Bhagavad-gita As It Is - Macmillan 1972 Edition -- Prabhupada Books (9 page)

kuntī-putro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca

sughoṣa-maṇipuṣpakau

śikhaṇḍī ca mahā-rathaḥ

dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaś ca

sātyakiś cāparājitaḥ

sarvaśaḥ pṛthivī-pate

saubhadraś ca mahā-bāhuḥ

śaṅkhān dadhmuḥ pṛthak pṛthak

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

King Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Kuntī, blew his conchshell, the Anantavijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughoṣa and Maṇipuṣpaka. That great archer the King of Kāśī, the great fighter Śikhaṇḍī, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Virāṭa and the unconquerable Sātyaki, Drupada, the sons of Draupadī, and the others, O King, such as the son of Subhadrā, greatly armed, all blew their respective conchshells.

PURPORT

Sañjaya informed King Dhṛtarāṣṭra very tactfully that his unwise policy of deceiving the sons of Pāṇḍu and endeavoring to enthrone his own sons on the seat of the kingdom was not very laudable. The signs already clearly indicated that the whole Kuru dynasty would be killed in that great battle. Beginning with the grandsire, Bhīṣma, down to the grandsons like Abhimanyu and others-including kings from many states of the world-all were present there, and all were doomed. The whole catastrophe was due to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, because he encouraged the policy followed by his sons.

Bg 1.19

TEXT 19

TEXT

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ

hṛdayāni vyadārayat

nabhaś ca pṛthivīṁ caiva

tumulo 'bhyanunādayan

SYNONYMS

saḥ-
that;
ghoṣaḥ-
vibration;
dhārtarāṣṭrāṇām-
of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra;
hṛdayāni-
hearts;
vyadārayat-
shattered;
nabhaḥ-
the sky;
ca-
also;
pṛthivīm-
the surface of the earth;
ca-
also;
eva-
certainly;
tumulaḥ-
uproarious;
abhyanunādayan-
by resounding.

TRANSLATION

The blowing of these different conchshells became uproarious, and thus, vibrating both in the sky and on the earth, it shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

PURPORT

When Bhīṣma and the others on the side of Duryodhana blew their respective conchshells, there was no heart-breaking on the part of the Pāṇḍavas. Such occurrences are not mentioned, but in this particular verse it is mentioned that the hearts of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra were shattered by the sounds vibrated by the Pāṇḍavas' party. This is due to the Pāṇḍavas and their confidence in Lord Kṛṣṇa. One who takes shelter of the Supreme Lord has nothing to fear, even in the midst of the greatest calamity.

Bg 1.20

TEXT 20

TEXT

atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā

dhārtarāṣṭrān kapi-dhvajaḥ

pravṛtte śastra-sampāte

dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ

hṛṣīkeśaṁ tadā vākyam

idam āha mahī-pate

SYNONYMS

atha-
thereupon;
vyavasthitān-
situated;
dṛṣṭvā-
looking on;
dhārtarāṣṭrān-
the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra;
kapi-dhvajaḥ-
one whose flag is marked with Hanumān;
pravṛtte-
while about to be engaged;
śastra-sampāte-
the arrows released;
dhanuḥ-
bow;
udyamya-
after taking up;
pāṇḍavaḥ-
the son of Pāṇḍu (Arjuna);
hṛṣīkeśam-
unto Lord Kṛṣṇa;
tadā-
at that time;
vākyam-
words;
idam-
these;
āha-
said;
mahī-pate-
O King.

