Shloka 4, 5 & 6

अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि

युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः l l  (श्लोक ४)

घृष्टकेतुश्चेकितान: कशिराजश्च वीर्यवान्

पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुंगवः l l  (श्लोक ५)

युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान्

सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः l l  (श्लोक ६)

Atra shooraa maheshwasaa bheemarjunsamaa yuddhi

Yuyudhaano viraatasch drupadasch maharathah ll (Shloka 4)

Grishtketushchekitaanah kaashiraajasch viryawaan

Purujitkuntibhojasch saibyasch narpungavah ll (Shloka 5)

Yudhamanyusch vikraant uttamaujaasch viryawaan

Saubhadro draupadeyasch sar ev maharathah ll (Shloka 6)

Morphophonology (संधि - विच्छेद)

Atra shooraa mahesh wasaa bheem Arjun samaa yuddhi

Yuyudhaan o viraat asch drupad asch maharathah ll (Shloka 4)

Grishtketu sch chekitaan ah kaashi raajasch viryawaan

Purujit kuntibhoja sch saibyasch narpungav ah ll (Shloka 5)

Yudha manyusch vikraant uttam aujaa sch viryawaan

Saubhadro draupadey asch sar ev maharathah ll (Shloka 6)

Commentary

Duryodhana is asking Drona to have a look of the army and is pointing out that in this army are present mighty people, great bowmen and people who are equal to Bheema and Arjuna in battle (bheem Arjun samaa yuddhi). There are mighty people like Yuyudhaan (Also known as Satyaki) Viraat and Drupada. (Shloka 4)

Further, there are Grishtketu, Chekitaan, mighty warrior and the King of Kashi Purujit, “Kuntibhoja” and the hero among men (narpungavah – Best among the men) Shaibya. (Shloka 5)

And are there the valiant Yudhamanyu, the formidable Uttamaujah, the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu) and Sons of Draupadi (Draupadi has Five Sons) – all of them (indeed) are great lords of chariots (Maharathaa).

It is important to note that at that time Maharthaa was a sobriquet that was assigned to a warrior who could alone fight with “Ten Thousand” bowmen. Grishtketu was son of Shishupal. Prujit and Kuntibhoja are the name of same person.

Here Duryodhana was strategically analysing the Strength of Pandavas’ army. He was in a process of doing what we can compare from today’s terminology as SWOT Analysis.

In these Sholkas (From 2 – 6) he has analysed the strength of Pandava’s army and in shlokas to come he has analysed his army’s strength and weaknesses.  

Shloka 2 & 3

सञ्जय उवाच

दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा

आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत् ll (श्लोक २)

पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्रानामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्

व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता ll (श्लोक ३)

Sanjay Uwach

Drishtwaa tu pandavaneekam vyudham duryodhanastada

Acharyamupsangamya raja vachanambraveet ll (Shlok 2)

Pashyaitaam panduputranaamachaarya matheem chamum

Vyudhaam drupadputren tav shishyen dheemataa ll (Shlok 3)

Morphophonology (संधि - विच्छेद)

Drishtwaa tu pandav aneekam vyudham duryodhan astada

Acharyamup sangamya raja vachanam braveet ll (Shlok 2)

Pashyaitaam panduputra naam achaarya matheem chamum

Vyudhaam drupad putren tav shishyen dheemataa ll (Shlok 3)

Commentary

(When asked by Dhritrashtra ) Sanjay said (started telling him the happenings of the battle filed sequentially)

Seeing the large Marshalled army of Pandava’s having formed “Vyuh” (strategic formation of the army) King Duryodhan approached Acharya (Preceptor) “Drona” and said ….. (Shloka 2)

Have a look of the Large army of Pandavas’ (panduputranaam – Sons of Pandu; thus called Pandavas’) who are marshalled in the Vyuh by your able disciple and son of Drupad (His name was Drishtdhyumn).

The word chamum means army and it also means one part of the army that includes 729 Elephants, 729 Chariots, 2187 Chariot Riders and 3645 Infantry.

Dheemataa – This word as used by Duryodhana for Drishtdhyum means capable, knowledgeable. This word is also used to signify “Brishaspati – Jupiter”; the Guru of Dev.

Thus, Duryodhana here is doing the first hand analysis of the situation to form his first opinion and also he is realizing the strength of the opponents’ army.

We all do the same. We know that the future is folded and we can - not influence the outcomes of future but we try to analyse by whatever we have at present to the possible outcomes in the future. We form a perception and that perception acts as a catalyst of our strength to struggle forward in life.  

Shloka 1

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच

धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः

मामकाः पाण्डवाश्रचैव  किमकुर्वत सञ्जयः ll

Dhritrashtra Uwach

Dharmkshetre Kurukshetre samwetaa yuyutsawah

Mamkaah pandawashchaiv kimkurwat sanjayh ll

Morphophonology (संधि - विच्छेद)

Dharm Kshetre Kuru kshetre samwetaa yuyut sawah

Mamkaah pandavah schaiv kim kurwat sanjayah ll

Commentary

This is the first Shloka of Gita and this starts with Dhritashtra’s speaking (uwach). Here Uwach is not taken as “Speak” rather it has been used to connote “Asked”.

The literal meaning of this shloka is very simple. Dhritsahtra is asking Sanjay to tell him what his and Pandava’s sons have doine in the battle field of Kurkshetra. He is also at the same time suggesting that the battle field of Kurukshetra is also the field of Dharam and on that his and Pandava’s Sons are equally eager to wage a war against one another.

This appears to be a simple opening statement but it has many shades. Who has Dhritrasthra asked? He is asking to “Sanjay”.

