Chapter 1: Observing the Armies
Summary:
1. Preparation of war
2. The signs of victory for the Pandavas
3. Whose side is Krsna on.
Verse 1-27: what is happening in the battlefield
Text 1: Dhrtarastra wasn't on the battlefield and hence asked Sanjaya what are everybody doing at Kurukshetra. Actually even Dhrtarastra had the vision from Vyasadev and was given the divine eyes but Dhrtarastra didn't want to see his sons to be killed and hence asked somebody to tell him the war. So Sanjaya was given the benediction from Vyasadeva to give live streaming of the Kurukshetra war.
Purport: To study the BG you need help of a devotee to help understand it very nicely. How should we study - very scrutinizly. Should be a daily schedule, read carefully - what Krsna, his devotees and SP wants us to do. We shouldn't be personally motivated - we shouldn't be finding a verse to satisfy our needs. We need to hear only by disciplic succession because only then we will know what Krsna wants us to understand in the right way - otherwise we will not understand it properly when we hear from person to person and not by the disciplic succession. Whatever we want to know is in the vedas - just like how Arjuna understood it. It is considered the 7th veda. The essence of the vedas is in the BG. Dhrtarastra is concerned about two things - 1. he didn't say my nephews - he said sons of pandu - because otherwise he will have affection
2. Place of pilgrimage - Kuruksetra/Dharmashetra - its a sacred place of pilgrimage since time immemorial. He knows Pandavas are righteous or virtuous and anybody who goes to the place of pilgrimage it influences them - Kauravas might say we don't want to fight take the land or Pandavas say - we don't anything we don't want to fight.
SP says paddy field unnecessary weeds are taken out. In Kurukshetra - in front of Krsna - unwanted plants like Kauravas will be wiped out - that's the analogy SP gives in the last paragraph of the first verse.
Text 2: Theme now is what is Duryodhana is doing. We see how he is so diplomatic and he is fearful (till verse 11)
Purport: He is blind and is also bereft of spiritual vision and he knew his sons are also blind in religion. Even though he is addressed as King Duryodhana - so instead of going to the ministers he is diplomatic and he goes to his teacher Dronacharya and because he is a brahmana he committed the following mistake.
Text 3: Here he is being very diplomatic and is pointing out to his teacher the mistake he has made. Drupada made a fire sacrifice and prayed to have a son who will kill Dronacharya they came from the fire sacrifice and the other personality was Draupadi. Dhristadyumna still sent to Dronacharya to learn the art of war. Here Duryodhana is pointing out to his teacher see what your mistake has been made. Don't be lenient to the pandavas and your students because this is what you are meant to do and if you don't fight properly we will be defeated.
Text 4: He is trying to allay the fear that these two personalities Bhima and Arjuna are the two stumbling blocks and is very afraid of both of them but still he is trying to convince others that we have great fighters so everybody can feel not afraid. Again his diplomacy. 3 vows after Draupadi was disrobed - 1. will kill all 101 sons of Dhirtarastra, 2. Duryodhana had pulled out his dhoti and had asked Draupadi to sit on his lap - hence he had vowed he will break his thigh 3. He said he will tear Dushasana chest and take out his heart and drink his blood and will also break his hand. Draupadi also said she will not tie her hair till she gets the blood of Dushasana on it.
Text 5: He is stating other fighters too.
Text 6: other fighters - till now he has said about the other army
Text 7: Now about his army to both Drona and Bhisma
Text 8: Starts with Drona instead of Bhisma - because he again wanted to be diplomatic and he knew Bhisma won't mind if he mentioned a brahmana then he mentioned Bhisma to please him. He also mentioned Krpa and Ashwattama who were relatives of Dronachary. Then he mentioned Vikarna who was the only brother to defend the draupadi vastraharan and hence, he was trying to please everybody so nobody defects to the other side. Just before the war starts Vikarna actually goes to the Pandavas side.
Text 9: others who are ready to fight for Duryodhana - SP says they are already concluded that they will die.
