Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 Full 

Bhagavad Gita 1.1

   

Text 1

dhritarashtra uvaca

dharma-kshetre kuru-kshetre

samaveta yuyutsavah

mamakah pandavas caiva

kim akurvata sanjaya

Translation

Dhritarashtra said: O Sanjaya, after my sons and the sons of Pandu assembled in the place of pilgrimage at Kurukshetra, desiring to fight, what did they do?
Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

Bhagavad-gita is the widely read theistic science summarized in the Gita-mahatmya (Glorification of the Gita). There it says that one should read Bhagavad-gita very scrutinizingly with the help of a person who is a devotee of Sri Krishna and try to understand it without personally motivated interpretations. The example of clear understanding is there in the Bhagavad-gita itself, in the way the teaching is understood by Arjuna, who heard the Gita directly from the Lord. If someone is fortunate enough to understand Bhagavad-gita in that line of disciplic succession, without motivated interpretation, then he surpasses all studies of Vedic wisdom, and all scriptures of the world. One will find in the Bhagavad-gita all that is contained in other scriptures, but the reader will also find things which are not to be found elsewhere. That is the specific standard of the Gita. It is the perfect theistic science because it is directly spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna.

The topics discussed by Dhritarashtra and Sanjaya, as described in the Mahabharata, form the basic principle for this great philosophy. It is understood that this philosophy evolved on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, which is a sacred place of pilgrimage from the immemorial time of the Vedic age. It was spoken by the Lord when He was present personally on this planet for the guidance of mankind.

The word dharma-kshetra (a place where religious rituals are performed) is significant because, on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present on the side of Arjuna. Dhritarashtra, the father of the Kurus, was highly doubtful about the possibility of his sons’ ultimate victory. In his doubt, he inquired from his secretary Sanjaya, “What did they do?” He was confident that both his sons and the sons of his younger brother Pandu were assembled in that Field of Kurukshetra for a determined engagement of the war. Still, his inquiry is significant. He did not want a compromise between the cousins and brothers, and he wanted to be sure of the fate of his sons on the battlefield. Because the battle was arranged to be fought at Kurukshetra, which is mentioned elsewhere in the Vedas as a place of worship – even for the denizens of heaven – Dhritarashtra became very fearful about the influence of the holy place on the outcome of the battle. He knew very well that this would influence Arjuna and the sons of Pandu favorably, because by nature they were all virtuous. Sanjaya was a student of Vyasa, and therefore, by the mercy of Vyasa, Sanjaya was able to envision the Battlefield of Kurukshetra even while he was in the room of Dhritarashtra. And so, Dhritarashtra asked him about the situation on the battlefield.

Both the Pandavas and the sons of Dhritarashtra belong to the same family, but Dhritarashtra’s mind is disclosed herein. He deliberately claimed only his sons as Kurus, and he separated the sons of Pandu from the family heritage. One can thus understand the specific position of Dhritarashtra in his relationship with his nephews, the sons of Pandu. As in the paddy field the unnecessary plants are taken out, so it is expected from the very beginning of these topics that in the religious field of Kurukshetra, where the father of religion, Sri Krishna, was present, the unwanted plants like Dhritarashtra’s son Duryodhana and others would be wiped out and the thoroughly religious persons, headed by Yudhishthira, would be established by the Lord. This is the significance of the words dharma-kshetre and kuru-kshetre, apart from their historical and Vedic importance.

Commentary by Sri Vishwanatha Chakravarthi Thakur

How did Arjuna become bewildered and fall into ignorance? The speaker of the Mahabharata, Vaisampayana, started explaining the topic to Janmejaya in the Bhisma Parva, with the following words.

Dhritarashtra said, “Please tell me what my sons, headed by Duryodhana, and the sons of Pandu, headed by Yudhisthra were doing, having gathered together for fighting at Kuruksetra?”

“But you yourself have said that they were desirous of fighting, so why are you asking what they did?”

This place is a holy place (dharma ksetra). Sruti says:
kuruksetram deva yajanam

Kuruksetra is a place for worshipping the Lord.   Satapatha Brahmana, Madhyandinlya 14.1.1.2

“It is famous as a place which produces dharma. Due to association with this great place, the evil Duryodhana and company could give up their anger and take to the path of dharma. The Pandavas are naturally following dharma. Then both sides would have intelligence to see that they should not kill their own relatives and friends, and would negotiate peace.”

Externally, he desired to show Sanjaya that he would be relieved if this were so. Internally, however, he found it hard to restrain his depression, for if there was conciliation, then, it would be difficult for his sons to claim the kingdom. “As Bhisma, who is on our side cannot be defeated by Arjuna, it is better that we fight. Let that happen!” It was not suitable however to show such desires externally.

