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.