Bhagavad Gita Home work – Bhagavad Gita Intro – ch 1 - VIHE Vrindavan

Three reasons are following –

1. The speaker of Bhagavad-gītā is Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is mentioned on every page of Bhagavad-
gītā as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān.
2. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as is confirmed by all
great ācāryas (spiritual masters) like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya,
Nimbārka Svāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and many other authorities of Vedic knowledge
in India.
3. The Lord Himself also establishes Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in
the Bhagavad-gītā, and He is accepted as such in the Brahma-saṁhitā and all
the Purāṇas, especially the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, known as the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (kṛṣṇas tu
bhagavān svayam).

Lord Sri Krishna tells the Supreme secret of Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna because
1. Arjuna is His devotee and His friend. Bhagavad-gītā is a treatise which is especially meant for
the devotee of the Lord.
2. The old succession was broken so He is making him the first receiver of a
new paramparā(disciplic succession).
3. It was the Lord’s wish that His teaching be distributed anew by Arjuna.
4. He wanted Arjuna to become the authority in understanding the Bhagavad-gītā.
Why specifically to Arjuna - because Arjuna was a devotee of the Lord, a direct student of Kṛṣṇa, and
His intimate friend.

Although Bhagavad-gita is well known, only one who has taken it up in a spirit of
devotion can understand it. Bhagavad-gita is not a mythological treatise spoken by some mortal, but
it is the eternal, timeless, mature voice of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna, who is
addressed as Bhagavan, the possessor of all six opulences.
The message of Bhagavad-gita is confidential and will remain hidden to the mundane scholars who
try to misinterpret the Lord’s words. They do so out of envy for the Lord and to put themselves in the
forefront. Such commentators can be compared to a bee licking the outside of a bottle of honey. One

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cannot have the taste of honey unless one opens the bottle and licks the contents. No matter how
much one is well versed in computer software, one cannot do anything without knowing the
password of the computer. Similarly the password to understand Bhagavad-gita is the spirit of
devotion and submissiveness to the Lord and His devotees.

The goal of the Bhagavad-gita is given in the Bhagavad-gita itself [BG 18.66]. There
Lord Shri Krishna is ordering Arjuna to surrender to Him alone completely by surpassing all other
lower platforms of good work and religious formularies. The Lord promises Arjuna that He will
vanquish all his sinful reactions and deliver him from this world of birth and death. If someone does
not come to this conclusion and goal after reading Bhagavad-gita, they have missed the essential
point. If someone puts Krishna aside considering Him to be an ordinary person and thinks that the
goal of Bhagavad-gita is to do social service, to become patriot of our nation, to become a good
person who does not harm others, to become a Sanskrit scholar, etc., he is very unfortunate. He is
like that foolish man who, after hearing the whole Ramayana asked the speaker, “Sir, how is Sita
related to Rama?” Lord Shri Krishna is the Central point, Subject and Goal of Gita.

There are five main themes illustrated in the Bhagavad-gita. They are:
1. Ishvara – The Supreme Lord
2. Jiva – The Living Entity
3. Prakriti – The Material Nature
4. Kala – Eternal Time
5. Karma – Activities.
A summarized understanding of these five topics covered in the Bhagavad-gita is as follows –
Ishvara, God : The Supreme Godhead, or Krishna, or Brahman, or the supreme controller, or
Paramatma you may use whatever name you like is the greatest of all. . . When we see wonderful
things happening in the cosmic nature, we should know that behind this cosmic manifestation there
is a controller. Nothing could be manifested without being controlled. It is childish not to consider the
controller. For instance, a child may think that an automobile is quite wonderful to be able to run
without a horse or other animal pulling it, but a sane man knows the nature of the automobile's
engineering arrange-ment. He always knows that behind the machinery there is a man, a driver.
Similarly, the Supreme Lord is the driver under whose direction everything is working. – Introduction
to Bhagavad-gita As It Is
Krishna is the Supreme enjoyer. We are trying to become imitation Krishna, Just like so many rascals,
they declare that "God, I am God." – Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 1.13-14, London, July 14, 1973
2. jiva, living entity : Now the jivas, or the living entities, have been accepted by the Lord, as we will
note in the later chapters, as His parts and parcels. A particle of gold is also gold, a drop of water
from the ocean is also salty, and similarly we the living entities, being part and parcel of the supreme
controller, ishvara, or Bhagavan, Lord Sri Krishna, have all the qualities of the Supreme Lord in
minute quantity because we are minute ishvaras, subordinate ishvaras. We are trying to control
nature, as presently we are trying to control space or planets, and this tendency to control is there
because it is in Krishna, But although we have a tendency to lord it over material nature, we should
know that we are not the supreme controller. – Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is
The living spark, the soul, is the same dimension, either within the ant or in the elephant. This
dimension of the soul we have several times discussed, 1/10,000th part of the top of the hair.

