Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 2 › Verse 4
Bhagavad Gītā 2.4: Fight my own teachers?
कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्ख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन ।
इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ॥
kathaṃ bhīṣmamahaṃ saṅkhye droṇaṃ ca madhusūdana
iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāvarisūdana
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
How shall I fight Bhīṣma and Droṇa in battle with arrows, O Madhusūdana, when both are worthy of reverence, O slayer of foes? Arjuna’s objection is not cowardice but a real conflict of duties: loyalty to elders against his duty as a warrior.
For children
Arjuna says: “Krishna, how can I fight my grandfather Bhishma and my teacher Drona? I love and respect them!”
Arjuna replies to Kṛṣṇa’s call to stand up (2.3) by explaining why he cannot fight.
Word by word
कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्ख्ये — How can I, in battle, against Bhīṣma
- katham: how?
- bhīṣma: Bhīṣma, Arjuna’s grand-uncle
- aham: I
- saṅkhya: battle
द्रोणं च मधुसूदन — and Droṇa, O Kṛṣṇa
- droṇa: Droṇa, Arjuna’s teacher
- ca: and
- madhusūdana: Kṛṣṇa
इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि — fight back with arrows
- iṣu: arrow
- pratiyotsyāmi: I will fight against
पूजार्हावरिसूदन — when both deserve my worship?
- pūjārha: worthy of worship
- arisūdana: destroyer of enemies (Kṛṣṇa)
Arjuna speaks this verse. The Sanskrit is checked against four editions; meanings and word notes are simple learning aids written for MahaPrabha Gurukul, awaiting review by a Sanskrit teacher.