म्हणोनि तूं आतां । उठीं वेगीं पंडुसुता । सांडीं हे व्याकुळता । मानसींची ॥
"Therefore, O son of Pandu, arise now with speed; cast off this mental anguish."
💡 Meaning
Therefore, O son of Pandu, arise quickly and cast away this mental distress.
म्हणोनि तूं आतां । उठीं वेगीं पंडुसुता । सांडीं हे व्याकुळता । मानसींची ॥
"Therefore, O son of Pandu, arise now with speed; cast off this mental anguish."
Therefore, O son of Pandu, arise quickly and cast away this mental distress.
In this verse, Saint Dnyaneshwar captures the essence of Krishna's call to action. After explaining the immortality of the soul, Krishna urges Arjuna to discard his mental agitation. The 'distress' mentioned is the result of attachment and ignorance. By asking him to 'rise quickly', Krishna emphasizes that duty (Dharma) should not be delayed by emotional weakness or overthinking.
When faced with a challenge, instead of overthinking or feeling defeated, one should take immediate action. Example: If you fail a task, don't dwell on the failure; start working on the solution immediately.
Lord Krishna encourages Arjuna to overcome his mental grief and stand up for his duty after explaining the nature of the soul.
जैसा प्रलयांतरींचा वारा । न डळमळी मेरु थोरु । तैसा सुखदुःखप्रकारु । न बाधी तया ॥
"As the wind at the time of dissolution does not shake the great Meru, so the types of pleasure and pain do not affect him."
Just as the winds of the cosmic dissolution cannot shake the great Mount Meru, similarly, the variations of pleasure and pain do not affect the wise one.
Saint Dnyaneshwar uses the metaphor of Mount Meru to describe the mental fortitude of a realized soul. Just as the catastrophic winds at the end of an era (Pralaya) cannot shake the mighty Mount Meru, the dualities of life—pleasure and pain—cannot disturb the inner peace of one who is established in the Self. This verse emphasizes the quality of 'Titiksha' (endurance) and 'Samattva' (equanimity), suggesting that true wisdom lies in remaining unmoved by external circumstances.
In daily life, one should remain balanced during both success and failure. For example, if a professional project fails, instead of being devastated, one should maintain composure like Mount Meru and analyze the situation calmly to move forward.
Saint Dnyaneshwar explains the characteristics of a person with steady wisdom (Sthitaprajna) using the metaphor of Mount Meru.
म्हणोनि उचित कर्म । तूं करीं रे सप्रेम । जेणें पाविजे परम । पुरुषार्थु ॥ ८ ॥
"Therefore, perform your appropriate duty with love; through this, the supreme goal of life is attained."
Therefore, perform your prescribed duties with love; by doing so, you shall attain the supreme goal of life.
In this verse, Saint Dnyaneshwar emphasizes that action is unavoidable and should be performed as a duty. He advises performing 'Uchit Karma'—actions that are appropriate to one's nature and social position—with love and devotion (Saprem). Such selfless performance of duty does not bind the soul but instead leads to the attainment of 'Param Purushartha', the ultimate spiritual goal of human life, which is liberation.
In professional life, instead of working just for a paycheck, one should perform their tasks with dedication and care. For example, a doctor treating a patient with genuine compassion finds greater fulfillment and success than one working mechanically.
Saint Dnyaneshwar explains Krishna's teaching to Arjuna about the necessity of performing one's natural duty with the right attitude.