In English
Responding to ’s request, stationed his chariot in the middle of the two armies. The chariot appeared so terrifying to the soldiers, that they felt as if the war-horses galloped on their hearts. Beholding his grandfather , his and his friends and relations and thinking of the bonds of affection between him and the people on the other side of the battlefield, felt despondent. His head reeled, his limbs trembled and the slipped from his hand. “Oh, !” he cried, “I am forced to wage this terrible battle against those friends and relations with whom I should have been living in happiness and harmony. My mind rebels against this prospect. The cause for this is neither the fear of death nor the need to kill my kinsmen. The have declared that the destruction wrought by war may lead women away from the path of virtue and bring about social disorder. It would be far better to beg and live on alms than to fight for a kingdom and be responsible for this great sin and repent later.” Thus the great hero entered into a state of despair. His dejection proceeded from his concern for the preservation of and his anxiety to strictly obey God’s command. , which is concerned with the welfare of all, should override the dictates of (attachment), which confines itself to the interests of one’s kith and kin. The that relates to societal well-being should be held higher than man’s duty to a few and, therefore, should not be sacrificed for the latter. The attachment one has for one’s relations may be compared to the clouds that suddenly gather in the sky and disappear in no time. , however, is that which sustains this earth. Thus, felt dejected out of his anxiety to protect and adhere to God’s injunction as indicated in the . Had merely felt sorry for his kinsmen, it might have been only or dejection; but since he felt agonised for the sake of the protection of and obeying the word of God, his mental state is described as or “the of righteous despair.” Generally, the ego develops in men as a result of attachment and desire. (delusion) is the result of (egoistic feeling), , and (conceit). The worldly relationships proceed from these evil tendencies. advised not to pay attention to mundane bonds and added that those who kill and those who are killed are only His instruments. was a medium used by Him to teach a lesson to all mankind.