Verse 2.3

Verse 2.3: “Yield not, O son of Pritha, to unmanliness: it is not meet in thee. Rid thine heart of this paltry craveness and stand forth, O Scourge of the enemy”. (21)

Commentary called Jnaneshwari by Jnaneshwar:

“Therefore enough of these lamentations; take complete courage in your heart and leave off this sorrowing, O Arjuna! It is not becoming on your part and it will undo altogether your former achievements (you won). Therefore do consider, still, your own interests. O Partha; softness of heart is unavailing in war-time. Have they become your relatives only in the present battle-field? Were you not aware of that before and did you not recognise the Gotrajas as before? Why then are you exaggerating this tender pity unto a poser only now? O Arjuna, is this battle a new thing to you to-day? These hostilities have always existed amongst you. Then how is it only now that this pity has suddenly sprung I can’t understand. However, O Arjuna, you have lapsed into an evil and base thing here. The result of persisting in this delusion will be that the great name you have already won will altogether disappear and in the long run (you) stand in danger of losing, O Partha, the prospect in both this and the other world. Feebleness of heart can never be the means of attaining the highest good. On the contrary it becomes a cause of ruin for valiant Kshatriyas in the battle.” In this way the kind Bhagavanta preached in various ways. Hear now what the son of Pandu said on hearing it.