Chapter 2, Verses 8, 9

Chapter 2, Verses 8, 9

"Not this world's kingdom, supreme, unchallenged,
Nor the throne of the gods in heaven,
Could ease this pain
That numbs my senses."

Having thus unburdened his heart to Krishna,
Arjuna, the great warrior, says,
"I will not fight," and falls silent.

Sri Krishna Prem:

“Not yet is the soul really ready to abandon itself at the feet of the Teacher. True self-giving will only be possible later, for we see that there at the very feet of the Teacher to whom he has just proclaimed his submission, Arjuna refuses to abandon his dejection and cries out bitterly, ‘I will not fight.’

Profoundly significant are these words, for they express the very fault we are always committing. The student appeals for teaching either to the divine Lord within or to his embodiment in human form, professing a willingness to serve utterly. But, spoken or unspoken, there remains a reservation: “Lord, I am Thine and will do Thy bidding, but… ask not me this one thing, for that I cannot do. I will not fight!’ This is why the appeal to the Teacher seems so often to bring no result and why many lose faith.”

[While it is so true that we often hold back “with a reservation,” it’s not true in this case. When Krishna tells Arjuna to throw off his faintheartedness and do the deed (verses 2, 3), Arjuna is still in a paralyzed state of suspended animation and unable to hear the instruction. Then he surrenders. He reiterates that he will not fight, but soon, when Krishna will tell him that he must do his duty and fight and how to go about it, because Arjuna has now surrendered, he will listen, absorb the transmission, and follow through whole-heartedly.]