Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 25

Chapter 1 – Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Speaker: Sanjaya

Sanskrit verse

भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् ।
उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति ॥

Transliteration

bhīṣmadroṇapramukhataḥ sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām .
uvāca pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti ॥

Meaning

In front of Bhishma, Drona and all the rulers of the earth, Krishna said: 'O Partha, behold these Kurus gathered together.'

Word meanings

भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः – in front of Bhishma and Drona
सर्वेषाम् – of all
च – and
महीक्षिताम् – of the rulers of the earth
उवाच – said
पार्थ – O Partha, son of Pritha (Arjuna)
पश्य – behold
एतान् – these
समवेतान् – assembled
कुरून् – the Kurus
इति – thus

Anvaya (word order)

भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् (प्रमुखतः स्थापयित्वा) उवाच — पार्थ, समवेतान् एतान् कुरून् पश्य इति ।

Explanation

This short verse is one of the subtlest and most meaningful moments of the Gita. Krishna could have stopped the chariot anywhere, but he placed it directly in front of Bhishma and Drona, the two people Arjuna revered and loved most. One was the grandsire on whose lap Arjuna had played; the other the teacher who had made him the finest archer in the world.

These are Krishna's only words in the first chapter: partha pashyaitan samavetan kurun, 'O Partha, behold these Kurus assembled.' The address Partha recalls Arjuna's mother Pritha (Kunti), and the fact that Krishna himself is Kunti's nephew, Arjuna's kinsman as well as his friend. The word Kurun is also worth noting. Krishna does not say 'the sons of Dhritarashtra' but 'the Kurus', a word that includes both Kauravas and Pandavas. It is as if he were saying, 'Look, all of these are your own family.'

Traditional commentators hold that Krishna did this deliberately. The attachment hidden in Arjuna's heart lay concealed within; the Lord gave it the occasion to surface so that it could be healed. Just as a physician first brings a disease into the open in order to treat it, Krishna brings out Arjuna's despair so that he can give him the medicine of the Gita's wisdom.

From this moment the Gita truly begins. Had Arjuna not been overcome by delusion, there would have been no Gita.

Context

The sentence begun in verse 24 ends here. After Krishna's words, Sanjaya describes in verses 26-27 how Arjuna saw his grandfathers, teachers, brothers, sons and friends standing in both armies.

Life lesson

Sometimes life places us directly before what we are most attached to, so that our inner weakness may come to light. Accepting a problem is the first step towards its solution.

Key terms

Partha: son of Pritha (Kunti); Arjuna
Kuru: descendants of King Kuru; both Kauravas and Pandavas
Mahikshit: a ruler of the earth, a king