Text 10: He knew Bhima is very powerful and he had envy towards him. He is comparing his greatest enemy to Bhisma and he is trying to compare Bhima with Bhisma so he is trying to say he is limited like a fig compared to Bhisma. But Bhisma's will to fight is so less compared to Bhima and hence Bhima might be superior. So Duryodhana in essence is very afraid and is trying to be diplomatic and is trying to please everyone.
Some key points - 1. Duryodhana still feels he is confident of victory 2. He knows nobody can defeat the son of Ganga Bhisma and he has the boon of not dying till he wants to die 3. Till he has Bhismadev he can win the war (He and Drona knew Krsna is the supreme Lord and yet were fighting on dharma as he had vowed to protect the kingdom - Once Kstariya gives his word still they keep up their word, Drona had given up knowledge for money and hence he was obligated to the Kauravas. These are all great personalities and they are just showing with their examples what we shouldn't do) 4. Duryodhana knew both Drona and Bhisma had lot of affection but he also knew both of them didn't do anything when Draupadi was disrobed and hence we see Duryodhana is very arrogant so far.
Text 11: Again diplomatic that even though Bhisma is very strong, yet he is an old man and hence everybody should give him protection
Text 12: Bhisma knowing Duryodhana was afraid and his heart - feeling compassion he blew his conchshell very loudly to cheer him. Also the conchshell is a sign of Krsna and he tried to tell Duryodhana that his defeat is immenient.
Text 13: From now we will see subtle signs of how the Kauravas are going to die.
Very loud everybody started blowing and beating drums - At that period there were ethics also in war.
Text 14: Both Krsna and Arjuna's conchshells are transcendental. Here we see so many signs of wins for the Pandavas. Signs of victory 1. Krsna on their side 2. Whereever Krsna is Goddess of fortune is also there so Victory and fortune is always with the persons who are with Krsna 3. Arjuna's flag was Hanumanji - another symbol of victory 4. Conchshells - signs of visnu 5. Both Krsna and Arjuna's Conchshells are transcendental - hence there was different reaction when they blew theirs.
Special chariot - donated by agni deva - it can change its direction based on where Arjuna wants to shoot also Arjuna could fight from both right and left hands - he had that boon. Chariot could move in any direction and in any part of the universe.
Text 15: All these were Transcendental conchshells - All of them have personalities themselves. They can all take form and can come down if they need to. As these are all transcendental hence they are all named. They are used to purify the ether with ghosts spirits and dirty elements and hence we blow the conchshell. Krsna's conchshell - Pancajanya; Arjuna's - Devadatta and Bhima's - Paundra. Yudhisthira - Anantavijaya; Nakula - Sughosa and Sahadeva- Manipuspaka
Lot of important points in the Purport - PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY
HW: Find Different names of Krsna, arjuna and Bhima (3 or 4 names of Krsna and Arjuna also has 3/4 different names)
Hearing these Conchshells the hearts of the Kauravas were shattered.
Text 16: All such great personalities going to war but all started by King Dhrtarastra.
Text 19: SP says in purport - one who takes shelter of the Supreme Lord then we have nothing to fear in the midst of the greatest calamity - the verse is an example how the Pandavas felt no fear as Krsna was with them. So in our day to day life too - everyday is a battle we should be fearful of the material world and should take shelter of the supreme Lord Krsna everyday every moment.
Text 20: Arjuna was prepared to fight but Krsna puts Arjuna in a situation so he can talk to the Lord and Krsna can then speak the BG.
Text 21: Krsna wanted Arjuna to see his own relatives so he can be bewildered and then he can speak the BG. Here Arjuna refers Krsna as Acyuta - why? The Lord never fails his devotee because of his affection to His devotees. Because Krsna takes pleasure to serve his devotees and whatever position he takes he becomes the best - best servant, best lover, best charioter, that should be our mood - be the best in whatever you do. The servant wants to serve the Lord and Krsna also wants to serve and reciprocate with the devotee and that is called rasa - Krsna is experiencing each rasa by taking the position with each of his devotees. This is a very unique quality of the supreme Lord. He puts Arjuna in yogamaya because he wants to teach all of us something - he wanted to clean up the unwanted elements and hence he had the war but at the same time he wanted to give everybody some teaching and hence wants to speak the BG.
