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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
1.21.4

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 1.3

The armies gather; conches sound

पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम् ।

व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता ॥ ३ ॥

paśyaitāṁ pāṇḍu-putrāṇām

ācārya mahatīṁ camūm

vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa

tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā

Translation

O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pāṇḍu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple the son of Drupada.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

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

Duryodhana Warns His Teacher

  1. 1Duryodhana asks his teacher to see the great army of Pāṇḍu’s sons, expertly arranged by his intelligent disciple, Drupada’s son.
  2. 2After a political quarrel with Droṇācārya, Drupada performed a sacrifice and received the blessing of a son able to kill him.
  3. 3Droṇācārya knew this, yet generously taught all his military secrets to that son, Dhṛṣṭadyumna.
  4. 4Dhṛṣṭadyumna then arranged the Pāṇḍavas’ army. Duryodhana presented this as his teacher’s mistake to make him alert and firm in battle.
  5. 5Duryodhana warned that being lenient toward his dear students, the Pāṇḍavas—especially Arjuna—would lead Droṇācārya to defeat.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 1, Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra: the armies gather; conches sound.

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 1.3 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 1.1The armies gather; conches soundBG 1.2The armies gather; conches soundBG 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 1.3 — 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.