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Kesagra-satabhagasya satadha kalpitasya ca/ jivo bhagahl sa vijneyah/ sa canantyaya kalpate [Cc.
Madhya 19.140] That is the dimension. In shastra we get the dimension of the soul-very, very minute:
1/10,000th part of the top of the hair. Just imagine. So that portion is within the ant and within
Brahma and within elephant. – Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 1.44, London, July 31, 1973
3. Prakriti, material nature : The manifestation of the world is not accepted as false; it is accepted
as real, but temporary. It is likened unto a cloud which moves across the sky, or the coming of the
rainy season, which nourishes grains. As soon as the rainy season is over and as soon as the cloud
goes away, all the crops which were nourished by the rain dry up. Similarly, this material
manifestation takes place at a certain interval, stays for a while and then disappears. Such are the
workings of prakriti. But this cycle is working eternally. Therefore prakriti is eternal; it is not false. The
Lord Nothing could be manifested without being controlled. It is childish not to consider the
controller. refers to this as "My prakriti." This material nature is the separated energy of the Supreme
Lord … – Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is
What is material nature? This is also explained in gita as inferior prakriti, inferior nature … Prekiti is
always under control, whether inferior or superior. Prakriti is female, and she is controlled by the Lord
just as the activities of a wife are controlled by the husband. Prakriti is always subordinate,
predominated by the Lord, who is the predominator. . . Material nature itself is constituted by three
qualities: the mode of goodness, the mode of passion and the mode of ignorance. – Introduction to
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
4. Kala, time factor : Kalena mahata. By the great power. Kala means time. Time has got his
influence, very great influence. Time's business is, whatever you make, time will try to kill you. That's
all. You make a nice house, very nice house, but as soon as it becomes older it is being killed. You
have very good body, nice body, but the influence of time is trying to kill you. That is the influence of
time. So in the Bhagavad-gita you'll also find that
when Arjuna saw the universal form of Krishna, he asked that "Who are You?" And Krishna said in
that universal form that "I am Kala. I have come to kill" That's it. This was the answer.
So kala's business is to kill. So here also it is said sa kalena iha, kalena mahata. Mahata is also
karana, and kalena, by the influence of…, that is now lost. Because it is a struggle. Our struggle for
existence means we are trying to exist, but kala is fighting to kill. That is going on. So kala's business,
time's business is to kill, but that system is now lost, is now killed by the influence of time. – Lecture
on Bhagavad-gita 4.1, Montreal, August 24, 1968
Pradyumna: What kind of manifestation is time, of Krishna, kala? Kala, time. How is time a feature
of Krishna?
Prabhupada: Time has no influence over Krishna,
Pradyumna: But time is a feature of Krishna, a manifestation of Krishna?
Prabhupada: Everything is feature of Krishna, so time is naturally a feature of Krishna,
Pradyumna: If we measure time in this world by our material bodies and yet there is no time in the
spiritual sky, but there is difference of type.
Prabhupada: No. The time influence is not there. Time is eternal. But here the influence of time is
acting. Just like this table is new, but by the influ-ence of time it will gradually become old … . Every
potency of Krishna is there, but their activities, as we find here in this material world, they are not
there. – Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 4.1, Montreal, August 24, 1968
5. Karma, activities: The effects of karma may be very old indeed. We are suffering or enjoying the
results of our activities from time immemorial, but we can change the results of our karma, or our
activity, and this change depends on the perfection of our knowledge. We are engaged in various
activities. Undoubtedly we do not know what sort of activities we should adopt to gain relief from the
actions and reactions of all these activities, but this is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita. –
Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is.