Text 23: He wanted to see others
Text 24: He is called Gudakesena - sleep or waking he never forgets Krsna. Hence Arjuna had conquered sleep as even in sleep he is thinking of Krsna and that is complete KC - and that is samadhi - that is the level we want to come to. But to get there we need to practise what SP has laid out and then we can always think of Krsna in sleep or waking always of Krsna. That is pure KC. Hence, we should always practice nicely the Lord will help us to go back to him and always give your senses all Krsna related things - ALL SENSES!
Text 25/26: Here is saw everybody connected one way or another - all this by Krsna to change his heart by Yogamaya.
Text 27: This is the quality of devotees - when he saw all these people - he was overwhelmed with compassion.
28-46: Arjuna is giving his reasons on not fighting
Reasons are 5:
4 reasons are given in 1st chapter and the other reason is in the 2nd chapter.
Text 28: Now he starts the reasons of not fighting.
1. Limbs are quivering and mouth is drying up - because he knows he is going to be killing all these people. Characteristics of a pure devotee. He was astonished that even though he's going to kill all of them yet they are all there to fight him. He was a soft hearted and compassionate devotee. He was thinking is the kingdom worth it by killing so many devotees.
Text 29: 2. Body is trembling, hair standing on end and bow Gandiva is slipping - skin is burning. - By Krsna's yogamaya Arjuna started behaving like an ordinary man. He starts fearing so much - I will lose my job, I will lose my home, I will lose my family - but if you approach Krsna and take shelter under him - automatically we will become fearless and wont fear the material world - that should be our mood - just surrender to the will of Krsna and serve him in any situation and then Krsna seeing this mood will be very happy with your patience and determination.
Summary:
1. Preparation of war
2. The signs of victory for the Pandavas
3. Whose side is Krsna on.
Verse 1-27: what is happening in the battlefield
Text 1: Dhrtarastra wasn't on the battlefield and hence asked Sanjaya what are everybody doing at Kurukshetra. Actually even Dhrtarastra had the vision from Vyasadev and was given the divine eyes but Dhrtarastra didn't want to see his sons to be killed and hence asked somebody to tell him the war. So Sanjaya was given the benediction from Vyasadeva to give live streaming of the Kurukshetra war.
Purport: To study the BG you need help of a devotee to help understand it very nicely. How should we study - very scrutinizly. Should be a daily schedule, read carefully - what Krsna, his devotees and SP wants us to do. We shouldn't be personally motivated - we shouldn't be finding a verse to satisfy our needs. We need to hear only by disciplic succession because only then we will know what Krsna wants us to understand in the right way - otherwise we will not understand it properly when we hear from person to person and not by the disciplic succession. Whatever we want to know is in the vedas - just like how Arjuna understood it. It is considered the 7th veda. The essence of the vedas is in the BG. Dhrtarastra is concerned about two things - 1. he didn't say my nephews - he said sons of pandu - because otherwise he will have affection
2. Place of pilgrimage - Kuruksetra/Dharmashetra - its a sacred place of pilgrimage since time immemorial. He knows Pandavas are righteous or virtuous and anybody who goes to the place of pilgrimage it influences them - Kauravas might say we don't want to fight take the land or Pandavas say - we don't anything we don't want to fight.
SP says paddy field unnecessary weeds are taken out. In Kurukshetra - in front of Krsna - unwanted plants like Kauravas will be wiped out - that's the analogy SP gives in the last paragraph of the first verse.
Text 2: Theme now is what is Duryodhana is doing. We see how he is so diplomatic and he is fearful (till verse 11)
Purport: He is blind and is also bereft of spiritual vision and he knew his sons are also blind in religion. Even though he is addressed as King Duryodhana - so instead of going to the ministers he is diplomatic and he goes to his teacher Dronacharya and because he is a brahmana he committed the following mistake.
