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Chapter 1 · Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra · 46 verses

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Questions & crisisChapter 1 · Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra
1.191.21

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 1.20

Arjuna asks to survey the armies

अथ व्यवस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः ।

प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसम्पाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः ।

हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते ॥ २० ॥

atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā

dhārtarāṣṭrān kapi-dhvajaḥ

pravṛtte śastra-sampāte

dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ

hṛṣīkeśaṁ tadā vākyam

idam āha mahī-pate

Translation

At that time Arjuna, the son of Pāṇḍu, seated in the chariot bearing the flag marked with Hanumān, took up his bow and prepared to shoot his arrows. O King, after looking at the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra drawn in military array, Arjuna then spoke to Lord Kṛṣṇa these words.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Signs of Assured Victory

  1. 1Arjuna saw the opposing army, took up his bow on the chariot bearing Hanumān’s flag, and spoke to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
  2. 2The sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra felt discouraged by the Pāṇḍavas’ unexpected military arrangement, guided directly by Kṛṣṇa.
  3. 3Hanumān’s flag was a sign of victory because he had helped Lord Rāma defeat Rāvaṇa.
  4. 4Kṛṣṇa is Rāma Himself. Wherever Rāma is, Hanumān and Sītā, the goddess of fortune, are present, so Arjuna had no reason to fear.
  5. 5Kṛṣṇa personally guided Arjuna, His eternal devotee. These favorable conditions showed that victory was assured.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 1, Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra: arjuna asks to survey the armies.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Honest questions open the way to wisdom.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: saṁśaya, viṣāda.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 1.20 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to questions & crisis?

Practice

Write down the real question behind your current dilemma.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 1 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 1.21Arjuna asks to survey the armiesBG 1.22Arjuna asks to survey the armiesBG 2.7The moment Arjuna becomes a discipleBG 6.34The restless mind

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.