When the living entity is in material consciousness, he has to take on various bodies in the material
world. That is called karma, or varied creation by the force of material consciousness …. According to

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his identification with material or spiritual nature, he receives a material or spiritual body. In material
nature he may take a body from any of the 8,400,000 species of life, but in spiritual nature he has
only one body. In material nature he is manifested sometimes as a man, demigod, animal, beast,
bird, etc., according to his karma. To attain material heavenly planets and enjoy their facilities, he
sometimes performs sacrifices (yajna), but when his merit is exhausted he returns to earth again in
the form of a man. This process is called karma. – Bhagavad-gita 8.3, purport
The Two Prakritis
Both the living entity and material nature are explained as prakriti, the energy of the Supreme Lord,
but one of the two, the jivas, is conscious. The other prakti is not conscious. That is the difference.
Therefore the jivas-prakti is called superior because the jivas has consciousness which is similar to the
Lord's. –Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is
These eight types of material nature-earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence and ego-these are
material nature. Bhinna prakritir astadha. They are separated energies. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me
prakritim periim. Beyond this. These are inferior, apara. And beyond this apara-Prakriti, there is
another, superior prakriti. What is that? jivas-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat [Bg. 7.5].
That is the living entity. – Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 2.13, Hyderabad, November 18, 1972
God and the Living Entity-are they One or Different? : The distinction between the jivas and the
ishvara will be ex- plained in the Thirteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita. The Lord is kshetra-jna,
conscious, as is the living being, but the living being is conscious of his particular body, whereas the
Lord is conscious of all bodies. Because He lives in the heart of every living being, He is conscious of
the psychic movements of the particular jivas. We should not forget this. It is also explained that the
Paramatma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is living in everyone's heart as ishvara, as the
controller, and that He is giving directions for the living entity to act as he desires. – Introduction to
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
The supreme conscious ishvara is similar to the living entity in this way: both the consciousness of the
Lord and that of the living entity are transcendental. It is not that consciousness is generated by the
association of matter. . . When He descends into the material universe, His consciousness is not
materially affected … Our consciousness, at the present moment, however, is materially
contaminated. – Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is
Krishna says, aharh bija-pradah pita [gita 14.4], "I am the original father of all living entities." So if
God is father of all living entities and we all living entities, we are individual person, how God can be
imperson? God is person. – Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 2.11, Edinburgh July 16, 1972

Sanskrit root meaning of the word. Dharma refers to that which is constantly existing with a
particular object. We conclude that there is heat and light along with the fire; without heat and light,
there is no meaning to the word fire. Similarly, we must discover the essential part of the living being,
that part which is his constant companion. That constant companion is his eternal quality, and that
eternal quality is his eternal religion.

The English word religion is a little different from sanātana-dharma. Religion conveys the idea of
faith, and faith may change. One may have faith in a particular process, and he may change this faith
and adopt another, but sanātana-dharma refers to that activity which cannot be changed. For
instance, liquidity cannot be taken from water, nor can heat be taken from fire. Similarly, the eternal
function of the eternal living entity cannot be taken from the living entity. Sanātana-dharma is

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eternally integral with the living entity. When we speak of sanātana-dharma, therefore, we must
take it for granted on the authority of Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya that it has neither beginning nor end.

It is the perfect widely read theistic science because it is directly spoken by the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Because it has everything. Gītā Mahatmya by Sankaracharya. Ekam sastram devaki putra gitam.

Dhrtarashtra inquiry reveals Dhrtarashtra’s doubtful and fearful mind shown by below points –

1. Partial to his own sons – Dhrtarashtra refers to only his sons as ‘Kurus’ which shows his
specific position in relation to his nephews, the Pandavas.
2. Uses the specific words ‘Dharma-kshetra’ and ‘Kuru-kshetra’ – Their importance is as
follows:
a. Kuru-kshetra is a sacred place of pilgrimage from immemorial time of the Vedic age
b. Kuru-kshetra is a holy place and a place of worship even for heavenly denizens
c. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is personally present on the Pandavas side
d. Pandavas are virtuous – therefore the holy place may influence them
e. Dhrtarashtra is fearful about the holy influences on the fate of the battle because:
f. It may influence his own sons to compromise, or
g. He hoped that under the holy influence, the Pandavas may renounce their claim, to
avoid bloodshed
h. Analogy: Paddy field (Kshetra) – unnecessary weeds taken out, similarly in religious
‘field’ of Kuru-kshetra in the presence of the ‘father of religion’ Sri Krishna, unwanted
plants like Dhrtarashtra and his son Duryodhana and others would be wiped out.

