sañjaya uvāca
evam uktvā hṛṣīkeśaḿ
guḍākeśaḥ parantapaḥ
na yotsya iti govindam
uktvā tūṣṇīḿ babhūva ha
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 2.9
Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus, Arjuna, chastiser of enemies, told Krishna, “Govinda, I shall not fight,” and fell silent.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
Dhritarashtra must have been very glad to understand that Arjuna was not going to fight and was instead leaving the battlefield for the begging profession. But Sanjaya disappointed him again in relating that Arjuna was competent to kill his enemies (parantapah). Although Arjuna was, for the time being, overwhelmed with false grief due to family affection, he surrendered unto Krishna, the supreme spiritual master, as a disciple. This indicated that he would soon be free from the false lamentation resulting from family affection and would be enlightened with perfect knowledge of self-realization, or Krishna consciousness, and would then surely fight. Thus Dhritarashtra’s joy would be frustrated, since Arjuna would be enlightened by Krishna and would fight to the end.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
No commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
2.9 – 2.10 Sanjaya said — Thus, the Lord, the Supreme Person, introduced the Sastra regarding the self for the sake of Arjuna — whose natural courage was lost due to love and compassion in a misplaced situation, who thought war to be unrighteous even though it was the highest duty for warriors (Ksatriyas), and who took refuge in Sri Krsna to know what his right duty was —, thinking that Arjuna’s delusion would not come to an end except by the knowledge of the real nature of the self, and that war was an ordained duty here which, when freed from attachment to fruits, is a means for self-knowledge. Thus, has it been said by Sri Yamunacarya: ‘The introduction to the Sastra was begun for the sake of Arjuna, whose mind was agitated by misplaced love and compassion and by the delusion that righteousness was unrighteousness, and who took refuge in Sri Krsna.’ The Supreme Person spoke these words as if smiling, and looking at Arjuna, who was thus overcome by grief resulting from ignorance about the real nature of the body and the self, but was nevertheless speaking about duty as if he had an understanding that the self is distinct from the body, and while he (Arjuna), torn between contradictory ideas, had suddenly become inactive standing between the two armies that were getting ready to fight. Sri Krsna said, as if in ridicule, to Arjuna the words beginning with, ‘There never was a time when I did not exist’ (II. 12), and ending with ‘I will release you from all sins; grieve not!’ (XVIII. 66) — which have for their contents the real nature of the self, of the Supreme Self, and of the paths of work (Karma), knowledge (Jnana) and devotion (Bhakti) which constitute the means for attaining the highest spiritual fulfilment.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
Anticipating a question after speaking thus in the previous verse, Arjuna finishes his lamentation with the words I shall not fight and then silently waits for the Supreme Lord’s instructions.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
Dhritarastra expectancy to know what happenned next was answered by Sanjaya saying that Arjuna who could control sleep spoke to Lord Krishna the controller of the senses saying he would not fight. Lord Krishna the omnipotent, omniscient, originator of the Vedas and the worshippable Supreme Lord spoken of in the Udyoga Parva of the Mahabharata as Govinda, the one who knows everything in all respects according to the words of the Vedas. Also in the Harivamsa the sages have stated that verily the cow is called go and elaborating further they address Lord Krishna as Govinda or He who protects the cows and He who attracts everyones senses.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
2.9 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
2.9 See Comment under 2.10
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
sanjaya uvaca
evam uktva hrsikesam
gudakesah parantapah
na yotsya iti govindam
uktva tusnim babhuva ha
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
sañjayaḥ uvāca — Sañjaya said; evam — thus; uktvā — speaking; hṛṣīkeśam — unto Kṛṣṇa, the master of the senses; guḍākeśaḥ — Arjuna, the master of curbing ignorance; parantapaḥ — the chastiser of the enemies; na yotsye — I shall not fight; iti — thus; govindam — unto Kṛṣṇa, the giver of pleasure to the senses; uktvā — saying; tūṣṇīm — silent; babhūva — became; ha — certainly.
