8. When we are swamped in misery, the intellect keeps analyzing the cause of misery, and when it is able to think no further, then dejection sets in. Since Arjun's problems are looming bigger than his feeble intellectual abilities, his material knowledge is insufficient in saving him from the ocean of grief that he finds himself in. Having accepted Shree Krishna as his Guru, Arjun now pours out his heart to him, to reveal his pitiable state.
Arjun's situation is not unique. This is invariably the situation we sometimes find ourselves in as we go through the journey of life. We want happiness, but we experience misery; we desire knowledge, but are unable to lift the cloud of ignorance; we crave perfect love, but repeatedly meet with disappointment. Our college degrees, acquired knowledge, and mundane scholarships do not provide solutions to these perplexities of life. We need divine knowledge to solve the puzzle of life. That treasure chest of divine knowledge is opened when we find a true Guru, one who is situated in transcendence, provided we have the humility to learn from him. Such is the path Arjun has decided to take..
9. The sagacious Sanjay, in his narration to Dhritarasthra, uses very apt names for the personalities he refers to. Here, Arjun is called Guḍākeśh, or "conqueror of sleep." The power of sleep is such that sooner or later, all living beings succumb to it. But with his determination, Arjun had disciplined himself in such a way that sleep would come to him only when he permitted it, and only for the amount of time he chose. By using the name Guḍākeśh for Arjun, Sanjay is subtly hinting to Dhritarasthra, "Just as this "hero amongst men" conquered sleep, so too will he conquer his despondency."
And the word he uses for Shree Krishna is Hṛiṣhīkeśh, or "master of the mind and senses." The subtle hint here is that he who is the master of his senses will definitely ensure that the events are properly managed.
10. In sharp contrast to Arjun's words of lamentation, Shree Krishna smiled, displaying that the situation was not making him despair; rather he was perfectly happy with it. Such is the equanimous attitude exhibited by someone with knowledge in all situations.
With our incomplete understanding, we find faults with the situations we are in—we complain and grumble about them, wish to run away from them, and hold them responsible for our misery. But the enlightened souls inform us that the world created by God is perfect in every way, and both good and bad situations come to us for a divine purpose. They are all arranged for our spiritual evolution, to push us upward in our journey toward perfection. Those who understand this secret are never disturbed in difficult circumstances, facing them with serenity and tranquility.
"The snowflakes fall slowly to the ground, each flake in its proper place" is a famous Taoist expression. It beautifully expresses the inherent perfection in the design of the world and the macro events taking place in it, even though we are not able to perceive it from our material perspective.
The Chhāndogya Upaniṣhad explains why earthquakes, hurricanes, cyclones, floods, and typhoons are created in the world by God, as a part of the grand scheme of things. It states that God deliberately creates difficult situations to prevent people from slowing down in their journey of spiritual progress. When people become complacent, a natural calamity comes along, forcing the souls to strain their abilities to cope with it, which ensures their progress. However, it must be noted that the progress being talked about here is not the external increase of material luxuries, but the internal unfoldment of the glorious divinity of the soul over a continuum of lifetime.
11. Starting with this verse, Shree Krishna initiates his discourse with a dramatic opening statement. Arjun is lamenting, for what he feels are very valid reasons. But, rather than commiserating with him, Shree Krishna takes the wind out of his arguments. He says, "Arjun, though you may feel you are speaking words of wisdom, you are actually speaking and acting out of ignorance. No possible reason justifies lamentation. The Pundits—those who are wise—never lament, neither for the living nor for the dead. Hence the grief you visualize in killing your relatives is illusory, and it proves that you are not a Pundit."
One does not need to go far into the Gita to find a wise person above lamentation, for Grandsire Bheeshma himself was the perfect example. He was a sage who had fathomed the mysteries of life and death, and risen above the dualities of circumstances. Serene in any eventuality, he had even consented to taking the side of the wicked, if it served the Lord. He thus demonstrated that those who are surrendered to God simply do their duty in all situations, without being affected by outcomes. Such persons never lament because they accept all circumstances as God's grace.
12. On the gate of the temple of Apollo at Delphi are inscribed the words, Gnothi Seuton, or "Know Thyself." Even Socrates, the wise old man of Athens, was fond of encouraging people to inquire into the nature of the self. A local legend goes like this. Once, Socrates was walking on the street, absorbed in deep philosophic contemplation, when he accidentally bumped into someone. That man blurted in annoyance, "Can't you see where you walk? Who are you?" Socrates answered with amusement, "My dear fellow, I have been pondering over that question for the last forty years. If you ever come to know who I am, please let me know."
In the Vedic tradition, whenever divine knowledge is imparted, it usually begins with knowledge of the self. Shree Krishna follows the same approach in the Bhagavad Gita, with a piece of information that would have swept Socrates off his feet. Shree Krishna begins by explaining that the entity that we call the "self" is really the soul, not the material body, and is eternal, just as God himself is eternal. The Śhwetāśhvatar Upaniṣhad states:
( jñājñau dwāvajā vīśhanīśhāvajā hyekā bhoktṛi bhogyārtha yuktā
anantaśhchātmā viśhwarūpo hyakartā trayaṁ yadā vindate brahmametat )
The above verse states that creation is a combination of three entities—God, soul, and Maya—and all the three entities are eternal. If we believe the soul is eternal, then it follows logically that there is life after death of the material body. Shree Krishna talks about this in the next verse.