Following 8 signs reveal Duryodhana’s diplomacy and inner fear by the

following indications:
1. Duryodhana although mentioned as king, goes to the commander on account of seriousness
of situation – quite fit to be a politician (1.2)
2. Points out Drona’s mistake (of imparting military secrets to son of Drupada, Dhrstadyumna
who was born to kill Dronacharya) to make him alert and uncompromising and warns that
leniency would lead to defeat (1.3*)
3. Mentions great heros equal to Bhima and Arjuna (1.4*)
a. Why he compares them to Bhima and Arjuna –
i. Because he knew the strength of Bhima and Arjuna
b. Why he mentions other heros –
i. Because they were great stumbling blocks on the path of victory as each and
every one of them was as formidable and Bhima and Arjuna

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4. Mentions heros who are ready to lay down their lives for “me” (like Jayadratha, Krtavarma,
Salya) (1.9)
5. Praises Bhisma – He was confident of full support of Bhismadeva and Dronacarya because:
a. They did not protect Draupadi when she was insulted
i. Although Bhisma and Drona have affection for Pandavas and might become
lenient, he hoped that they will give up all affection now (1.11)
6. Asks for everyone’s support for Bhisma (1.11) – because
a. Bhismadeva was undoubtedly the great hero, but he was an old man and the enemy
might take advantage of his full engagement on one side
b. He wanted everyone to feel important.
7. Duryodhana, as an expert diplomat, began to describe the Kauravas’ strength with the words
bhavān bhīṣmaś ca karṇaś ca. Yet before he spoke he was caught in another difficult
situation. Facing him were two great warriors: Bhīṣmaś was the commander-in-chief of the
army, and Droṇā was his military guru. Whom, then, should he mention first? Duryodhana
was clever. He knew that Bhīṣmaś was a kshatriya and Bhīṣmaś a brahmana. If he mentioned
Bhīṣmaś first, Droṇācārya would be insulted. As a kshatriya, however, Bhīṣmaś would honor
the etiquette of offering the brahmana more respect. Thus Duryodhana said, bhavān
bhīṣmaś: “There are personalities like you, Droṇācārya, and Bhīṣmaś.”
8. Surprisingly, Duryodhana next mentioned his own brother Vikarṇa . Vikarṇa was not of the
same caliber as Bhīṣmaś or Droṇā, but because he was the only brother who objected to the
Kauravas’ insult to Draupadi, Duryodhana assumed that he was sympathetic to the Pandavas
and that he might defect from the Kaurava army. Therefore Duryodhana flattered
Vikarṇa by including his name among the more powerful fighters he was relying on.

Govinda –
Pleasure-giver to cows and senses (1.15)
Arjuna misuses the name ‘Govinda’ ()1.32-1.35
 Meaning of ‘Govinda’ – Krishna is the object of all pleasures for the cows and the senses
 What Arjuna indicates by addressing Krishna as ‘Govinda’
 He indicates that Krishna should understand what will satisfy Arjuna’s senses
 Material understanding of God – Materially everyone wants to satisfy his senses and
wants God to be his order supplier for such satisfaction
 What is the right conception of the name ‘Govinda’
 Lord will satisfy the senses of the living entities as much as they deserve, but not to
the extent they may covet
 Because ‘Govinda’ is not meant for satisfying our senses
 Right conception – When one tries to satisfy the senses of ‘Govinda’ without desiring
to satisfy one’s own senses, then by the grace of ‘Govinda’ all the desires of the living
entities are satisfied

Madhava - Arjuna addresses Krishna as ‘Madhava’ to indicate(1.36-1.38) –

 Krishna is the husband of the Goddess of ‘fortune’

 Krishna should not cause an action which brings ‘misfortune’

Madhusuda –

 Killer of Madhu demon

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 Arjuna requested Krishna to kill the demon of misunderstanding that had overtaken him in
the discharge of his duty
 Krishna is killer of demon madhu but then why He is asking to kill madhu dynasty.

Achyuta - infallible, addressed so because –

 The Lord never fails in affection for His devotees – thus engaged in the service of His friend,
out of His causeless mercy
 Did not hesitate to carry out the order of Arjuna as his charioteer
 Still His supreme position as Hrsikesa, the Lord of senses was unchallenged
 Even though He accepted the postion of charioteer His position as Supreme is not challenged.

