Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.16.7
Ūti· What drives us to actArjuna’s Distress Before His Inquiry
“On the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra Arjuna thought that killing his relatives would be an abominable, irreligious activity, motivated only by his desire to acquire a kingdom. He therefore desisted from the battle, thinking, “I would be the killer of my relatives. They would be destroyed.” Thus Arjuna was afflicted with mundane consciousness.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa explains the circumstances in which Arjuna posed his questions.
- Arjuna thought that killing his relatives to acquire a kingdom would be abominable and irreligious. He therefore withdrew from fighting.
- Thinking of himself as the killer and his relatives as those who would be destroyed, Arjuna was afflicted with mundane consciousness.
Try this today
Write down the thoughts that troubled Arjuna, then note how Kṛṣṇa describes his consciousness.
Ask yourself
What does Kṛṣṇa’s description invite you to examine about the limits of your own understanding?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.