Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra
TEXT 1
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच
धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरूक्षेश्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः ।
मामकाः पाण्डवाश्र्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय॥१॥
TRANSLATION
Dhrtarastra said: O Sanjaya, after my sons and the sons of Pandu assembled in the place of pilgrimage at Kuruksetra, desiring to fight, what did they do?
PURPORT
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 Krsna 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 Krsna.
The topics discussed by Dhrtarastra 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 Kuruksetra, 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-ksetra (a place where religious rituals are performed) is significant because, on the Battlefeild of Kuruksetra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present on the side of Arjuna.
Dhrtarastra, the father of the Kurus, was highly doubtful about the possibilty 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 Feild of Kuruksetra for a determined engagement of the war.
Still, his inquiry is singnificant. He did not want a compromise between the cousins and brothers, and he wanted to be sure of he fate of his sons on the battlefeild. Because the battle was arranged to be fought at Kuruksetra, whish is mentioned elsewhere in the Vedas as a place of worship--even for the denizens of heaven-Dhrtarastra 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 Battlefeild of Kuruksetra even while he was in the room of Dhrtarastra. And so, Dhrtarastra asked him ablut the situation on the battlefeild.
TEXT 2
सञ्जय उवाच
दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दर्योधनस्तदा ।
आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत्॥२॥
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."
PURPORT
Dhrtrastra 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 battlefeild. 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 ot 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.
TEXT 3
पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्।
व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता॥३॥
TRANSLATION
"O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pandu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple the son of Drupada."
PURPORT
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 Drauadi, 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, Dhrstadyumna, was entrusted to him for military education.
Now, on the Battlefeild of Kuruksetra, Dhrstadyumna took side of the Pandavas, and it was he who arranged for thier military phalanx, after having learned the art from Dronacarya. Duruyodhana 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.
TEXT 4
अत्र श्रूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि।
युयुधानो विराटश्र्च महारथः॥४॥
TRANSLATION
"Here in this army are many heroic bowmen equal in fighting to Bhima and Arjuna: great fighters like Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada."
PURPORT
Even though Dhrstadyumna 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.
TEXT 5
धृष्टकेतुश्र्चेकितानः काशिराजश्र्च वीर्यवान्।
पुरूजित्कुन्तिभोजश्र्च शैब्यश्र्च नरपुङ्गवः॥५॥
TRANSLATION
"There are also great, heroic, powerful fighters like Dhrstakeyu, Cekitana, Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Saibya."
TEXT 6
युधामन्युश्र्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्र्च वीर्यवान्।
सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्र्च सर्व एव महारथाः॥६॥
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."
TEXT 7
अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम।
नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थ तान्ब्रवीमि ते॥७॥
TRANSLATION
"But for your information, O best of the brahmanas, let me tell you about the captains who are especially qualified to lead my lilitary force."
TEXT 8
भवान्भीष्मश्र्च कर्णश्श्र्च कृपश्र्च समितिंजयः।
अश्र्वत्थामा विकर्णश्र्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च ॥८॥
TRANSLATION
"There are personalities like you, Bhisma, Karna, Krpa, Asvattama, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta called Bhurisrava, who are always victorious in battle."
PURTPORT
Duruyodhana 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 if the Bahlikas. Karna is the half brother of Arjuna, as he was born of Kunti before her marriage with King Pandu. Krpacarya's twin sister married Dronacarya.
TEXT 9
अन्ये च बहवः श्रूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः ।
नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्व युद्धविशारदाः॥९॥
TRANSLATION
"There are many other heroes who are prepared to lay down their lives for my sake. All of them are well equiped with different kinds of weapons, and all are experienced in military science."
PURPORT
As far as the others are concerned-like Jayadratha, Krtavarma 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 Kuruksetra 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.
TEXT 10
अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्।
पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम् ॥१०॥
TRANSLATION
"Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhisma, whereas the strength of the Pandavas, carefully protected by Bhima, is limited."
PURPORT
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 Bhisma.
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 Bhisma.
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 Bhisma, who was a far superior general. His conclusion that he would come out of the battle victorious was well ascertained.
TEXT 11
अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः।
भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि ॥११॥
TRANSLATION
"All of you must now give full support to Grandfather Bhisma, as you stand at your respective strategic points of entrance into the phalanx of the army."
PURPORT
Duryodhana, after praising the prowess of Bhisma, further considered that others might think that they had been considered less important, so in his usual diplomatic way, he tried to adjust the situation in the above words. He emphasized that Bhismadeva was undoubtedly the greatest hero, but he was an old man, so everyone must especially think of his protection from all sides.
He might become engaged in the figth, and the enemy might take advantage of his full engagement on one side. Therefore, it was important that other heores not leave their strategic positions and allow the enemy to break the phalanx.
Duryodhana clearly felt that the victory of the kurus depended on the presence of Bhismadeva. He was confident of the full support of Bhismadeva and Dronacarya in the battle because he well knew that they did not even speak a word when Arjuna's wife Draupadi, in her helpless condition, had appealed to them for justice while she was being forced to appear naked in the presence of all the great generals in the assembly.
Although he knew that the two generals had some sort of affection for the Pandavas, he hoped that these generals would now completely give it up, as they had done during the gambling performances.