Gita 01.28 Our Thought – Trains Journey From Intentions To Actions Is Diverted By Our 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:
This verse begins a prolonged sequence in which Arjuna expresses his emotions and articulates his unwillingness to fight in the war.
dṛṣṭvemaṁ: I can see all of them in front of me.
sva-janaṁ kṛṣṇa: These are all my people, Kṛṣṇa.
yuyutsuṁ samupasthitam: They have assembled here to fight.
sīdanti mama gātrāṇi: My limbs are becoming weak because of this.
mukhaṁ ca pariśuṣyati: And my mouth is drying up.
If we consider the chain of events here, it starts with a physical situation, followed by the perception of that situation, which then leads to a particular response. Arjuna’s emotional response triggers a corresponding physical reaction. The Bhagavad-gītā illustrates the profound impact of emotions in shaping our actions and, consequently, our destiny.
Unless we are extremely careful and cautious, our emotions can carry us in many random directions. Overcoming emotions is not easy. Only recently has modern science begun to acknowledge the mind’s power in influencing our actions. When faced with a problematic situation, it is up to each of us to move forward with steady determination, striving to purge ourselves of destructive emotions or at least restrain their harmful effects. This is vitally essential if we wish to remain steady. Science has recognized the field of mind-body medicine, which acknowledges that emotions are real in the sense that they can have tangible effects on us.
In the previous verse, it was described that Arjuna was overwhelmed by intense compassion. As a result, he couldn’t think straight, and he couldn’t keep his actions aligned with his intentions. We often say “think straight,” but what does that mean? If our thinking is twisted, we don’t logically progress toward our goals.
Imagine someone drawing a twisted line—such a line would take longer to reach the destination. Even if they start heading in the right direction, if the line is too twisted and they don’t correct it, the line will never reach its intended goal. Similarly, in a physical journey, if we take random turns based on whims, we won’t arrive where we want to go. However, if we learn to focus on reality, we won’t be so easily dissuaded, dissipated, or distracted.
If we consider our thinking as a journey through the territory of our consciousness, and we want to travel from point A to point B, we naturally seek the straightest path, as it’s usually the fastest. Of course, there are exceptions—such as when the terrain is challenging with mountains or rivers in the way, or when the straight path is crowded with traffic. But generally, the straightest path is the quickest, and we would be well advised to take that straight path to reach our destination as swiftly as possible. If we proceed along the straight path but find ourselves unable to maintain it due to external factors, that’s understandable. However, if we keep taking random turns, we will never arrive.
When we don’t “think straight,” it means there’s a situation that needs to be addressed logically. But instead of dealing with it directly, we allow ourselves to become distorted and diverted. The main culprits that derail our ‘thought train’ are our emotions.
Arjuna arrived on the battlefield with the intention to fight against the Kauravas. However, as events unfolded, he became overwhelmed by his situation and felt powerless to act. He was so forcefully swept away by his emotions that they triggered physical reactions within him. The next few verses will continue to describe these physical reactions. Importantly, despite being carried away, it was his association with Kṛṣṇa and his willingness to seek guidance from Him that prevented excessive diversion.
If we are consulting a friend who repeatedly cautions us to turn left—correcting us if we attempt to turn right—then we will be able to move forward toward our destination. Similarly, if we regularly seek guidance from Kṛṣṇa by hearing His words—especially as explained by those devoted to living by those teachings—we will find that we won’t become easily distracted.
By doing so, we can better stay on track and move toward a spiritually progressive goal through our spiritual practice. Such is the potency of remembering Kṛṣṇa, particularly His words, as a guiding principle in our lives. The way Arjuna was saved from being excessively diverted by his emotions will be described later in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Thank you.
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