Arjuna said: O Madhusudana! How can I fight with arrows against Bhishma and Drona on the battlefield? For, O Arisudana! Both of them are worthy of worship.
Commentary: The purpose of addressing Him as 'Madhusudana' and 'Arisudana' is that You are the slayer of demons and enemies. That is, You have slain demons like Madhu and Kaitabha, who were of wicked nature, engaged in unrighteous conduct, and caused suffering to the world; and You have also slain enemies who harbor enmity without cause and wish ill. But before me stand Grandfather Bhishma and Acharya Drona, who are supremely excellent in conduct, who hold immense affection for me, and who lovingly taught me. How can I slay such well-wishers, my revered grandfather and preceptor of knowledge?
"I in battle against Bhishma and Drona" — I am not turning away from battle out of cowardice; rather, I am turning away seeing the dharma involved. But You are saying, "Where has this cowardice, this impotence, come to you?" Please consider: How shall I fight with arrows against Grandfather Bhishma and Acharya Drona? O great one, this is not my cowardice. Cowardice would be if I feared death. I do not fear death; rather, I fear killing.
In the world, there are primarily two kinds of relationships — the relationship by birth and the relationship by knowledge. By the relationship of birth, Grandfather Bhishma is worthy of our reverence. Since childhood, I have been nurtured in his lap. In childhood, when I would call him 'Father, Father,' he would affectionately say, 'I am the father of your father too!' In this way, he has always shown great love and affection for me. By the relationship of knowledge, Acharya Drona is worthy of our reverence. He is my preceptor of knowledge. His affection for me is such that he did not even teach his own son Ashwatthama as he taught me. He taught both of us to launch the Brahmastra, but he taught only me how to withdraw it, not his own son. He also bestowed upon me this boon: 'Among my disciples, there will be none superior to you in the science of weapons.' Before such venerable ones as Grandfather Bhishma and Acharya Drona, even to address them with words like 'Hey' or 'You' is a sin equivalent to killing them; then how grave a sin would it be to fight against them with arrows, with the intent to kill!
"fight with arrows against those worthy of worship" — By virtue of being elders in relationship, both Grandfather Bhishma and Acharya Drona are respectable and worthy of worship. They have full authority over me. Therefore, they can strike me, but how can I strike them with arrows? To become their adversary and fight is a great sin for me! Because both of them are worthy of being served by me, and even more than service, worthy of worship. How can I slay such worshipable persons with arrows?
Connection: In the previous verse, Arjuna, agitated, declared his decision to the Lord. Now, affected by the Lord's words, Arjuna, balancing his own decision and the Lord's, says —
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