There is a hidden meaning in the word ksetra (field) in the phrase dharma-ksetra. The field was a place for growing the grains of dharma, in the form of pious Yudhisthira along with his group, who was the very incarnation of dharma.1 The field, a place for exerting oneself in the work of cultivating, was the place in which Krishna, the nourisher of dharma, would encourage Yudhisthira. The field, a place for many projects like blocking irrigation dykes and watering, was the place where Krishna would assist Yudhisthira in many ways to establish the grains of dharma. The same field is also a place for weeds to grow. The weeds, enemies of the grains, in the form of Duryodhana and others, also grew there, but would be destroyed by Krishna.

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Bhagavad Gita 1.2

Text 2

sanjaya uvaca

drishtva tu pandavanikam

vyudham duryodhanas tada

acaryam upasangamya

raja vacanam abravit

Translation

Sanjaya said: O King, after looking over the army arranged in military formation by the sons of Pandu, King Duryodhana went to his teacher and spoke the following words.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

Dhritarashtra was blind from birth. Unfortunately, he was also bereft of spiritual vision. He knew very well that his sons were equally blind in the matter of religion, and he was sure that they could never reach an understanding with the Pandavas, who were all pious since birth. Still he was doubtful about the influence of the place of pilgrimage, and Sanjaya could understand his motive in asking about the situation on the battlefield. Sanjaya wanted, therefore, to encourage the despondent king and thus assured him that his sons were not going to make any sort of compromise under the influence of the holy place. Sanjaya therefore informed the king that his son, Duryodhana, after seeing the military force of the Pandavas, at once went to the commander in chief, Dronacarya, to inform him of the real position. Although Duryodhana is mentioned as the king, he still had to go to the commander on account of the seriousness of the situation. He was therefore quite fit to be a politician. But Duryodhana’s diplomatic veneer could not disguise the fear he felt when he saw the military arrangement of the Pandavas.

Commentary by Sri Vishwanatha Chakravarthi Thakur

Please see text 3 for Sri Vishwanatha Chakravarthi Thakur’s combined commentary to texts 2 and 3.

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Bhagavad Gita 1.3

Text 3

pasyaitam pandu-putranam

acarya mahatim camum

vyudham drupada-putrena

tava sisyena dhimata

Translation

O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pandu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple the son of Drupada.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

Duryodhana, a great diplomat, wanted to point out the defects of Dronacarya, the great brahmana commander in chief. Dronacarya had some political quarrel with King Drupada, the father of Draupadi, who was Arjuna’s wife. As a result of this quarrel, Drupada performed a great sacrifice, by which he received the benediction of having a son who would be able to kill Dronacarya. Dronacarya knew this perfectly well, and yet as a liberal brahmana he did not hesitate to impart all his military secrets when the son of Drupada, Dhrishtadyumna, was entrusted to him for military education. Now, on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, Dhrishtadyumna took the side of the Pandavas, and it was he who arranged for their military phalanx, after having learned the art from Dronacarya. Duryodhana pointed out this mistake of Dronacarya’s so that he might be alert and uncompromising in the fighting. By this he wanted to point out also that he should not be similarly lenient in battle against the Pandavas, who were also Dronacarya’s affectionate students. Arjuna, especially, was his most affectionate and brilliant student. Duryodhana also warned that such leniency in the fight would lead to defeat.

Commentary by Sri Vishwanatha Chakravarthi Thakur
(combined commentary for verses 2 and 3)

“O teacher, see this great army of the sons of Pandu, arranged for battle by your intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada.”

Understanding that Dhritarashtra wanted war, Sanjaya then spoke, to make him aware of the obstacles to fulfilling that desire.

Duryodhana, seeing the arrangement of troops (vyudham) being prepared by the Pandavas, then speaks with inner fear in nine verses, starting from the third verse.

He criticizes Dronacarya. He tells him that he is very foolish because Dhrstadyumna, the son of Drupada, was arranging the troops of the enemy. That person was Drona’s student, having been taught by him, even knowing that he was born to kill him. “Dhrstadyumna is very intelligent (dhimata) because he has gained the knowledge of how to kill you from you, his enemy. See what will result from this in the future!”

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Bhagavad Gita 1.4

Text 4

atra sura mahesv-asa

bhimarjuna-sama yudhi

yuyudhano viratas ca

drupadas ca maha-rathah

Translation

Here in this army are many heroic bowmen equal in fighting to Bhima and Arjuna: great fighters like Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

Even though Dhrishtadyumna was not a very important obstacle in the face of Dronacarya’s very great power in the military art, there were many others who were causes of fear. They are mentioned by Duryodhana as great stumbling blocks on the path of victory because each and every one of them was as formidable as Bhima and Arjuna. He knew the strength of Bhima and Arjuna, and thus he compared the others with them.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

Please see text 6 for Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur’s combined commentary to texts 4, 5 and 6.

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Bhagavad Gita 1.5

Text 5

dhrishtaketus cekitanah

kasirajas ca viryavan

purujit kuntibhojas ca

saibyas ca nara-pungavah

Translation

There are also great, heroic, powerful fighters like Dhrishtaketu, Cekitana, Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Saibya.


Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

Please see text 6 for Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur’s combined commentary to texts 4, 5 and 6.

