[Advaita-l] Purpose of Gita - Sankara Bhagavatpada

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste,

अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः।
अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत।।2.18।।

Important point to be highlighted is the words of our beloved Acharya Shankara Bhagavatpada:

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न हि अत्र युद्धकर्तव्यता विधीयते युद्धे प्रवृत्त एव हि असौ शोकमोहप्रतिबद्धः तूष्णीमास्ते। 
अतः तस्य प्रतिबन्धापनयनमात्रं भगवता क्रियते। तस्मात् युध्यस्व इति अनुवादमात्रम् न विधिः।।
...........................

The 'War' is not an Injunction (vidhi) here (युद्धकर्तव्यता न विधीयते); since he has decided to fight but 
was overpowered with sorrow & delusion, Bhagavan Krishna is acting as Acharya / Guru 
by removing Arjuna’s delusion with motivational teaching which is camouflaging his knowledge 
and holding him back from performing his sva-dharma (असौ शोकमोहप्रतिबद्धः तूष्णीमास्ते).

Therefore, 'the advice to Arjuna to fight' (युध्यस्व) is an approval only (अनुवादमात्रम्) not an injunction ( न विधिः).

Bhagavatpada states further as:

शोकमोहादिसंसारकारणनिवृत्त्यर्थं गीताशास्त्रम् न प्रवर्तकम् 

ie., the purpose of teaching Gita is for removal of shOka & mOha (sorrow & delusion).

Rgs,
Sriram