In Bhagavad Gita 1.23, Arjuna says he wishes to see the warriors who have gathered to fight in support of the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.
Sanskrit Verse
अर्जुन उवाच · Arjuna said
योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं
य एतेऽत्र समागताः
धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्
युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः ॥ १-२३ ॥
yotsyamānānavekṣe’haṃ
ya ete’tra samāgatāḥ
dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddher
yuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ
English transliteration yotsyamaanaanavekshe’ham
ya ete’tra samaagataah
dhaartaraashtrasya durbuddher
yuddhe priyachikeershavah ॥ 1.23 ॥
Translation / Meaning
I wish to see those who have assembled here to fight, wishing to please in battle the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| योत्स्यमानान् yotsyamānān | those who are about to fight |
| अवेक्षे avekṣe | I wish to see |
| अहम् aham | I |
| ये ye | who |
| एते ete | these |
| अत्र atra | here |
| समागताः samāgatāḥ | assembled |
| धार्तराष्ट्रस्य dhārtarāṣṭrasya | of the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana) |
| दुर्बुद्धेः durbuddheḥ | evil-minded duḥ (bad) + buddheḥ (of intellect) |
| युद्धे yuddhe | in battle |
| प्रियचिकीर्षवः priyacikīrṣavaḥ | wishing to please priya (pleasing) + cikīrṣavaḥ (desiring to do) |
Word-wise Chanting
- yot–sya–mā–nā–na–ve–kṣe–‘haṃ 8 syllables yot-sya-maa-naa-na-ve-kshe-‘ham
- ya e–te–‘tra sa–mā–ga–tāḥ | 8 syllables ya e-te-‘tra sa-maa-ga-taah
- dhār–ta–rāṣ–ṭras–ya dur–bud–dher– 8 syllables dhaar-ta-raash-tras-ya dur-bud-dher-
- yud–dhe pri–ya–ci–kīr–ṣa–vaḥ || 1-23 8 syllables yud-dhe pri-ya-chi-keer-sha-vah
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 1 Verse 23
Context
Arjuna completes his request to Krishna (1.21–1.23) before Krishna drives the chariot forward.
Meaning
Arjuna still speaks with a warrior’s firmness. He calls Duryodhana durbuddhi, “of corrupt intellect,” and sees the assembled kings as men seeking to please him. In Arjuna’s view the moral picture is still simple: a wrong-minded leader and his supporters on one side, the just cause on the other.
Arjuna’s certainty is about to be tested. It is easy to judge clearly when opponents are abstract; it is harder when we see their faces. The Gita shows that moral clarity must survive contact with real people and real love. Arjuna will discover that his difficulty is not identifying wrong, but bearing the cost of opposing it.
In Practice
Think of someone you oppose. Hold both their wrongdoing and their humanity in mind for a minute without letting go of either.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 1: Arjuna Vishada Yoga (The Yoga of Arjuna’s Despondency). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.