Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 27

Chapter 1 – Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Speaker: Sanjaya

Sanskrit verse

श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि ।
तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान् ॥

Transliteration

śvaśurānsuhṛdaścaiva senayorubhayorapi .
tānsamīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvānbandhūnavasthitān ॥

Meaning

He saw fathers-in-law and well-wishing friends as well, in both the armies. Seeing all these kinsmen standing arrayed, the son of Kunti (Arjuna),

Word meanings

श्वशुरान् – fathers-in-law
सुहृदः – well-wishers, friends
च एव – and also
सेनयोः – in the armies
उभयोः – both
अपि – even
तान् – them
समीक्ष्य – having looked closely
सः – he
कौन्तेयः – the son of Kunti (Arjuna)
सर्वान् – all
बन्धून् – kinsmen
अवस्थितान् – standing arrayed

Anvaya (word order)

उभयोः अपि सेनयोः श्वशुरान् सुहृदः च एव (अपश्यत्) । सः कौन्तेयः तान् सर्वान् अवस्थितान् बन्धून् समीक्ष्य —

Explanation

The list of relationships continues: shvashuran, fathers-in-law, such as Draupadi's father Drupada and other kings joined to the family by marriage; and suhridah, well-wishers who desire one's good without any selfish motive. The phrase ubhayor api senayoh, 'in both the armies', shows that Arjuna saw fathers-in-law, friends and kin on his own side too. Whichever side won, the blood of his own people would flow on both sides.

The word samikshya deserves attention. It means not merely to see but to look deeply, from every side, and to reflect. Arjuna looked closely at face after face, and with each face a whole world of memories rose in his mind: childhood games, days in the teacher's school, family festivals.

Sanjaya here calls Arjuna Kaunteya, son of Kunti. The name recalls a mother's tenderness. It is as though, at this moment, the warrior in Arjuna has stepped back, and the heart of a son, a brother and a pupil has come forward.

These are no longer 'enemies' but bandhus, 'kinsmen'; Sanjaya himself now calls them bandhun. This change of word signals the change in Arjuna's mind. The sentence is completed in the next verse, where Arjuna, overwhelmed with compassion, speaks in sorrow.

Context

The list of kinsmen begun in verse 26 ends here. The sentence completes in verse 28, where Arjuna, filled with deep compassion, begins to speak.

Life lesson

When we see a situation only through the eyes of emotion, duty grows blurred. Respecting our feelings while keeping discernment awake is the path of a balanced life.

Key terms

Kaunteya: son of Kunti; Arjuna
Suhrid: a friend who wishes one well without selfish motive
Bandhu: a kinsman, one's own people
Samiksha: looking deeply from every side and reflecting