TRANSLATION

O King, at that time Arjuna, the son of Pāṇḍu, who was seated in his chariot, his flag marked with Hanumān, took up his bow and prepared to shoot his arrows, looking at the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. O King, Arjuna then spoke to Hṛṣīkeśa [Kṛṣṇa] these words:

PURPORT

The battle was just about to begin. It is understood from the above statement that the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra were more or less disheartened by the unexpected arrangement of military force by the Pāṇḍavas, who were guided by the direct instructions of Lord Kṛṣṇa on the battlefield. The emblem of Hanumān on the flag of Arjuna is another sign of victory because Hanumān cooperated with Lord Rāma in the battle between Rāma and Rāvaṇa, and Lord Rāma emerged victorious. Now both Rāma and Hanumān were present on the chariot of Arjuna to help him. Lord Kṛṣṇa is Rāma Himself, and wherever Lord Rāma is, His eternal servitor Hanumān and His eternal consort Sītā, the goddess of fortune, are present. Therefore, Arjuna had no cause to fear any enemies whatsoever. And above all, the Lord of the senses, Lord Kṛṣṇa, was personally present to give him direction. Thus, all good counsel was available to Arjuna in the matter of executing the battle. In such auspicious conditions, arranged by the Lord for His eternal devotee, lay the signs of assured victory.

Bg 1.21, Bg 1.22, Bg 1.21-22

TEXTS 21-22

TEXT

arjuna uvāca

senayor ubhayor madhye

rathaṁ sthāpaya me 'cyuta

yāvad etān nirīkṣe 'haṁ

yoddhu-kāmān avasthitān

kair mayā saha yoddhavyam

asmin raṇa-samudyame

SYNONYMS

arjunaḥ-
Arjuna;
uvāca-
said;
senayoḥ-
of the armies;
ubhayoḥ-
of both the parties;
madhye-
in between them;
ratham-
the chariot;
sthāpaya-
please keep;
me-
my;
acyuta-
O infallible one;
yāvat-
as long as;
etān-
all these;
nirīkṣe-
may look;
aham-
I;
yoddhu-kāmān-
desiring to fight;
avasthitān-
arrayed on the battlefield;
kaiḥ-
with whom;
mayā-
by me;
saha-
with;
yoddhavyam-
to fight with;
asmin-
in this;
raṇa-
strife;
samudyame-
in the attempt.

TRANSLATION

Arjuna said: O infallible one, please draw my chariot between the two armies so that I may see who is present here, who is desirous of fighting, and with whom I must contend in this great battle attempt.

PURPORT

Although Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, out of His causeless mercy He was engaged in the service of His friend. He never fails in His affection for His devotees, and thus He is addressed herein as infallible. As charioteer, He had to carry out the orders of Arjuna, and since He did not hesitate to do so, He is addressed as infallible. Although He had accepted the position of a charioteer for His devotee, His supreme position was not challenged. In all circumstances, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hṛṣīkeśa, the Lord of the total senses. The relationship between the Lord and His servitor is very sweet and transcendental. The servitor is always ready to render a service to the Lord, and, similarly, the Lord is always seeking an opportunity to render some service to the devotee. He takes greater pleasure in His pure devotee's assuming the advantageous postion of ordering Him than He does in being the giver of orders. As master, everyone is under His orders, and no one is above Him to order Him. But when he finds that a pure devotee is ordering Him, He obtains transcendental pleasure, although He is the infallible master of all circumstances.

As a pure devotee of the Lord, Arjuna had no desire to fight with his cousins and brothers, but he was forced to come onto the battlefield by the obstinacy of Duryodhana, who was never agreeable to any peaceful negotiation. Therefore, he was very anxious to see who the leading persons present on the battlefield were. Although there was no question of a peacemaking endeavor on the battlefield, he wanted to see them again, and to see how much they were bent upon demanding an unwanted war.

Bg 1.23

TEXT 23

TEXT

yotsyamānān avekṣe 'haṁ

ya ete 'tra samāgatāḥ

dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddher

yuddhe priya-cikīrṣavaḥ

SYNONYMS

yotsyamānān-
those who will be fighting;
avekṣe-
let me see;
aham-
I;
ye-
who;
ete-
those;
atra-
here;
samāgatāḥ-
assembled;
dhārtarāṣṭrasya-
the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra;
durbuddheḥ-
evil-minded;
yuddhe-
in the fight;
priya-
well;
cikīrṣavaḥ-
wishing.

