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Arjuna's Despondency

Arjuna's body gives way, his reasons pull both ways, and he throws down his bow. Then he says he does not know, and asks Lord Krishna to teach him. The turn that begins the Gita.

In brief

  • Arjuna's body gives way first, and the Gita reports it without shame (1.29-30).
  • His reasons against fighting are real, and they pull both ways, so he says "we do not know which is better" (2.6).
  • The teaching itself begins after the smile of 2.10.

Why does the Gita begin with its hero falling apart? In Arjuna on the Field he asks to see the armies and sees his own people on both sides. Here the weight arrives. His body gives way (Gita 1.29–30), he lists his reasons against fighting (Gita 1.31–44), and he throws his bow aside (Gita 1.47).

Lord Krishna's first words name the sinking and tell Arjuna to rise (Gita 2.2–3). Arjuna then says that he does not know which course is better, admits that his mind is confused about what is right, and asks to be taught as a disciple who takes refuge (Gita 2.6–7). That request is the turn that begins the teaching.

This is the second stop on the path Arjuna's Journey. The teaching proper starts in The Imperishable Self.

The topic can be read in three ways. The simple reading starts from a heavy day in an ordinary life. The detailed reading takes the verses of the whole scene in order (Gita 1.28–47, Gita 2.1–10). The deeper reading studies each verse closely, with the difficulties and their answers.

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Start with Simple →

Simple New to this topic. Plain words, one idea at a time. When You Cannot Go On and Cannot Decide: What Arjuna Did First Arjuna, the best archer of his day, trembles and cannot stand on the field (1.29-30). The Gita reports it plainly and does not call it shame. 5 min · Read → In Depth Know the basics. Verse by verse, with reasons. Why the Gita Begins With a Man Who Cannot Go On: Gita 1.28 to 2.10, Verse by Verse The Gita opens with a hero who cannot go on. His body gives way first (1.29-30), then his reasons pile up against fighting (1.31-44), and then he throws down his bow (1.47). 13 min · Read → Deeper Want the text itself: Sanskrit terms, commentary, close reading. Arjuna Before the Teaching: A Close Reading of Gita 1.28 to 2.10 Arjuna's collapse comes in an order. The body gives way first (1.29-30), then his sense of what victory is worth (1.31-35), then his reasons (1.36-44), and at last the reasons turn on him (1.45-47). 18 min · Read → Quick summary Short on time. The whole topic in a few minutes. Arjuna's Despondency: Quick Summary Seeing his own people before him, Arjuna's body gives way: his limbs weaken and the bow begins to slip from his hand (1.29-30). 11 min · Read →

Key shlokas

Concepts

Common misreadings

Part of these learning paths

Related topics