Step 4 of 7 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Pick any verse to see what it means and how to use it in your life.

  1. 1Tap a chapter, then a verse
  2. 2Read what it means
  3. 3Try the practice
700 verses37 detailed
Or browse by chapter
Chapter

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

12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546

Deep profile← → keys move between verses

Questions & crisisChapter 1 · Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra
1.221.24

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 1.23

Arjuna asks to survey the armies

योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः ।

धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः ॥ २३ ॥

yotsyamānān avekṣe ’haṁ

ya ete ’tra samāgatāḥ

dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddher

yuddhe priya-cikīrṣavaḥ

Translation

Let me see those who have come here to fight, wishing to please the evil-minded son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

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

Seeing the Opposing Fighters

  1. 1Arjuna wants to see those who came to fight to please the evil-minded son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.
  2. 2Duryodhana and his father planned to take the Pāṇḍavas’ kingdom by evil means.
  3. 3Those who joined Duryodhana’s side shared his evil intentions.
  4. 4Arjuna wanted to identify them and judge their strength, not discuss peace.
  5. 5Arjuna was confident of victory because Kṛṣṇa was by his side.

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 1.23 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 1.20Arjuna asks to survey the armiesBG 1.21Arjuna 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.

Ask the study guide

Ask about BG 1.23 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

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.