BG16

Today the 33rd sloka and first half of 34th sloka were taken up:
acaryah pitarah putras
tathaiva ca pitamahah
matulah svasurah pautrah
syalah sambandhinas tatha
etan na hantum icchami
ghnato ’pi madhusudana
Today's lecture was from the Kodanda Rama sannidhi in the Srirangam temple. Here the Lord Rama is with Sri Sita , Sri Lakshmana and and Sri Anjaneya in standing posture[incidentally, today is Punarvasu, the avathara star of Sri Rama]In this sannidhi also is the idol of Sri Kulasekara Alwar. He was born in a place called Thirumoonjikkalam, near Trichur, Kerala. In today's sloka there is a connection with Sri Rama's history.
Arjuna continues:"Oh! Madusudhana teachers,fathers, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law,grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives are all eager to fight and kill"
Arjuna sees all relatives in the battle field. Whatever relationships one comes across in life are all there and ready to kill each other. Normally, if one comes across another in an unusual position like fighting, one gets shocked. Here they have all come to kill. In such a circumstance if Arjuna kills them it will not be considered as wrong. Even our own criminal laws permit killing a murderer in defence. In dharma shastras also if someone tries to poison or burn or tries to molest one's wife or grabs one's property, in defence he can be killed without further enquiry. In Pandava's case, Bhima was poisoned and thrown in the river by Duryodana and company. In the wax bungalow [arakku maaligai] all Pandavas were to be burnt alive and they escaped. The action on Draupathy was attrocious. And, their kingdom was grabbed. So, Arjuna can not be faulted if he kills these people arrayed against him. But he is full of mercy and compassion.
Here an episode in Ramayana is worth remembering.Sri Rama on exile comes to Chitrakoot along with Sri Sita and Sri Lakshmana. Chitrakoota is on the border of present Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and is a lovely place. If one wants to enjoy nature and get relaxed this is the place. During that time, Sri Rama and Sri Sita are sitting in the hermitage. Sri Lakshmana is atop a tree and spots a huge army and people approaching their hermitage and Sri Bharatha is leading them. He climbs down and informs Sri Rama and accuses that while Sri Bharatha's mother Kaikeyi merely drove Sri Rama out of the kingdom, Bharatha was now coming to take away Sri Rama's life. For this Sri Rama replies that Sri Bharatha will never do such a thing as He understood him. But even for an argument He accepted Sri Lakshmana's accusation, Bharatha need not kill Rama to retain the Kingdom for ever, but a mere utterance of his intention will kill Sri Rama. Such were the words of the Lord.