Text 3: Here he is being very diplomatic and is pointing out to his teacher the mistake he has made. Drupada made a fire sacrifice and prayed to have a son who will kill Dronacharya they came from the fire sacrifice and the other personality was Draupadi. Dhristadyumna still sent to Dronacharya to learn the art of war. Here Duryodhana is pointing out to his teacher see what your mistake has been made. Don't be lenient to the pandavas and your students because this is what you are meant to do and if you don't fight properly we will be defeated.
Text 4: He is trying to allay the fear that these two personalities Bhima and Arjuna are the two stumbling blocks and is very afraid of both of them but still he is trying to convince others that we have great fighters so everybody can feel not afraid. Again his diplomacy. 3 vows after Draupadi was disrobed - 1. will kill all 101 sons of Dhirtarastra, 2. Duryodhana had pulled out his dhoti and had asked Draupadi to sit on his lap - hence he had vowed he will break his thigh 3. He said he will tear Dushasana chest and take out his heart and drink his blood and will also break his hand. Draupadi also said she will not tie her hair till she gets the blood of Dushasana on it.
Text 5: He is stating other fighters too.
Text 6: other fighters - till now he has said about the other army
Text 7: Now about his army to both Drona and Bhisma
Text 8: Starts with Drona instead of Bhisma - because he again wanted to be diplomatic and he knew Bhisma won't mind if he mentioned a brahmana then he mentioned Bhisma to please him. He also mentioned Krpa and Ashwattama who were relatives of Dronachary. Then he mentioned Vikarna who was the only brother to defend the draupadi vastraharan and hence, he was trying to please everybody so nobody defects to the other side. Just before the war starts Vikarna actually goes to the Pandavas side.
Text 9: others who are ready to fight for Duryodhana - SP says they are already concluded that they will die.
Text 10: He knew Bhima is very powerful and he had envy towards him. He is comparing his greatest enemy to Bhisma and he is trying to compare Bhima with Bhisma so he is trying to say he is limited like a fig compared to Bhisma. But Bhisma's will to fight is so less compared to Bhima and hence Bhima might be superior. So Duryodhana in essence is very afraid and is trying to be diplomatic and is trying to please everyone.
Some key points - 1. Duryodhana still feels he is confident of victory 2. He knows nobody can defeat the son of Ganga Bhisma and he has the boon of not dying till he wants to die 3. Till he has Bhismadev he can win the war (He and Drona knew Krsna is the supreme Lord and yet were fighting on dharma as he had vowed to protect the kingdom - Once Kstariya gives his word still they keep up their word, Drona had given up knowledge for money and hence he was obligated to the Kauravas. These are all great personalities and they are just showing with their examples what we shouldn't do) 4. Duryodhana knew both Drona and Bhisma had lot of affection but he also knew both of them didn't do anything when Draupadi was disrobed and hence we see Duryodhana is very arrogant so far.
Text 11: Again diplomatic that even though Bhisma is very strong, yet he is an old man and hence everybody should give him protection
Text 12: Bhisma knowing Duryodhana was afraid and his heart - feeling compassion he blew his conchshell very loudly to cheer him. Also the conchshell is a sign of Krsna and he tried to tell Duryodhana that his defeat is immenient.
Text 13: From now we will see subtle signs of how the Kauravas are going to die.
Very loud everybody started blowing and beating drums - At that period there were ethics also in war.
Text 14: Both Krsna and Arjuna's conchshells are transcendental. Here we see so many signs of wins for the Pandavas. Signs of victory 1. Krsna on their side 2. Whereever Krsna is Goddess of fortune is also there so Victory and fortune is always with the persons who are with Krsna 3. Arjuna's flag was Hanumanji - another symbol of victory 4. Conchshells - signs of visnu 5. Both Krsna and Arjuna's Conchshells are transcendental - hence there was different reaction when they blew theirs.
