arjuna uvācha
yo ’yaṁ yogas tvayā proktaḥ sāmyena madhusūdana
etasyāhaṁ na paśhyāmi chañchalatvāt sthitiṁ sthirām
arjunaḥ uvācha — Arjun said;
yaḥ — which;
ayam — this;
yogaḥ — system of Yog;
tvayā — by you;
proktaḥ — described;
sāmyena — by equanimity;
madhu-sūdana — Shree Krishna, the killer of the demon named Madhu;
etasya — of this;
aham — I;
na — do not;
paśhyāmi — see;
chañchalatvāt — due to restlessness;
sthitim — situation;
sthirām — steady
In this verse, Arjuna is talking to Lord Krishna, expressing his doubts about the yoga practice that Krishna has described. He feels that the methods of yoga, with its focus on finding balance and peace, seem too difficult for him to follow. This is because he believes that the mind is always jumping around, making it hard to stay focused and calm.
Arjuna’s concern comes from a very practical place. He knows that in today’s world, or in his world, it’s challenging to drop everything and go somewhere quiet to meditate or practice yoga as described. He recognizes that life is tough and busy; people are caught up in everyday struggles just to get by. The idea of isolating oneself in a remote location to practice strict forms of yoga feels impossible to him.
Arjuna also points out that even now, a long time ago, with all his many advantages—like being born into a royal family, being a skilled warrior, having good health, and being best friends with Krishna—the rigors of yoga seem unattainable. If someone with all those resources finds it hard to commit to such serious practices, what about ordinary people who don’t have those advantages?
This is especially true in what is called the Kali Yuga, which is the age of challenges and distractions we live in. People today often find it hard to focus even on basic things in life, let alone on something as demanding as traditional yoga practices.
Moreover, Arjuna's comments also highlight a broader social reality. He points out that many people might try to follow these yoga practices in different schools or groups, believing they are achieving something meaningful. However, he feels that they might just be fooling themselves, as they're unaware of the actual essence of yoga practice. In other words, they may think they are achieving spiritual growth, but in reality, they are missing the core objective of what true yoga is.
In summary, Arjuna is showing his honest feelings of confusions and exhaustion regarding the described yoga practices, questioning if they truly fit into the hectic lives of people in both his time and today. He believes that achieving such extreme steadiness and focus is out of reach for most, illustrating a relatable struggle many face when trying to find spiritual balance in everyday life.