When and why did Dhrtirashtra asked Sanjay? This is not a mere question here rather this question has an importance and that is this has paved the way to how the Gita got popularised for all the generations that has come up after that period and for generations to come. The background is that before the beginning of the war Maharshi Vyas has asked Dhritrashtra whether he would like to see the war and if yes he could give him eyes. Dhritrashtra has said that he does not want to see destruction of his own family, as on both the sides it was his family. Than Vyas has given divine eyes to Sanjay who was a trusted servant of Dhrtitrashtra so that he can tell the happenings to him. It is said that initially Dhritashtra didn’t asked Sanjay to tell him what is happening at the battle field but when Sanjay has conveyed the message of Bhishm getting hurt badly in the war than out of grief Dhritrashtra asked Sanjay to tell him the happenings in the war field. Sanjay than explained him about the army of both the sides and then he recited Gita to him. Later on Vyas has recited this conversation to his disciples. His disciples later recited the same to Vaishampayan, from him to Janmejay and at the end Sauti has recited the same to Shaunak. This is included in Mahabharat under Bhishmparva from Chapter Number 25  to 42.

This shloka underlines the fact that Dhritrashtra was aware that it is a war of Dharma and also that he was aware that at the end of the day it is going to be his family only which will get destroyed. Howsoever, despite knowing, he could not avert the war. This is how destiny folds. In everyday life also at times many of us know that we can be in some problems but we are not able to do anything about it but to face it.

This shloka also indicates the internal conflict of Dhritrashra. Though he knew that it was Duryodhan which has sought the war, Dhritrashtra was in the mode of denial of this fact. “Samwetaa yuyutsawah” – this is how he is trying to console himself. "He is suggesting to himself that Pandavas’ are also having “Equal Willingness” and are “Eager to wage a War”. This is mode of denial and we all do have this mode within ourselves. Howsoever, there is no point discussing whether it is good or bad at this stage, but this mode of denial gives us hope somewhere and at times it acts like “Jijivisha – Will to live”.

This question contains anxiety, despair, grief, curiosity and fear of Dhritrasthra. There is one Dhritrashtra within each one of us.

Prayer (Dhyan)

वंदना (ध्यान)

शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं

विश्र्वाधारम् गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णँ शुभाङ्गम्

लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यं

वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ll

Prayer (Dhyan)

Shantakaram bhujagshayanm padmnabham suresham

Vishwaadhaaram gaganshadrisham meghavarnam shubhangam

Lakshmikantam kamalnaynam yogibhirdhyangamyam

Vande vishnum bhavbhayharam sarvalokaiknatham ll

Morphophonology (संधि - विच्छेद)

Shant aakaram bhujag shaynam padm nabham suresham

Vishwa aadharam gagan shadrisham megha varnam shubh angam

Lakshami kantam kamal naynam yogi abhir dhyan gamyam

Vande Vishnu bhav bhawya haram sarv lok ek natham ll

Meaning

Shant aakaram - One who’s “aakriti” (posture) is calm to the extreme, bhujag shaynam who is lying on serpent padm nabham On whose navel there is a Lotus suresham (of the the names of Lord Vishnu) One who is better than any other Vishwa aadharam One who is foundation of Universe gagan shadrisham who is like the sky (ither) which is present every where megha varnam who is having complexion of blue rain shubh angam and one who is having the most beautiful body in the entire universe Lakshami kantam One who is having Laxmi (in all meanings of Laxmi among which the most prominent are Goddess of Riches and Shakti – Considered as the source of the three Physical forms of Shakti; viz: tripind – mahakali, mahalashmi and mahasharaswati) as his wife kamal naynam One whose eyes are like beautiful Lotus yogi abhir dhyan gamyam One who is being prayed and being meditated for by all the Yogis and who is attained by meditation Vande Vishnu Oh ! I pray to you lord Vishnu bhav bhawya haram who makes us fearless by destroying all the fears of life and death sarv lok ek natham and who is the lord of all the Universe (here the word “lok” is used to address the existence of other planets and galaxies which is having life).

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Oh Lord ! Bless all souls ….. !

Introduction

Dear All Readers

By inspiration of the Lord, I am making a humble effort to interpret the shlokas of Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta. I am just a normal human being and I am neither any saint or a yogi who is trying to interpret the meanings.

The name of this blog is shreemadbhagwatgeetabhasya, by which I meant to give the objective of the writings. The shlokas of Geeta will be presented with their literal meaning and then I would be putting in my own interpretation or commentary of the connotation of the sholka. This is going to be a long – long work and I hope that Maa Bhagwati will bestow her blessings on me to keep my working going on.

During the entire writings references will be taken from books like: Shreemad Bhagwat Geeta Rahasya by Pt Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Sankhyadarshanam, Sheemad Bhagwat Geeta Bhasya by Adi Guru Shankracharya, Sanskrit Hindi Dictionary by Sri Vaman Shivram Apate; Yogsutra by Patanjali  and others. The Geeta in use is one that of Geeta Press, Gorakhpur

The sequence of the writings will be

a)    Explanation of the Shlokas of Geeta – This will be the first thing to be taken up

b)    Karmyoga and its exposition in Geeta – This will be the second topic of writing

c)    Sankhyadarshan and Sankhyayoga – This will be the third and final topic of writing

If my work can touch even a single life and it can be of some use to anyone I will consider my work has been successful or is worth it.

I am having limited resources at my end. Anybody who wants to contribute in any manner; viz: Technologically, Socially, Economically, Politically Et Al in this work please do and come forward. Every single help will matter a lot. For any help that you want to render please write to me on shreemadbhagwatgeetabhasya@gmail.com.

This work of mine is completely selfless and I request anybody joining hand in this quest shall join without any self - interest. The only interest that we shall have is giving to all.

See you in the journey ahead.

Warm Regards

Swasti

Utpal