Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta Shlok Blog -22
Shlok-22
यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान् । कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन् रणसमुद्यमे ॥ 1-22 ||
English Transcription
Yaaddetaannireeksheham Yoddhukamanwasthitaan | Kaimarya Sah Yodhavyamasmin Ransamudhyame || 1-22 ||
Hindi Translation
Arjun Shri Krishna Se Bole Ki Hey Krishna, Yudh Bhoomi Me Aap Dono Senaon Ke Beech Me Mere Rath Ko Aise Laga De Ki Main Mujhse Yudh Ki Chata Rakhne Walon Ko Dekh Sakoon Or Nirikshan Kar Sakoon.
English Translation
O Lord of the Earth, I would request you to kindly station my chariot in a manner that it is exactly in the middle of the two armies and also in a manner that I can easily pan my vision and see for one last time who all are there whom I have to fight in this strenuous battle.
Meaning
In the previous Shlok, we saw how after each party had roared their respective Shankhs and everyone had made sure of the information to provide to the other party so that they can start the war, Arjun took out his bow and arrow, Gaandiv and he also got ready for the fight.
Arjun was still not very convinced of the war and he thought if still there was any chance things could go back to normal or become usual so that the war can be avoided. Arjun was sure that there still could be something that can at least minimize the damages if nothing else.
This was why Arjun looked at Shri Krishna so that if there is any last words of wisdom he would want to provide. But then Arjun thought to ask some questions that were eating him up. But before that he wanted to know more about the battlefield in real time, facing the situation and scenario to understand the power of war and the power of hate that was rampant in all of the people.
Arjun turned towards Shri Krishna with his bow and arrow in his hand. As per Sanjaya’s description to Dhritrashtra, Arjun requested Lord Krishna to place his chariot exactly in between both armies. He knew he was standing in the middle, but he wanted to stand precisely in the middle.
To give you context, the best defense in any army is to stand in an upside-down triangle format, making a formation so that the pointed tip of the triangle faces the enemy. This way, it makes a penetrative figure and two other people and vice versa guard every person. This way, the moment there is about to be a flank attack, there are at least two people per person to avoid damage.
Thus when the entire battleground is viewed in an aerial view, it looks like a drum with just a small difference that instead of two parallel trapeziums, it will be two pointed triangles at each other.
Thus, Arjun knew that he was leading this war and he had to be in front. He wanted a bird’s eye view of the entire field placement and it was possible with only two things, him standing in the middle of the battlefield and at the pointed edge of the triangle and he had an entire glance of the oncoming situation, whatever it was so that there was no chance of missing out upon something very easy and obvious.
Arjun, therefore, requested Lord Krishna to know that he wanted to know who all were so curious to fight the Pandavas knowing well that they will be facing a massive defeat at the hands of if not the Braves then the rights, and thus, he wanted to see who all were wanting a war with the Pandavas.
Arjun also knew that there were a lot of people who didn’t want to be there for any of the parties and yet they were on either side due to some or the other compulsion. Similarly, Arjun was also aware that these were the weak links and they were in the army only to complete some objective they had that could otherwise make them a part of this fight. He wanted to know who were these people and so that these people are not prey to the whole war-like situation.
Arjun also knew that he needed to figure out other people too whom he doesn’t want to engage with directly and whom he will fight. He, therefore, was searching for the right people and the right reasons to engage with and thus he only wanted to make things easy, fast, and quick so that if the war ends fast and the main people are approached first, the innocents will be spared and there will be less damage and less destruction.
Arjun requested Shri Krishna to place his chariot between the exact point of the two armies so that he can be stationed at his designated place for the battle. He knew for a fact that whatever he tries, or whatever anyone tries, each person is assigned to live a life of exactly those many years only and will have to bear the consequences of their actions in their places which have been written for them.
Mostly, everyone faces the outcome of what they do and what they have been doing. So, if anyone has anything in their lives that they have not received a return for, good or bad, they have to get the results of their Karma in this life only and that is possible only when everyone is standing at their designated places.
The question can be that what if the person skips what is written and is away from their place? The answer is simple. Even if that happens, destiny will pull the outcome again upon the person in a separate scenario but till that is not achieved, the person will keep getting into a similar spiral until they reach the point of execution from where the further steps have been decided.
So if you are alive and you have not reached that outcome yet, the universe will get it for you anyhow. Rjun knew this and knew that many of the people in this war were not because they wanted it for themselves but because their luck or the universe wanted it for them and Arjun knew he too was one of those. He just wanted to know how many people were also in the same spiral whom he knew.
Thus, Arjun had a request to Lord Krishna to place his chariot at the exact center of the battlefield in the middle of the two armies.
Conclusion
Arjun wanted to know what he is getting into and how he will get out of it if there is a slight chance. Thus he tries to stand in the center and be the head of the entire battle, which he was already designated for. This is to say that if you are destined to do something, you will have to handle that in the most possible manner. Thus, we should all know what we are supposed to do and, if possible, have a grid view of all the possibilities so that we are not hounded by negatives in our lives.
That's all for Shlok 22, Chapter 1 of Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta. We will see you tomorrow with Shlok 23 Chapter 1. If you have missed Shlok 21, Chapter-1, kindly check here.
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