Janardana – Killer of people. So you yourself can kill

Maintainer of the People.

Hrsikesa –

Owner of all senses / senses of living entities are part and parcels of His senses (1.15)
 Impersonalists cannot account for the senses of the living entities and they are always
anxious to describe the living entities as sense-less or impersonal
 Lord as Paramatma directs the senses according to the surrender of the living entity
 Directly controls transcendental senses of a pure devotee like Arjuna
As director of mind and senses, He could understand Arjuna’s purpose in placing the chariot in the
midst of the armies – “hestitation to fight” (1.24 Purport)
Lord knows Arjuna’s mind and thus knows everything being the Supersoul of all living entities. (1.25
Purport)

Gudakesa - one who conquers sleep

 Gudaka means sleep; sleep also means ignorance
 Arjuna conquered sleep & ignorance because of friendship with Krishna
 Nature of the devotee
 Cannot forget Krishna even for a moment (Samadhi); even while walking or asleep
condition
 Devotee conquers sleep and ignorance; because of constant Krishna consciousness.
(This is called Samadhi)

Parantapa - ‘Chastiser of Enemy’

 Sanjaya disappoints Dhrtarashtra by declaring Arjuna as competent to kill the enemies
 Sanjaya informs Dhrtarashtra that Arjuna was temporarily overwhelmed but has now
surrendered unto Krishna and would soon fight.
 3 effects of surrender which manifest in Arjuna –
 Enlightenment
 Freedom from false lamentation
 Reinstatement in his own duty – e.g. Arjuna would surely fight

Son of Prtha - Indicates son of aunt ‘Prtha'. Thus Krishna wants to point out (1.25 Purport) –
 He became charioteer because Arjuna is son of aunt (Queen Kunti)

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 Krishna said to Arjuna: “Behold the Kurus” – This phrase indicates Arjuna’s mind “Do you
want to stop and not fight?”
 Krishna does not expect such cowardly action from the son of his aunt
 Mood of friendly joking expressed here.

Dhananjaya - Arjuna helped elder brother to fetch wealth for different sacrifices

Signs of victory of pandavas

1. Krishna’s personal presence confirms victory

 Supreme Personality of Godhead is the charioteer (1.14) – “jayas tu pandu-putranam
yesam…”
 Krishna as Hrsikesha directly controls the senses of a pure devotee
2. Goddess of fortune
 Whenever and wherever the Lord is present, the goddess of fortune is also there
 She never lives without her husband; therefore all fortune is guaranteed (1.14)
3. Venue
 Kurukshetra is a holy place (1.1)
4. Hanumanji on Arjuna’s flag
 Hanumanji also helped Lord Rama in gaining victory (1.20)
5. Symbol of Vishnu
 Conchshell is a symbol of Vishnu (1.12* & 1.14)
 This is indirectly indicated by Bhisma and Pandavas conchshells
6. Transcendental conchshells
 Krishna and Arjuna’s conchshell mentioned as divya (transcendental) (1.14)
7. Bhisma’s conchshell to pacify Duryodhana (1.12*)
8. Agnideva’s Chariot given to Arjuna
 It was capable of conquering all directions (1.14)
9. Shattering of hearts
 Conchshells of Pandavas shattered Kauravas hearts (1.19)
 Pandavas hearts not shattered – because of confidence in Krishna
10. Military arrangements and army of Pandavas
11. Drona and Bhisma were neutral, and were fighting just for the sake of fighting.


Although Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, out of His causeless mercy He was
engaged in the service of His friend. Arjuna was the son of Pṛthā, the sister of His own father
Vasudeva, therefore He had agreed to be the charioteer of Arjuna.