Special chariot - donated by agni deva - it can change its direction based on where Arjuna wants to shoot also Arjuna could fight from both right and left hands - he had that boon. Chariot could move in any direction and in any part of the universe.
Text 15: All these were Transcendental conchshells - All of them have personalities themselves. They can all take form and can come down if they need to. As these are all transcendental hence they are all named. They are used to purify the ether with ghosts spirits and dirty elements and hence we blow the conchshell. Krsna's conchshell - Pancajanya; Arjuna's - Devadatta and Bhima's - Paundra. Yudhisthira - Anantavijaya; Nakula - Sughosa and Sahadeva- Manipuspaka
Lot of important points in the Purport - PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY
HW: Find Different names of Krsna, arjuna and Bhima (3 or 4 names of Krsna and Arjuna also has 3/4 different names)
Hearing these Conchshells the hearts of the Kauravas were shattered.
Text 16: All such great personalities going to war but all started by King Dhrtarastra.
Text 19: SP says in purport - one who takes shelter of the Supreme Lord then we have nothing to fear in the midst of the greatest calamity - the verse is an example how the Pandavas felt no fear as Krsna was with them. So in our day to day life too - everyday is a battle we should be fearful of the material world and should take shelter of the supreme Lord Krsna everyday every moment.
Text 20: Arjuna was prepared to fight but Krsna puts Arjuna in a situation so he can talk to the Lord and Krsna can then speak the BG.
Text 21: Krsna wanted Arjuna to see his own relatives so he can be bewildered and then he can speak the BG. Here Arjuna refers Krsna as Acyuta - why? The Lord never fails his devotee because of his affection to His devotees. Because Krsna takes pleasure to serve his devotees and whatever position he takes he becomes the best - best servant, best lover, best charioter, that should be our mood - be the best in whatever you do. The servant wants to serve the Lord and Krsna also wants to serve and reciprocate with the devotee and that is called rasa - Krsna is experiencing each rasa by taking the position with each of his devotees. This is a very unique quality of the supreme Lord. He puts Arjuna in yogamaya because he wants to teach all of us something - he wanted to clean up the unwanted elements and hence he had the war but at the same time he wanted to give everybody some teaching and hence wants to speak the BG.
Text 23: He wanted to see others
Text 24: He is called Gudakesena - sleep or waking he never forgets Krsna. Hence Arjuna had conquered sleep as even in sleep he is thinking of Krsna and that is complete KC - and that is samadhi - that is the level we want to come to. But to get there we need to practise what SP has laid out and then we can always think of Krsna in sleep or waking always of Krsna. That is pure KC. Hence, we should always practice nicely the Lord will help us to go back to him and always give your senses all Krsna related things - ALL SENSES!
Text 25/26: Here is saw everybody connected one way or another - all this by Krsna to change his heart by Yogamaya.
Text 27: This is the quality of devotees - when he saw all these people - he was overwhelmed with compassion.
28-46: Arjuna is giving his reasons on not fighting
Reasons are 5:
4 reasons are given in 1st chapter and the other reason is in the 2nd chapter.
Text 28: Now he starts the reasons of not fighting.
1. Limbs are quivering and mouth is drying up - because he knows he is going to be killing all these people. Characteristics of a pure devotee. He was astonished that even though he's going to kill all of them yet they are all there to fight him. He was a soft hearted and compassionate devotee. He was thinking is the kingdom worth it by killing so many devotees.
Text 29: 2. Body is trembling, hair standing on end and bow Gandiva is slipping - skin is burning. - By Krsna's yogamaya Arjuna started behaving like an ordinary man. He starts fearing so much - I will lose my job, I will lose my home, I will lose my family - but if you approach Krsna and take shelter under him - automatically we will become fearless and wont fear the material world - that should be our mood - just surrender to the will of Krsna and serve him in any situation and then Krsna seeing this mood will be very happy with your patience and determination.
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