Gita 02.07 – Arjuna exhibits 3 characteristics of an ideal disciple

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kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ
pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ
yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me
śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam (Bg 2.7)

Word-for-word:
kārpaṇya — of miserliness; doṣa — by the weakness; upahata — being afflicted; svabhāvaḥ — characteristics; pṛcchāmi — I am asking; tvām — unto You; dharma — religion; sammūḍha — bewildered; cetāḥ — in heart; yat — what; śreyaḥ — all-good; syāt — may be; niścitam — confidently; brūhi — tell; tat — that; me — unto me; śiṣyaḥ — disciple; te — Your; aham — I am; śādhi — just instruct; mām — me; tvām — unto You; prapannam — surrendered.

Translation:
Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.

Explanation:
kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ : Kārpaṇya means miserliness, and doṣaḥ refers to a fault or weakness. Upahata means afflicted, and svabhāvaḥ denotes one’s nature or disposition. Here, Arjuna states that his nature has been afflicted by kārpaṇya (miserliness or weakness).
pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ : “I am asking you (pṛcchāmi tvāṁ) since my consciousness is bewildered or deluded regarding dharma (dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ).”
yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me : “Please tell me (brūhi tan me) for certain (niścitaṁ) what is the highest good (yac chreyaḥ syān) for me.”
śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam : “I have become your disciple (śiṣyas te ’haṁ). Please instruct me (śādhi māṁ). I surrender unto you (tvāṁ prapannam).”

This verse marks a significant—one could even say momentous—shift in the dynamics of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna’s relationship. Their bond is always intimate, but here, Arjuna surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. If we look at the last line, he explicitly states, śiṣyas te ’haṁ—“I have become your disciple.”

Many people become nominal disciples—they do not seek instruction but merely want a guru for show. In some social circles, having a guru may be nothing more than a cultural fashion. However, Arjuna makes it clear that he is not approaching Kṛṣṇa in that way. He sincerely desires instruction and pleads, śādhi māṁ—“Please instruct me.”

Sometimes, a guru may give difficult instructions that a disciple may hesitate to follow. However, Arjuna assures Kṛṣṇa of his commitment by saying, māṁ tvāṁ prapannam—“I am surrendering to you.” He reaffirms this by declaring, “I am your disciple, please instruct me, I surrender to you.”

In a sense, Arjuna is already demonstrating what Kṛṣṇa will later emphasize in Bhagavad-gītā 4.34: tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā—the three components of surrender—praṇipāta (submission), paripraśna (inquiring submissively), and sevā (rendering service). Arjuna, in some ways, is already exhibiting these qualities here.

Kṛṣṇa says praṇipātena—falling down in submission—which Arjuna expresses through śiṣyas te ’haṁ. A śiṣya places himself in a subordinate position before the guru, and Arjuna does exactly that.

Paripraśnena, meaning “inquiring submissively,” corresponds to śādhi—Arjuna’s plea, “Please instruct me.” His statement pṛcchāmi tvāṁ—“I am asking you”—also aligns with paripraśnena, as it reflects his sincere questioning.

Finally, prapannam means surrender—”I will do what you instruct me.” True surrender means putting aside one’s own will and becoming ready to follow another’s will. Arjuna exemplifies this by declaring, “I surrender unto you.”

In this way, Arjuna exhibits the characteristics of an ideal disciple—even by Kṛṣṇa’s own standards.

In the previous chapter, even though Arjuna’s reasoning is flawed, the very capacity for reasoning is worthy, which makes him capable of understanding the spiritual message that Kṛṣṇa is about to impart.

kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ—Arjuna acknowledges that he has been overcome by miserly weakness.

Recognizing and admitting one’s own faults requires a remarkable degree of self-perception, self-reflection, and self-criticism. Self-perception is the ability to observe one’s own state, self-reflection involves deliberating on it, and self-criticism means taking a critical stance toward one’s own position, emotions, and actions.

Arjuna demonstrates all three here, which is to his credit. It takes great personal maturity to engage in such honest self-examination.

Normally, when someone criticizes us, our instinctive reflex is to defend ourselves—to counter the criticism, to insist that we have been misunderstood, or to argue that the real problem lies elsewhere.

When Kṛṣṇa first rebuked Arjuna with strong words like klaibyaṁ and kṣudraṁ (Bg 2.3), as well as kutas tvā kaśmalam (Bg 2.2), Arjuna’s initial reaction was, “No! I am not acting out of weakness but out of noble, dharmic considerations.” He explained his reasoning, but eventually, he was forced to confront a deeper truth—he did not know what to do. He remained confused.

At this point, Arjuna recognizes his very confusion as a sign of weakness and admits—kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ—“This miserly weakness has overcome me.” He acknowledges that, in the inner battle of the mind, he is being defeated.

It is far better to admit one’s weakness and seek strength from others than to leave it unaddressed, allowing life’s struggles to wear one down until one becomes practically helpless. Seeking help requires humility because we often prefer to present an image of self-sufficiency. However, true sufficiency is experienced in connection with Kṛṣṇa, not in isolation. Establishing that connection often requires guidance, and Arjuna, by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, exemplifies this process.

Arjuna acknowledges that he has been overcome by miserly weakness. Because of this, he turns to Kṛṣṇa and asks what his dharma—his duty—should be. He admits that although he possesses knowledge of dharma, he is now confused, his consciousness deluded.

The defining theme of the Mahābhārata is the inquiry into dharma—what it truly is, what its fundamental principles are, and how to discern it in complex situations. Discovering dharma is not easy, and Arjuna seeks clarity—not just about any duty, but about the kind of dharma that will bring long-term benefit, not merely short-term gains. He asks Kṛṣṇa to speak to him with certainty and direction.

Although Arjuna has used the word śreyaḥ multiple times, he now concedes that he cannot determine it on his own. He turns to Kṛṣṇa, saying, “You must tell me what is śreyaḥ—I do not know. Please guide me.” Through this speech, Arjuna reveals his determination to seek understanding and accept guidance.

In this world, there are three essential steps in the process of seeking guidance. First, we must admit that we need help and be willing to seek it. Second, we must find the right person from whom to seek that help. Third, we must apply the guidance we receive.

In one sense, praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (Bg 4.34) encapsulates these three stages. Praṇipātena represents the first step—acknowledging our need for help and humbling ourselves to seek it. Paripraśnena involves asking questions, which not only reflect the depth of our inquiry but also reveal our level of consciousness and the seriousness of our search. Through questioning, we also evaluate the Guru, just as the Guru assesses the disciple’s sincerity.

Ultimately, the relationship between Guru and disciple is reciprocal—the Guru must gauge the disciple’s sincerity, and the disciple must discern the Guru’s wisdom and caliber.

Let’s take the example of a patient. First, the patient must admit, “I am sick.” Second, the patient needs to go to the doctor. Upon visiting the doctor, the patient explains the problem, asks questions, and, through this process, even evaluates whether the doctor is competent. Finally, after the diagnosis, the patient must apply the prescribed treatment.

In the same way, admitting the need for help, finding the right person to seek help from, and then applying that help are the essential steps to overcoming weakness. Arjuna exemplifies this process. He has moved beyond attempting to rationalize with his own intelligence, which has failed to bring him to any conclusion, and has now reached the point of seeking guidance.

Arjuna exhibits the qualities of an ideal disciple according to the standards of the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa, of course, is the supreme spiritual master, and in the combination of the glorious spiritual master and the sincere student, the great wisdom of the Bhagavad-gītā will be revealed.

Thank you.