Quiz · 2.31–2.38
The fight as his own dharma
Cover the answer. Read the Devanagari of the verse before you open it.
1
In 2.31, what case is yuddhāt (युद्धात्), and what question does that case answer?
Answer
Ablative. It answers "than." dharmyāt yuddhāt (धर्म्यात् युद्धात्) is "than a righteous battle," and for a kṣatriya (क्षत्रिय) no better thing than that is found.
2
युद्धात् + श्रेयः yuddhāt + śreyaḥ in 2.31. What is recited, and which sandhi makes it?
Answer
yuddhāc chreyaḥ (युद्धाच्छ्रेयः). त् + श् t + ś becomes cch (च्छ्).
3
What does 2.37 say the two ends of the fight are, and what is the command?
Answer
Killed, you will reach heaven, or having conquered you will enjoy the earth; therefore stand up, son of Kuntī (कुन्ती), resolved for battle.
4
In 2.31–2.38, what does Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) say this battle is for Arjuna, and what follows when the pairs are made the same?
Answer
It is his own dharma, a righteous battle arrived of itself, an opened door of heaven, and nothing better is found for a kṣatriya (क्षत्रिय). Refusing it leaves svadharma (स्वधर्म) and kīrti (कीर्ति) and obtains pāpa (पाप), and the story told of him is fear and scorn. Having made pleasure and pain, gain and loss, and victory and defeat the same, he yokes himself to the battle, and thus he will not obtain pāpa (पाप).
5
Say back the word that shows the battle was not sought, and the three pairs he makes the same.
Answer
yadṛcchayā (यदृच्छया), of its own accord, unasked. The pairs are sukhaduḥkhe (सुखदुःखे), lābhālābhau (लाभालाभौ), and jayājayau (जयाजयौ). Then yuddhāya yujyasva (युद्धाय युज्यस्व).