage, Kṛṣṇa focuses on Arjuna’s level of reality—his identity as a warrior. For a warrior to act with cowardice or develop cold feet is utterly unbecoming. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa asks, “Where is this weakness? Where is this indecisiveness? Where is this fearfulness and tearfulness?”

Arjuna is filled with fear, not of his own death, but of the sinful reactions that may come upon him if he wrongfully kills his relatives. His tearfulness, as mentioned in verse 2.1, is not from sorrow for his own fate, but from confusion and uncertainty about what to do.

Thus, Kṛṣṇa exhorts Arjuna to rise above this weakness, reminding him that such behavior is not fitting for him as a warrior. He urges Arjuna to act with courage and clarity, in alignment with his true nature.

Thank you.