Gita 2.4
Sankhya Yoga
अर्जुन उवाच | कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्ख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन | इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ||४||
arjuna uvāca | kathaṃ bhīṣmam ahaṃ saṅkhye droṇaṃ ca madhusūdana | iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāv arisūdana ||4||
In essence: How can the hands that should offer flowers at the teacher's feet now hurl arrows at his heart?
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Krishna, I understand dharma intellectually. But when I look at Grandfather Bhishma across this field, I don't see an enemy. I see the hands that lifted me as a child, the eyes that watched over me with such love."
Guru: "And what do you see when you look at the innocent citizens whose future depends on this battle's outcome?"
Sadhak: "I... I see strangers. Faceless people I've never met. How can their welfare weigh against the man who taught me everything?"
Guru: "If Bhishma himself stood before you today—not as your opponent but as your teacher—what would he tell you to do?"
Sadhak: "He would tell me to fight. To uphold dharma. But that makes it worse! He himself has chosen the wrong side, knowing it is wrong. How do I punish him for a choice born of his own vow of loyalty?"
Guru: "You speak of punishing him. But is the warrior on the battlefield the same as the grandfather who blessed you? Or has each of you now become instruments of a larger cosmic play?"
Sadhak: "You're asking me to see my guru as merely a body, a role. But he IS my guru. The relationship is real, not maya."
Guru: "The relationship is eternal, Arjuna. Bodies fall, roles end, but the love between teacher and student transcends death itself. The question is not whether to honor your teacher—it is HOW to honor him when honoring his body means dishonoring his teachings."
Sadhak: "So by killing him, I would be... fulfilling what he taught me?"
Guru: "You are beginning to see beyond the immediate form to the eternal truth. But we have much more to explore before this knot in your heart can be loosened."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Before starting work, identify one relationship where duty and emotion seem to conflict. Instead of forcing a resolution, simply hold both truths: 'I love this person AND my path requires this difficult action.' Let the tension exist without demanding immediate answers.
When facing a difficult professional decision involving someone you respect, ask: 'What would this person's highest self want me to do?' Separate the eternal wisdom they represent from the temporary position they occupy.
Reflect on teachers, mentors, or elders who shaped you. Send them gratitude for their gifts while releasing any obligation that conflicts with your authentic path. Honor their legacy by embodying their highest teachings, not by protecting their temporary interests.