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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 9 (2.9)

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 9 (2.9)

सञ्जय उवाच

एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तप । न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह | | २-९ | |

sañjaya uvācha evamuktvā hṛiṣhīkeśhaṁ guḍākeśhaḥ parantapa na yotsya iti govindamuktvā tūṣhṇīṁ babhūva ha

Word-by-word guide:
Line 0:
  • सञ्जय (sanjaya) — सञ्जय(Sanjaya)
  • उवाच (uvacha) — कहा(said)
Line 1:
  • एव (Evam) — ऐसा कहकर(having spoken thus)
  • उक्त्वा (uktva) — गोविन्द से यह कहकर(saying this to Govinda)
  • हृषीकेशम् (Hrishikesham) — कृष्ण को(to Krishna)
  • गुडाकेशः (Gudakeshah) — अर्जुन(Arjuna, conqueror of sleep)
  • परन्तप (Parantapa) — हे शत्रु-तापक(scorcher of foes)
Line 2:
  • (na) — मैं युद्ध नहीं करूंगा(I will not fight)
  • यः (yah) — जो(who)
  • ts joined in yotsya
  • यः (yah) — जो(who)
  • इति (iti) — मैं युद्ध नहीं करूंगा(I will not fight)
  • गोविन्दम् (Govindam) — गोविन्द से(saying this to Govinda)
  • उक्त्वा (uktva) — गोविन्द से यह कहकर(saying this to Govinda)
  • तूष्णीम् (tushnim) — मौन(became silent)
  • बभूव (babhuva) — हो गया(became silent)
  • अहम् (aham) — मैं(I)

English: Sanjaya says Arjuna said he would not fight and then fell silent before Krishna.

💡 Commentary Note

Arjuna's declaration of surrender and his subsequent silence mark the moment when he realizes his own helplessness. Silence is the starting point of receptivity, allowing true wisdom to enter.

Learnings from Shloka 9:
  • Admitting limits:: Accepting that we do not have all the answers is the first step toward learning and growth.
  • Receptive silence:: Quieting the mind and stopping our self-justifications opens us to receiving guidance.
Do not give advice unless you are asked

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 2.9 with their Hindi and English meanings.

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