TRANSLATION

Let me see those who have come here to fight, wishing to please the evil-minded son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

PURPORT

It was an open secret that Duryodhana wanted to usurp the kingdom of the Pāṇḍavas by evil plans, in collaboration with his father, Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Therefore, all persons who had joined the side of Duryodhana must have been birds of the same feather. Arjuna wanted to see them in the battlefield before the fight was begun, just to learn who they were, but he had no intention of proposing peace negotiations with them. It was also a fact that he wanted to see them to make an estimate of the strength which he had to face, although he was quite confident of victory because Kṛṣṇa was sitting by his side.

Bg 1.24

TEXT 24

TEXT

sañjaya uvāca

evam ukto hṛṣīkeśo

guḍākeśena bhārata

senayor ubhayor madhye

sthāpayitvā rathottamam

SYNONYMS

sañjayaḥ-
Sañjaya;
uvāca-
said;
evam-
thus;
uktaḥ-
addressed;
hṛṣīkeśaḥ
-Lord Kṛṣṇa;
guḍākeśena-
by Arjuna;
bhārata-
O descendant of Bharata;
senayoḥ-
of armies;
ubhayoḥ-
of both;
madhye-
in the midst of;
sthāpayitvā-
by placing;
rathottamam-
the finest chariot.

TRANSLATION

Sañjaya said: O descendant of Bharata, being thus addressed by Arjuna, Lord Kṛṣṇa drew up the fine chariot in the midst of the armies of both parties.

PURPORT

In this verse Arjuna is referred to as Guḍākeśa.
Guḍāka
means sleep, and one who conquers sleep is called
guḍākeśa.
Sleep also means ignorance. So Arjuna conquered both sleep and ignorance because of his friendship with Kṛṣṇa. As a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he could not forget Kṛṣṇa even for a moment, because that is the nature of a devotee. Either in waking or in sleep, a devotee of the Lord can never be free from thinking of Kṛṣṇa's name, form, quality and pastimes. Thus a devotee of Kṛṣṇa can conquer both sleep and ignorance simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa constantly. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or
samādhi.
As Hṛṣīkeśa, or the director of the senses and mind of every living entity, Kṛṣṇa could understand Arjuna's purpose in placing the chariot in the midst of the armies. Thus He did so, and spoke as follows.

Bg 1.25

TEXT 25

TEXT

bhīṣma-droṇa-pramukhataḥ

sarveṣāṁ ca mahī-kṣitām

uvāca pārtha paśyaitān

samavetān kurūn iti

SYNONYMS

bhīṣma-
Grandfather Bhīṣma;
droṇa-
the teacher Droṇa;
pramukhataḥ-
in the front of;
sarveṣām-
all;
ca-
also;
mahīkṣitām-
chiefs of the world;
uvāca-
said;
pārtha-
O Pārtha (son of Pṛthā);
paśya-
just behold;
etān-
all of them;
samavetān-
assembled;
kurūn-
all the members of the
Kuru
dynasty;
iti-
thus.

TRANSLATION

In the presence of Bhīṣma, Droṇa and all other chieftains of the world, Hṛṣīkeśa, the Lord, said, Just behold, Pārtha, all the Kurus who are assembled here.

PURPORT

As the Supersoul of all living entities, Lord Kṛṣṇa could understand what was going on in the mind of Arjuna. The use of the word Hṛṣīkeśa in this connection indicates that He knew everything. And the word Pārtha, or the son of Kuntī or Pṛthā, is also similarly significant in reference to Arjuna. As a friend, He wanted to inform Arjuna that because Arjuna was the son of Pṛthā, the sister of His own father Vasudeva, He had agreed to be the charioteer of Arjuna. Now what did Kṛṣṇa mean when He told Arjuna to "behold the Kurus"? Did Arjuna want to stop there and not fight? Kṛṣṇa never expected such things from the son of His aunt Pṛthā. The mind of Arjuna was thus predicated by the Lord in friendly joking.