ARJUNA’S FIVE ARGUMENTS

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S.No. Arjuna’s Arguments Verse(s) Lord Krishna’s

refutation in verse(s)
1. Compassion 1.28 – 1.30 2.11 – 2.30
2. Loss of enjoyment 1.31 – 1.35 2.31 – 2.32
3. Fear of sinful reactions 1.36 – 1.38 2.33 – 2.37
4. Destruction of family traditions 1.37 – 1.43 2.45 – 2.46 & 3.24
5. Indecision 2.6 –

Compassion

 Compassion due to soft heartedness of a pure devotee (1.28) – Ref. SB 5.18.12

 By unflinching devotion unto Supreme Lord – all good qualities manifest
 Non-devotee in contrast – He may be advanced by education & culture, but lacks
godly qualities; hovering on mental plane, he is certain to be attracted by glaring
energy
 What indicates his soft-heartedness – Arjuna is sympathetic for “both the parties”
 False compassion due to material fear, namely loss of life – Indicates material conception of
life (1.29 – 1.30)
 Impatience – Due to this impatience Arjuna was unable to stay on the battlefield
 Weakness of mind – Thus he was forgetting himself
 Excessive attachment to material things – This puts a man in such a bewildered
condition

Loss of enjoyment

Arjuna in a “blind conception of life” cannot see the right way to achieve even the material
happiness. He argues that fighting will not offer him any enjoyment, even by victory.

Fear of sinful reactions

Arjuna argues that fighting will incur sinful reactions because of the unique position of the aggressors
as seniors and relatives

Destruction of family traditions

Fighting will cause family destruction

Indecision

Arjuna is confused whether to fight or not to fight

 Arjuna is confused and indecisive based on the following aspects

 If he fights:
 He may win – Still he will not be able to enjoy without his relatives (1.31 –
1.35)
 He may not emerge victorious in spite of so much bloodshed – No enjoyment
guaranteed
 If he does not fight:
 Begging will be his only means of subsistence – For a ksatriya it is difficult
and therefore no enjoyment

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Fighting will cause family destruction in the following 6-step sequence:

1. Death of Elderly (1.39)

 Fighting destroys the whole dynasty
2. Family Traditions Stop: Irreligion increases (1.39)
 With the destruction of dynasty, the entire family tradition is vanquished, and thus
the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligion
3. Women polluted (1.40)
 When irreligion is prominent, the women in the family become polluted
 Chanakya Pandit says “Women need protection”
 Why women need special protection – Because they are
 Less intelligent
 Not trustworthy
 Prone to degradation
 How they are protected – By engaging in religious principles, either under father,
husband or son
 If they are not protected, it leads to adultery and varna-sankara
4. Varna-sankara (unwanted progeny) (1.40*)
 From degradation of woman comes unwanted progeny
 Varna-sankara has three effects
 Risk of war and pestilence
 Hellish life
 For the whole family – Ancestors falldown because pinda-dana stops
 For those who destroy family
 All community projects and family welfare acts stop
5. Hellish life for ‘family’ and ‘destroyers of family’ (1.41*)
6. Culture is destroyed – Community projects and family welfare acts stop (1.42)

Bg 1.14

tataḥ śvetair hayair yukte

mahati syandane sthitau
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaś caiva
divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ

Translation:

On the other side, both Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses,
sounded their transcendental conchshells.

Purport:

In contrast with the conchshell blown by Bhīṣmadeva, the conchshells in the hands of Kṛṣṇa and
Arjuna are described as transcendental. The sounding of the transcendental conchshells indicated
that there was no hope of victory for the other side because Kṛṣṇa was on the side of the
Pāṇḍavas. Jayas tu pāṇḍu-putrāṇāṁ yeṣāṁ pakṣe janārdanaḥ. Victory is always with persons like the

By Anantabaladeva Aravinda Das

 Bhagavad Gita Home work – Bhagavad Gita Intro – ch 1 - VIHE Vrindavan

sons of Pāṇḍu because Lord Kṛṣṇa is associated with them. And whenever and wherever the Lord is
present, the goddess of fortune is also there because the goddess of fortune never lives alone without
her husband. Therefore, victory and fortune were awaiting Arjuna, as indicated by the transcendental
sound produced by the conchshell of Viṣṇu, or Lord Kṛṣṇa. Besides that, the chariot on which both the
friends were seated had been donated by Agni (the fire-god) to Arjuna, and this indicated that this
chariot was capable of conquering all sides, wherever it was drawn over the three worlds.

It is said here that victory is always with persons like the sons of Pāṇḍu because Lord Kṛṣṇa is
associated with them. And whenever and wherever the Lord is present, the goddess of fortune is also
there because the goddess of fortune never lives alone without her husband.

So my plan is to improve my Japa and morning sadhana to bring Krishna to my side so that I can get
victory in this material world.

By Anantabaladeva Aravinda Das