Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta Shlok Blog -25
Shlok-25
भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् । उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति ॥ 1-25 ||
English Transcription
Bheeshdronpramukhtah Sarveshaam Cha Maheekkshitaam | Uvaach Paarth Pashyaitaankurooniti || 1-25 ||
Hindi Translation
Shri Krishna ne rath ko ekdum Bheeshma Pitamah or Guru Dronacharya ke samne laga kar ke bola ki Arjun dekho in kuruvanshiyon ko jo adharm ka saath dene ke liye tatpar hain.
English Translation
Shri Krishna placed the chariot right in the middle of the field, so that Bheeshma Pitamah and Guru Dronacharya were straight in line and then said to Arjun that he should feed this in his mind how these fickle-minded people have assembled together uniting with iniquity against ethics.
Meaning
In the previous Shlok, we saw how Sanjaya praised Arjun and told Dhritrashtra how Shri Krishna listened to the request of Arjun and placed the chariot exactly in the middle of the two armies so that he could see who all wanted to support the wrong and who all he had to fight in a straight up manner.
In this Shlok, Sanjaya continues to say to Dhritrashtra that when Shri Krishna placed the chariot in the middle of the two armies, there was Bheeshma Pitamah standing right in front of Arjun.
Shri Krishna did this on purpose. He wanted to tell Arjun how it feels to see the people who were fighting him against him knowing well that he was right and they are wrong and they are supporting the wrong which is bringing him sadness and problems and to his family as well. Shri Krishna was very clever here because he knew that Arjun loved his people a little too much and it was very difficult for him to fight his own people even when they were wrong but now that there was no other option, he had to stand face-up to them and see them how they were making things difficult for hima dn he will have to fight them for proving himself, his supporters and most importantly, the truth.
Shri Krishna wanted to teach Arjun that it is very important to face your fears in the eye before you actually try to conquer them. There is a saying in Hindi that says Ranbhoomi Me Yudh Ho Iske Pehle Manbhoomi Me Khela Jata Hai, which basically means before you fight it out on the battlefield, you have to play it very well in your own mind’s battlefield.
Thus, Shri Krishna wanted Arjun to feed the image of his own grandfather, Bheeshma Pitamah, standing right in front of him, who used to be an idol figure and a preacher for Arjun and the Pandavas so that Arjun knows that everyone who preaches good is not actually that good and the evil side to a good preacher exists and turns out in this manner exactly.
There also was Guru Dronacharya, the first person to ever teach Arjun, preach to Arjun, and bless Arjun. Seeing him in front of his eyes, trying to fight him only when he was doing everything that he was taught was right was when Arjun should know that anytime when he has learned anything from someone, he has to be ready to apply that against that person only if circumstances be.
Earlier, Arjun knew everything about war but the only thing he did not know was that Guru Dronacharya and Bheeshma Pitamah had also joined the Kauravas. His latest information was that Kauravas were banking upon these two fighters and that Duryodhan had visited them to convince them. Immediately after that, the war instruments were blown and Arjun became the face of the war even before he could learn that these two fighters also joined the Kauravas.
Shri Krishna wanted Arjun to see the bigger picture here because even if Arjun would have fought the Kauravas, who had bad intentions in the face, he had to know that there were bad intentions in the minds of Guru Dron and Bheeshma Pitamah also, although they were too small and subdued, they too had sinned and they deserved to be punished at the correct time so that it sets an example for the mankind at the right time.
Shri Krishna knew what he was doing will be devastating for Arjun initially and he also knew that he was Arjun’s guide so he will handle everything, but there wouldn’t be a reason to fight if all the wrong is not exposed at once and all the rights are not extended slowly and precisely.
This also is the first Shok where Shri Krishna used some words. Sanajy says how Shri Krishna described the Kauravas and their army as the masterstroke because Shri Krishna knew the state of mind Arjun was into. He did not want to add to the confusion by being silent so the moment Shri Krishna detected that Arjun had registered certain things in his mind and he was about to draw some devious conclusion, he barged in with a tip saying “Look at these evil-minded people standing in front of you.”
Shri Krishna was introducing Arjun to the mirror of the world where his own people, his own teacher, his own brothers, and his own elders were standing against him, whereby, although there were similar sets of people in support of him there are more people against him than with him. This was exactly the situation he wanted to show will happen whenever anyone will try to take good action because three are more people to hate the notion of your success than the ones who would want to hear about your success. So, Shri Krishna intentionally said that those all who are facing you and are against you are fickle-minded, evil people who are standing and staring right into your eyes. Look at them and do not try to steal their gaze.
In the real world also, there will be more people to hate you than try to support you. It is about your perspective where you think you can take the support of a few people and prove everyone else wrong or take the cover of your haters to showcase the reason why they were your haters and were against you in the first place.
Conclusion
Shri Krishna knew that when you love or like someone, you forget that they can be wrong also. When they are, you do not understand how you prove them wrong. You also did not know why you have to go through this and in this only, you have to do it for yourself and take the leap of faith, if not in yourself, then in those who believed in you, and maybe one day, you can shine the way your supporters wanted you to be. Your haters will always get their answer but if you fail, they will hate and be against someone else to destroy their lives. So if you feel there is nothing for which you need to take a stand, take a stand for those who cannot do it for themselves, and one day, you will have that motivation to be able to understand more than just basic bookish knowledge.
That's all for Shlok-25, Chapter-1 Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta. We'll be back tomorrow with Shlok-26, Chapter-1. Till then if you have missed Shlok-24, Chapter-1, check here.
Follow us:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RudrakshHub
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rudrakshahub/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6965943605077164032
Youtube: https://youtu.be/M56U9L2xvpg
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7sAblFEsUcFCdKZShztGFC?si=61a7b9a9e46b42d6
