Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta Shlok Blog -24
Shlok-24
एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत । सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम् ॥ 1-24 ||
English Transcription
Aivmukto Hrishikesho Gudakeshen Bharat | Senyoroobhyormadhye Sthapayitwa Rathotamam || 1-24 ||
Hindi Translation
Sanjay Dhritrashtra se keh rahein hain ki Arjun ki vinti karne par Shri Krishna ne Arjun ka rath dono senaon ke madhya me sthapit kar diya.
English Translation
Sanjay is telling Dhritrashtra that Shri Krishna followed Arjun’s request and placed the chariot in a manner that it is exactly in the middle of both armies.
Meaning
In the previous Shlok, Arjun was seen telling Shri Krishna that he wanted to know what was going on in the Kaurava army and why were the good people supporting the bad beast like Duryodhan. Who were they? What did they want? Were they at any force? Were they held against their wills?
Arjun wanted to know who were the people who wanted to fight him and the brave Panadava army and why were they so excited to fight when they were supporting the wrong side and they were about to be finished.
Sanjaya, who had the Divyadrishti (ability to see afar while not present there physically), was the official narrator of Dhritrashtra, the one who had vision issues, and the father of the Kauravas. Sanajay told Dhritrashtra how the Kauravas were ready to fight, what Duryodhan said to whom, what was being done, and by whom, and everything that was happening. He narrated how Arjun requested his chariot to be placed exactly in the middle of the field so that he can know who all wanted to fight him and why. He wanted to know whom he can fight and whom he will skip so that he can reach the main powers of the Kauravas army first and eliminate any threats to the strongest powers first so that there was no chance of a superficial attack on his side while he captures the biggest side first.
Sanjay used the word Gudakeshen to describe Arjun. Arjun was actually a very good-looking person with very attractive features. Kesh means hair. Guda means curly. Arjun had very curly and thick hair that he managed to handle quite efficiently. He looked very dapper and was one of the most aspired for a person who was wanted by many because of his skills and intelligence and he was also loved by a lot of people.
Sanjay said to Dhritrashtra that Arjun, who had extremely curly hair, and who was leading the battlefront said about his curiosity to know who wanted to fight him, Shri Krishna, before starting the war, with his Gaandiv bow and arrow in his hands.
Sanjay also used the word Aivmuktah which means the one who can give up the feeling of laziness and sleepiness, the one who can conquer laziness and procrastination so that they can focus on anything at hand. Arjun was the person who had trained himself for being able to conquer his sleep and be ready always in action.
This was because Arjun was a fierce fighter and every fighter has an innate habit of being aware of every moment. They are never out of practice and they know they can be a target anytime as well as they have to be away from being painted because their own people will suffer so they are always separated from the basic scenes and they are always in alert mode. This was why Sanajay praised Arjun by saying that the one with curly hair and the one who can conquer sleep and laziness, Arjun, said this to Lord Krishna, his charioteer.
The Bharat word here is a reference to the ruler of the Bharat kingdom, Dhritrashtra as Hastinapur was a huge empire that comprised all the areas of modern-day India, the whole of Pakistan, parts of Afghanistan, the whole of Nepal and Bhutan, and Bangladesh and parts of Sri Lanka and parts of Myanmar as well.
Thus Sanjaya was trying to please Dhritrashtra side by side by equalizing everything. He knew that Dhritrashtra had a small hatred towards the Pandavas and yet Sanjay had praised Arjun with two adjectives one after another. So he neutralized the same by praising the king he was sitting next to. Sanjay knew that even if he was the voice of the war for Dhritrastra and even if Dhritrashtra was sad with the war situation, he still was the king and if the Pandavas are praised and his own sons Kauravas are criticized, he will not take it in good stride.
Sanjay immediately said that when Shri Krishna heard this from Arjun, he understood how much Arjun wanted to see things and make things right and good and best. So without asking any more questions, Shri Krishna followed the commands and made the necessary action.
He placed the chariot right in between both armies in a manner that Arjun could actually gain that bird's eye view in the aerial grid format so that he knows what will be his best course of action and what can reduce the damages by a mile.
Sanjay referred to Lord Krishna as Hrishikeshah which meant that the symbol of smartness, intelligence, heart, soul, and brains, Lord Krishna who is the supreme commander of anything and anyone was listening to his biggest devotee and was following his orders because he knew that all that he had taught this devotee of his will stay forever in his minds and he will never be able to forget that.
Therefore, Shri Krishna knew what Arjun wanted and even when Arjun asked the same, Shri Krishna made sure to do it exactly like that so that he could aid the process with which Arjun wanted to process.
Conclusion
You need to learn from your juniors sometimes that people are not exactly how you think they are, but you can tackle situations created by these people in the exact manner you have thought you want to. Sometimes, what you can learn from them might be things you already knew but you never focussed upon that. Sajay learned that he needs to give a clear picture but Dhritrashtra understood that the praises of Arjun were not because Pandavas were doing anything extra to gain those but because the Kauravas were doing everything to make things worse. Arjun understood that it was too late to end the war and finish the same forever but Shri Krishna learned from Arjun that when things look complicated from one angle, change your perspective a little and maybe there will be something new that you would have ignored otherwise and it will be the most concrete thing to do.
That’s it for today in Shlok 24, Chapter 1 of Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta. Will see you tomorrow with Shlok 25, Chapter-1. Till then stay updated with Shlok 23 chapter 1 if you have missed it.
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