1.3

Sanskrit Verse (Bhagavad Gita 1.3):

पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम् | व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता || 1.3 ||

Transliteration:

Paśyaitān pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṃ camūm |

Vyuḍhāṃ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā || 1.3 ||

Literal Translation:

Drona said:

"O Teacher, behold the great army of the sons of the Pandavas, arrayed by your wise disciple, the son of Drupada."

Samkhya Interpretation:

Pandava Sons (Pāṇḍuputrāṇām): These are the spiritual faculties or positive mental qualities that represent the inner virtues aligned with Purusha (the true self). The Pandavas embody the qualities that support self-realization, like wisdom, courage, and discipline, each playing a role in the battle of the mind.

Great Army (Mahatīṃ Camūm): The army represents the vast mental faculties and spiritual qualities within the individual. These faculties, though varied, come together for a unified cause, which is to achieve spiritual freedom and self-realization. The army represents the collective mental energy that arises to challenge the ego and attachments.

Arrayed by the son of Drupada (Vyuḍhāṃ Drupadaputreṇa): The son of Drupada refers to Dhrishtadyumna, a disciple of Drona, who is the strategist or the planner. In Samkhya terms, this represents the mental faculties of planning, strategy, and wisdom that are required for spiritual growth. The army being arrayed or organized symbolizes the mental organization of these spiritual qualities in a way that allows for an effective confrontation with the ego and its attachments.

Wise Disciple (Tava Śiṣyeṇa Dhīmatā): Drona's disciple, Dhrishtadyumna, is described as wise (dhīmatā). In Samkhya, wisdom (dhi) represents the higher mental faculty that discriminates between the true self (Purusha) and the material world (Prakriti). The wisdom that organizes the mental faculties to combat the ego is crucial for the spiritual battle. The discipleship here reflects the inner training that the mind undergoes in order to align with the higher consciousness.

Samkhya Philosophy Interpretation:

In Samkhya, this verse highlights the mental faculties that work together for the spiritual battle against the ego (Kauravas). The Pandavas, as representatives of spiritual qualities, are not disjointed but are organized into a collective force. The mental faculties must be disciplined, strategized, and coordinated—just like an army ready for battle.

Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Drupada, symbolizes the organized intelligence or the wisdom of the mind that coordinates the inner spiritual faculties for the battle. This wisdom (dhi) is essential to direct the faculties in a unified way to overcome the distractions and illusions of the material world.

In Samkhya, the mind needs to be organized and directed by wisdom in order to transcend the influences of Prakriti (material nature) and align with Purusha (higher consciousness). The army of the Pandavas, under the guidance of wisdom (dhīmatā), reflects the spiritual struggle where the mind is mobilized to transcend its attachments and work toward self-realization. The battle in Kurukshetra represents the mental conflict between Purusha and Prakriti, with wisdom guiding the faculties to victory.