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Bhagavad Gita 1.6

Text 6

yudhamanyus ca vikranta

uttamaujas ca viryavan

saubhadro draupadeyas ca

sarva eva maha-rathah

Translation

There are the mighty Yudhamanyu, the very powerful Uttamauja, the son of Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi. All these warriors are great chariot fighters.


Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

Here are Dhrstaketu, Cekitana, the valorous king of Kasi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Saibya, the best of men.

Here are mighty Yudhamanyu, valiant Uttamauja, Abhimanyu, and the five sons of Draupadi, all maharathas.

“The leaders of their troops, having great bows (isvasa), will be impossible to cut down.” That is the suggestion by his mentioning the bows. Yuyudhanah refers to Satyaki. Saubhadrah refers to Abhimanyu. Draupadeyah refers to the five sons of the Pandavas by Draupadi, such as Prativindhya.

eko dasa sahasrani yodhayed yas tu dhanvinam sastra-sastra-pravinas ca maharatha iti smrtah amitan yodhayed yas tu samprokto ‘tirathas tu sah caikena yo yudhyet tan-nyuno’rdha-rathah smrtah

A maharatha is one who can fight alone with ten thousand archers, who is expert in both weapons and scripture. An atiratha is one who fights with unlimited troops (less than ten thousand but more than a thousand). A ratha is one who fights with one thousand. One who does less than that is called ardha ratha.

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Bhagavad Gita 1.7

Text 7

asmakam tu visista ye

tan nibodha dvijottama

nayaka mama sainyasya

samjnartham tan bravimi te

Translation

But for your information, O best of the brahmanas, let me tell you about the captains who are especially qualified to lead my military force.


Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

Understand (nibodha) who is on our side. I will tell you in order that you completely understand (samjnartham). The word is analyzed as samyak (complete), jnana (knowledge).

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Bhagavad Gita 1.8

Text 8

bhavan bhismas ca karnas ca

kripas ca samitim-jayah

ashvatthama vikarnas ca

saumadattis tathaiva ca

Translation

There are personalities like you, Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, Asvatthama, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta called Bhurisrava, who are always victorious in battle.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

Duryodhana mentions the exceptional heroes in the battle, all of whom are ever victorious. Vikarna is the brother of Duryodhana, Asvatthama is the son of Dronacarya, and Saumadatti, or Bhurisrava, is the son of the King of the Bahlikas. Karna is the half brother of Arjuna, as he was born of Kunti before her marriage with King Pandu. Kripacarya’s twin sister married Dronacarya.

Commentary by Sri Vishwanatha Chakravarthi Thakur

Saumadatti refers to Bhurisrava, the son of Somadatta.

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Bhagavad Gita 1.9

Text 9

anye ca bahavah sura

mad-arthe tyakta-jivitah

nana-shastra-praharanah

sarve yuddha-visaradah

Translation

There are many other heroes who are prepared to lay down their lives for my sake. All of them are well equipped with different kinds of weapons, and all are experienced in military science.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

As far as the others are concerned—like Jayadratha, Kritavarma and Salya—all are determined to lay down their lives for Duryodhana’s sake. In other words, it is already concluded that all of them would die in the Battle of Kurukshetra for joining the party of the sinful Duryodhana. Duryodhana was, of course, confident of his victory on account of the above-mentioned combined strength of his friends.

Commentary by Sri Vishwanatha Chakravarthi Thakur

“They are willing to give up their lives in order to help me (tyakta jivitah).” This is the intended meaning of Dhuryodhana, though the literal meaning is “They have given up their lives.” Actually however, Krishna will say:

mayaivaite nihatah purvam eva nimitta-matram bhava savyasacin

These warriors have already been killed by me before the war has started. You be my instrument, O Arjuna. BG 11.33

Thus, the literal meaning of Duryodhana’s words are also completely true.

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Bhagavad Gita 1.10

Text 10

aparyaptam tad asmakam

balam bhismabhiraksitam

paryaptam tv idam etesam

balam bhimabhiraksitam

Translation

Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhishma, whereas the strength of the Pandavas, carefully protected by Bhima, is limited.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

Herein an estimation of comparative strength is made by Duryodhana. He thinks that the strength of his armed forces is immeasurable, being specifically protected by the most experienced general, Grandfather Bhishma. On the other hand, the forces of the Pandavas are limited, being protected by a less experienced general, Bhima, who is like a fig in the presence of Bhishma. Duryodhana was always envious of Bhima because he knew perfectly well that if he should die at all, he would only be killed by Bhima. But at the same time, he was confident of his victory on account of the presence of Bhishma, who was a far superior general. His conclusion that he would come out of the battle victorious was well ascertained.

Commentary by Sri Vishwanatha Chakravarthi Thakur

Our troops are not up to standard (aparyaptam): we cannot fight against the Pandavas.

Even though protected all around by Bhisma, who has fine intelligence and is experienced in fighting and theory, Bhisma has partiality for both sides. The Pandavas are very well protected (paryaptam abhiraksitam) by Bhima, though having gross intelligence and not thoroughly conversant with fighting and theory. In other words, they are well equipped to fight against us.