śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kutas tvā kaśmalam idaḿ
viṣame samupasthitam
anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam
akīrti-karam arjuna
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 2.2
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, how have these impurities come upon you? They are not at all befitting a man who knows the value of life. They lead not to higher planets but to infamy.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
Why (kutah) has this bewilderment (kasmalam) at this critical juncture of the war (visame) come upon you (upasthitam), which is not to be experienced by persons firmly established in dharmic principles (anarya justam), which is against both happiness in next life (asvargyam) and this life (akirti karam)?
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
2.1 – 2.3 Sanjaya said — Lord said — When Arjuna thus sat, the Lord, opposing his action, said: ‘What is the reason for your misplaced grief? Arise for battle, abandoning this grief, which has arisen in a critical situation, which can come only in men of wrong understanding, which is an obstacle for reaching heaven, which does not confer fame on you, which is very mean, and which is caused by faint-heartedness.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
The Supreme Lord Krishna said: Whence meaning from where, coming from what source, caused by what reason has such weakness, such bewilderment overpowered him at this critical moment of crisis. This weakness is not sanctioned by honourable men, it is unrighteous and thus guarantees infamy.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
By using the unexcelled superlative of Bhagavan in referring to Lord Krishna supreme position as the unparalleled possessor of the six opulences being: omniscience, power, strength, splendour, wealth and dispassion. Lord Krishna desiring to benefit the devotees enquires from Arjuna where has this delusion arisen from in this hour of crisis which afflicts those who do not comprehend the value of human existence.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
2.2 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
2.2 Kutah etc. To commence with, the Bhagavat exhorts Arjuna just by following the worldly (common) practice; but, in due course, He will impart knowledge. Hence He says ‘practised by men of low birth’. Uttering words of rebuke such as ‘unmanliness’ etc., the Bhagavat causes [Arjuna] to know that he misconceives demerit as meritorious.
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
sri-bhagavan uvaca
kutas tva kasmalam idam
visame samupasthitam
anarya-justam asvargyam
akirti-karam arjuna
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; kutaḥ — wherefrom; tvā — unto you; kaśmalam — dirtiness; idam — this lamentation; viṣame — in this hour of crisis; samupasthitam — arrived; anārya — persons who do not know the value of life; juṣṭam — practiced by; asvargyam — which does not lead to higher planets; akīrti — infamy; karam — the cause of; arjuna — O Arjuna.
