GITA 1.19

GITA 1.19

UllAsa-Pallavitha-Paalitha-SapthalOkee-

nirvAha-kOrakitha-nEma-katAshaleelAm|
Sriranga-harmyatala-MangaLa-dheepa-rEkhAm
SrirangarAja-MahishIm SriyamAsrayAma||

This is a sloka from 'gunaratna kosam' by the great Acharya Sri Parasara Battar. These slokas were composed in praise of Sri Ranga Nachiyar. She is shining like a lamp on the vimanam (canopy) over Sri Ranganatha. With Her grace only, the entire World is living. 

In the name Srirangam, Sri denotes Her and this is Her rangam (dancing stage). Sri Ranga Nachiyar is happily dancing in this place. We are now in the Thousand pillar mantapam ,which is replica of similar one in Vaikuntam. In the Gita we are studying, the greatness of the Lord. The Lord is praised as Sri Hrishikesa. We saw sloka 21 first half. Sanjaya said,"O! King! Arjuna firmly held his bow and looking at Duryodana and others, told these words to Sri Hrishikesa (Sri Krishna)". We will now see what Arjuna told. The second half of sloka 21: 

senayor ubhayor madhye

ratham sthapaya me 'cyuta

O infallible one, please draw my chariot between the two armies

Acyuta = Hey! Achyuta (Sri Krishna), senayor ubhayor madhye = in between the Two armies, me ratham = my chariot, sthapaya = park (it). This is an order from Arjuna to Sri Krishna! Arjuna should have politely requested Sri Krishna, as Sri Krishna was Supreme Being and Arjuna was an ordinary mortal. He should have fallen at Sri Krishna's feet and prayed. But that shows their intimacy as they were cousins! It was Arjuna's great fortune. Such was their intimacy that Arjuna could command Sri Krishna! If a mortal could order the Supreme Being, that itself is enough to foretell victory for the Pandavas! Was there a necessity to fight? There is no doubt about the result of the war, after this talk by Arjuna! Sri Vedanta Desika in his Tatparya Chandrika shows a wonderful interpretation. In the beginning, Dridarashtra asked Sanjaya as to what was happening in the sacred Kurukshetra between his sons and Pandava. We mentioned that Dridarashtra concealed his real intention. Dridarashtra was eager to know the victory of his sons. But afraid of partiality, he concealed his intention in his query to Sanjaya. Sanjaya, understanding the real intention of Dridarashtra, tried to reply in the same vein! Because both Sanjaya and Dridarashtra were classmates! Dridarashtra used to wonder and enquire Sanjaya as to how he was able to grasp knowledge so quickly, even though both of them studied under the same teacher. Sanjaya used to reply that he could answer his query if Dridarashtra would not get offended. That itself should be clear to Dridarashtra that something unpleasant would be told. Sanjaya did not know how to deceive and so he was able to understand everything clearly. Corollary is that Dridarashtra was a deceiver! For the query of Dridarashtra in the beginning, Sanjaya mentioning about the sound from Panchajanya shattering the hearts of Duryodana and others, could be one indirect answer. Now as a Second answer to Dridarashtra's query, Sanjaya is narrating that an ordinary mortal is ordering the Supreme Being to park the chariot in between the armies and it is being carried out! But as usual, Dridarashtra was incapable of understanding the satire in Sanjaya's words. That is why at the end, Sanjaya explicitly tells Dridarashtra that where Sri Krishna and Arjuna were, there victory was confirmed. 

Here, Arjuna addresses Sri Krishna as Achyuta. Achyuta has several meanings. One is that one will not abandon. One who never deserts a person who has surrendered is Achyuta. The Lord never slips from any of His divine qualities.Whatever Avatar He takes, be is Fish or Boar or Hayagriva, He never slips from any of His noble qualities. Also, He never abandons anyone approaching Him. 

In the famous hymn 'pachaima malaipol meni...', of Tirumalai of Tondaradipodi Alwar, he calls Sri Ranganatha as Achyuta. The Alwar describes the beauty of the Lord. In festivals, the Lord is decorated differently to show His beauty, in various forms. Alwar describes the Lord's divine body as a green hill and in that His lips are red like corals. Eyes appear as lotus! In this how does Achyuta fit in? A lotus might lose its blossoms, when Sun sets; or, it may wither away after a few days, but Sri Krishna's eyes will never lose their qualities. 

Arjuna calling Sri Krishna Achyuta also to indicate that He should not abandon Arjuna! So, Arjuna is commanding Sri Krishna with something in his mind. Sri Krishna accordingly parks the chariot so that Arjuna could see all the heroes standing in both armies. Normally, before we venture into something, we should analyse all pros and cons. Here, Sri Ramanuja in his commentary raises a question. How is it justified for Sri Krishna to obey such commands from Arjuna? The Supreme Being, in the eyes of the World, is working as a Charioteer for a mortal! We have seen friends of great persons showing their intimacy in private, but in public, they would show their due respects. But here Arjuna is publicly displaying Sri Krishna as His charioteer! Sri Ramanuja answers that for the sake of His devotee, the Lord will stoop to any level. We will see in the next lecture how Sri Krishna parks the chariot. 

                                                                   (continued)