In Bhagavad Gita 2.4, Arjuna replies by asking Krishna how he could shoot arrows at Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of his worship.
Sanskrit Verse
अर्जुन उवाच · Arjuna said
कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्ख्ये
द्रोणं च मधुसूदन
इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि
पूजार्हावरिसूदन ॥ २-४ ॥
kathaṃ bhīṣmamahaṃ saṅkhye
droṇaṃ ca madhusūdana
iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi
pūjārhāvarisūdana
English transliteration katham bheeshmamaham sankhye
dronam cha madhusoodana
ishubhih pratiyotsyaami
poojaarhaavarisoodana ॥ 2.4 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Arjuna said: O Madhusudana, how can I attack Bhishma and Drona with arrows in battle, when they are worthy of my reverence, O destroyer of enemies?
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| कथम् katham | how |
| भीष्मम् bhīṣmam | Bhīṣma |
| अहम् aham | I |
| सङ्ख्ये saṅkhye | in battle |
| द्रोणम् droṇam | Droṇa |
| च ca | and |
| मधुसूदन madhusūdana | O Madhusūdana |
| इषुभिः iṣubhiḥ | with arrows |
| प्रतियोत्स्यामि pratiyotsyāmi | shall I fight against |
| पूजार्हौ pūjārhau | worthy of worship pūjā (worship) + arhau (worthy) |
| अरिसूदन arisūdana | O destroyer of enemies ari (enemies) + sūdana (destroyer) |
Word-wise Chanting
- ka–thaṃ bhīṣ–ma–ma–haṃ saṅ–khye 8 syllables ka-tham bheesh-ma-ma-ham san-khye
- dro–ṇaṃ ca ma–dhu–sū–da–na | 8 syllables dro-nam cha ma-dhu-soo-da-na
- i–ṣu–bhiḥ pra–ti–yot–syā–mi 8 syllables i-shu-bhih pra-ti-yot-syaa-mi
- pū–jār–hā–va–ri–sū–da–na || 2-4 8 syllables poo-jaar-haa-va-ri-soo-da-na
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 2 Verse 4
Context
Arjuna answers Krishna’s call to arise (2.2–2.3) with a specific objection, the beginning of a longer reply (2.4–2.8).
Meaning
Arjuna’s objection is now personal: Bhishma, his grandfather, and Drona, his teacher, deserve worship, not arrows. He even turns Krishna’s titles back on him: Madhusudana and Arisudana, both meaning “slayer of enemies,” as if to say, “you destroy enemies, but these are not enemies; they are my elders.”
The objection is sincere and moving. Reverence for elders and teachers is a deep virtue. Yet Arjuna does not yet see that Bhishma and Drona have chosen to stand with injustice, and that his duty is to resist the injustice, not the persons. The Gita will separate the person from the role, and the Self from the body, so that action can be clear.
In Practice
Think of someone you respect who has made a choice you disagree with. Practise holding both your respect for them and your disagreement with their choice.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga (The Yoga of Knowledge). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.