11.33 Be only the instrument Krishna speaks
तस्मात्त्वमुत्तिष्ठ यशो लभस्व जित्वा शत्रून् भुङ्क्ष्व राज्यं समृद्धम्
मयैवैते निहताः पूर्वमेव निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन्
tasmāt tvam uttiṣhṭha yaśho labhasva
jitvā śhatrūn bhuṅkṣhva rājyaṁ samṛiddham
mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva
nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sāchin
So stand up. Win honour. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a flourishing kingdom. By me they are already slain; be only the instrument, Arjuna.
Explanation
Be only the instrument.
nimitta-mātram — occasion merely. And before it: stand up, win honour, conquer, enjoy a flourishing kingdom.
This is the answer to chapter 1, and it should be uncomfortable. Arjuna's objection was moral, and the reply is that the outcome does not require him — only passes through him.
Going further
Word by word
- tasmāt
- therefore
- tvam
- you
- uttiṣhṭha
- arise
- yaśhaḥ
- honor
- labhasva
- attain
- jitvā
- conquer
- śhatrūn
- foes
- bhuṅkṣhva
- enjoy
- rājyam
- kingdom
- samṛiddham
- prosperous
- mayā
- by me
- eva
- indeed
- ete
- these
- nihatāḥ
- slain
- pūrvam
- already
- eva nimitta-mātram
- only an instrument
- bhava
- become
- savya-sāchin
- Arjun, the one who can shoot arrows with both hands
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Be only the instrument. Nimitta-mātram — occasion merely.
This is the answer to Chapter 1, and it should be uncomfortable. Arjuna's grief in 1.28 was that he would be the one doing it. He is told he is not: they are already dead by time, and he is the occasion rather than the cause.
Whether that consoles or appalls is worth sitting with. The text offers it as relief.