The Main Lecture
Every oration or discourse has a Main Lecture followed by answering the listener's questions because there will always be questions. So it is with the Gita as it is a discourse, though for Arjuna the sole listener. The Main Lecture of the Gita comprises 43 Shlokas beginning with Shloka 2:11 and unto Shloka 2:53. The preceding 57 Shlokas, from 1:1 to 2:10 comprise the Prelude to the Main Lecture creating the conditions leading unto the Main Lecture. Repeating the whole would be senseless; yet to grasp the duende of the Main Lecture, a crisp prelude demands a short repetition. I consider it appropriate to reproduce here: कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्ख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन । इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ॥ २-४॥ गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान्श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके । हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैवभुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् ॥ २-५॥ न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयोयद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः । यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषाम-स्तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः ॥ २-६॥ कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः पृच्छामि...