Discussion on Bhagwad Gita: Chapter 1; Verse 7 through 10

Discussion on Bhagwad Gita: Chapter 1; Verse 7 through 10
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Today we will discuss how Duryodhan views his own Army.

अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम।
नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान्ब्रवीमि ते॥१-७॥

Hindi
हे द्विजोत्तम, हमारी ओर भी जो विशिष्ट योद्धा हैं उन्हें आप को बताता हूँ।
हमारी सैन्य के जो प्रमुख नायक हैं उन के नाम मैं आप को बताता हूँ।

Brajbhasha / ब्रजभाषा
द्विज श्रेय सुनौ हमरे विशेष
और पक्ष में जो–जो विशेष महे.
गुरुवर यही जानिबो जोग तथ्य,
रन खेतहीं जो – जो वीरेश अहे

English
Sir, now I will tell you about our side of the Army. The main warriors and the leaders.

******* ******** ********

भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिंजयः।
अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च॥१-८॥

Hindi
आप स्वयं, भीष्म पितामह, कर्ण, कृप, अश्वत्थामा, विकर्ण तथा सौमदत्त (सोमदत्त के पुत्र) – यह सभी प्रमुख योधा हैं।

Brajbhasha / ब्रजभाषा
हैं कर्ण, विकर्ण कृपाचार्य,
एक आप स्वयं एक भीष्म महे.
सुत सोमदत्त कौ भूरिश्रवा,
अश्वतथामा भी दीख रहे

English
You yourself, Bheeshm Pitamah, Kripa, Karna, Ashwathama, Vikarna and Saumdutt – son of Somdutt are the main warriors of our side.

******* ******** ********

अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः।
नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः॥१-९॥

Hindi

हमारे पक्ष में युद्ध में कुशल, तरह तरह के शस्त्रों में माहिर और भी अनेकों योद्धा हैं जो मेरे लिये अपना जीवन तक त्यागने को त्यार हैं।

Brajbhasha / ब्रजभाषा
बहु शस्त्रन अस्त्रन मांहीं सजे,
बलवीर बलिष्ठ अनेक यहॉं .
दुरजोधन के हित जीवन कौ ,
जिन मोह तज्यौ सब ठाडे यहॉं
अनेकों योद्धा हैं जो मेरे लिये अपना जीवन तक त्यागने को त्यार हैं।

English
The warriors on our side are very skillful and have numerous arms and ammunitions and many warriors who are ready to give up their lives for me.

******* ******** ********

अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्।
पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम्॥१-१०॥

Hindi

भीष्म पितामह द्वारा रक्षित हमारी सेना का बल पर्याप्त नहीं है, परन्तु भीम द्वारा रक्षित पाण्डवों की सेना बल पूर्ण है।

Brajbhasha / ब्रजभाषा
सब भांति अजेय है कुरु सेना,
जब भीष्म पितामह रक्षक हैं.
यही पाण्डव सेना जेय सुगम ,
सुनौ भीम बने संरक्षक हैं

English
Our Army orchestrated and designed by Bheeshm Pitamah does not have adequate strength but the Army that is protected by Bheem is very strong.

Discussion
What we have here is an interesting set of characters and a strange situation on our hands here!

Let us meet the characters of the Kaurav Army.

Somdutt and his son Bhurisravas
When Devaki was young and was ready for marriage, many princes competed for her hand. There was a battle between Somdutt and Sini. Sini won the battle and took Devaki for Vasudev. Satyaki – that was refered to in the last shloka – was the grandson of Sini.

Bhurisravas was Somdutt’s son. He was much older than Satyaki. The family feud was still hot between them.

Kripacharya: was the wise old man of Hastinapur. He was the Chief Priest of Hastinapur. Bharadwaj was one of the greatest Rishi and was the descendant of Rishi Angiras who was one of the Saptarishis (Seven Great Sages). Other six being – Atri, Vashishtha, Vishvamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, Kashyapa. Bharadwaj’s great grandson was Hasti who had settled Hastinapur. In the eighth generation from Hasti, Mudgal was born. Mudgal had twins, a son named Divodas and daughter named Ahalya. Ahlaya married Rishi Gautam. The great grandson of Ahlaya and Rishi Gautam was Sharadvan. Once Sharadvan met Apsara Urvashi and involuntarily passed semen which fell on the grass and two kids were born, Kripa and Kripi. Maharaja Shantanu who was hunting picked up the kids and took them with him. Kripi, Kripacharya’s sister went on to marry Dronacharya (teacher of Pandavas and Kauravas).

Shantanu’s brother was Bahlika. He had a son named Somdutt.

Vikarna fought on the side of the Kauravas, although he had objectied to the disrobing of Draupadi earlier to the acts of Duryodhan and Dushasan.

It is interesting that although Duryodhan feels that people on his side of the line are willing to give up their lives for “him”, yet the Pandava Army is stronger and better.

An able leader is the one who – despite the obvious emotions that he may arouse in his followers – makes them believe that they are fighting or “in it” for themselves. If the followers or the fighters believe they are fighting for someone else, their ability to give 100% will never be there.

For Duryodhan it was always all about himself. No matter what Bheeshma Pitamah or the other elderly advised him, he treated that advise with utter disdain. And it was quite an irony that the person who was most against the war with Pandavas was Duryodhan’s Chief of Army.

If Arjun had doubts on the war and needed a Bhagwad Gita to go beyond them, then it is foolhardy to believe that elderly warriors on the Kaurav side were crystal clear in their minds about their role in the war.

Also, despite his self confidence, Duryodhan shows that his personal fear got better of his ego when the actual war showed up at his door. Bheem was Duryodhan’s main competitor and Duryodhan always fancied himself as being better than Bheem. Yet, at the moment when death – of such gigantic proportions looked in the eye, his fear couldn’t be hidden behind his ego.

Mahabharat is an interesting study of human emotions and frailties where one can learn so much of personal actions and emotions.

NOTE: Hope you are liking this discussion. If you think it can be improved or you do not share my views, please do leave a comment and let me know.

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