Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 6

Chapter 1 – Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Speaker: Sanjaya

Sanskrit verse

युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान् ।
सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः ॥

Transliteration

yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān .
saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ ॥

Meaning

The valiant Yudhamanyu, the mighty Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi are here too; all of them are great chariot-warriors.

Word meanings

युधामन्युः – Yudhamanyu
च – and
विक्रान्तः – valiant
उत्तमौजाः – Uttamaujas
वीर्यवान् – mighty
सौभद्रः – son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu)
द्रौपदेयाः – the sons of Draupadi
सर्वे – all
एव – indeed
महारथाः – great chariot-warriors

Anvaya (word order)

विक्रान्तः युधामन्युः च वीर्यवान् उत्तमौजाः च सौभद्रः द्रौपदेयाः च — सर्वे एव महारथाः ।

Explanation

The last part of the Pandava list names young and brilliant warriors. Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas were two valiant heroes of Panchala, given the duty of guarding the wheels of Arjuna's chariot in battle. The epithets vikranta, 'valiant', and viryavan, 'mighty', underline their courage and strength.

Saubhadra means the son of Subhadra, that is, Abhimanyu. Subhadra was Krishna's sister and Arjuna's wife. Abhimanyu had learned while still in the womb how to break into the chakravyuha, the wheel formation. On the thirteenth day of the war he entered it alone, fought many great warriors, and was finally surrounded and slain against the rules of fair combat. His sacrifice at the age of sixteen is among the most moving episodes of the Mahabharata.

Draupadeyah are the five sons of Draupadi: Prativindhya, Sutasoma, Shrutakarma, Shatanika and Shrutasena, one born to each of the five Pandavas. After the war, Ashvatthama killed them as they slept at night.

Duryodhana closes with sarva eva maharathah, 'all of them are great chariot-warriors'. There is less praise here than anxiety. He wants Drona to understand that there is no ordinary fighter on the other side, and that any slackness would be fatal.

Context

With this verse Duryodhana's list of Pandava warriors (verses 4-6) is complete. In the next verse he tells Drona that he will now name the leaders of his own army.

Life lesson

Young heroes like Abhimanyu show that courage does not depend on age. Whatever responsibility comes to us, carrying it out with full dedication is what gives life its meaning.

Key terms

Saubhadra (Abhimanyu): son of Arjuna and Subhadra, the young hero who fell in the chakravyuha
Draupadeyas: the five sons of Draupadi, one by each Pandava
Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas: Panchala heroes who guarded Arjuna's chariot wheels
Vikranta: valiant, bold