After attentively surveying the army of the Kaurāvas arranged in battle formation, Arjuna, the son of Pāṇḍu on whose flag bears the image of Hanuman, who set the kingdom of Lanka ablaze, requested Lord Krishna to place their chariot between the two opposing armies.

Requested whom?

Arjuna requested no lesser personality than the Supreme Lord Himself, the treasure-house of such attributes as wisdom, strength, sovereignty, eternality, omnipotence and splendour.

Who by His will created the complete cosmic manifestation in its triple aspect of Inception, Preservation and Dissolution for His own pleasure as in sport, the Supreme Lord Krishna, Hriṣīkeśa, the master of the senses, the Supreme Controller, internally and externally of all living entities evolving and evolved.

Who, although the Supreme Lord of all, yet descended down to Earth out of His causeless mercy for the redemption of the faithful and even more, He condescended to be Arjuna's chariot driver,

carrying out his wish to station their chariot in such a commanding position as to be able to readily view the belligerent Kaurāvas and put within the range of his vision such heroes as Bhīshma-dēva, Droṇāchārya and Kripā and the Kings of royal dynasties.

At that time the Supreme Lord Krishna said to Arjuna: see what chances there are for the Kaurāvas victory over thee.

21 "And then addressed these words, O Lord of the Earth, unto (Kṛṣṇa, the) Hṛṣikēśa: 'Station my chariot, O Acyuta, betwixt the two armies. 22 Whilst I just mark these that are arrayed, lusting for combat: (just mark) with whom I have to engage in this (impending) encounter. 23 "I shall just look upon these that have here foregathered ready for fight, and longing to achieve in battle what is dear to the evil-minded (Duryodhana), the son of Dhritarāṣṭra." 24 "(Kṛṣṇa, the) Hṛṣīkeśa, thus addressed, O Descendant of Bharata, by (Arjuna, the) Guḍākeśa, stationed that excellent chariot betwixt the two armies." (169)

Arjuna then said, "Lord, take my chariot and station it immediately betwixt the two armies so that I may in a moment make a survey of all the heroes that have arrived here for the battle. All seem to have come here, but I must see who are qualified to fight with me. Almost all—the impatient and bad-tempered—(appear) ambitious in mind for a fight without (possessing) bravery. They have great liking for warfare but lack the courage to stand on the battle-field." Having told thus to the king (Dhritarāṣṭra), hear now what Samjaya says further. Samjaya says: After Arjuna asked him thus, Lord Krishna drove the chariot on and stationed it betwixt the two armies. The chariot was stationed on the spot, where Arjuna saw facing him Bhishma, Drona, and others closely related.

Dhārtarāṣṭrasya* durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ'—Here Arjuna, by calling Duryodhana evil-minded, wants to convey how Duryodhana conspired for their destruction several times and tried his best to humiliate them. Arjuna says, 'We are the

* There are two meanings of the term 'Dhārtarāṣṭra'—(1) Dhṛtarāṣṭra's sons or relatives, (2) those who usurp kingdom. Here this term has been used for Dhṛtarāṣṭra's son, Duryodhana.

lawful owners of half the empire but he wants to usurp it. He is evil-minded and these kings have assembled here to try to do good to him. But the duty of a friend, is to give him such advice as may add to his welfare now and hereafter. But, these kings instead of removing his evil-mindedness, want to enhance it and are really degrading him, by instigating him to wage war. They are not thinking of his welfare here and hereafter. As friends, they should have advised him to rule over, half of the kingdom and handover the other half, to us, the Pāṇḍavas. Thus, he would have ruled over half of the empire, and his life in the next world would also have been protected."

'Yotsyamānānavekṣe'ham ya ete'tra samāgatāh'— I want to observe the warriors, who are so impatient to wage war. They have favoured unrighteousness and injustice; so they are sure to be ruined in the war, against us.

'Yotsyamānān'—it means that Arjuna wants to see those, who have a keen desire to fight.

Link:—In the next two verses, Sañjaya tells us what Lord Kṛṣṇa did after hearing Arjuna's words.

जंव मी नावेक । हे सकळ वीर सैनिक । न्याहळीन अशेख । झुंजते जे ॥ १७०॥

एथ आले असती आघवे । परी कवणेंसी म्यां झुंजावे । हे रणीं लागे पहावें । म्हणऊनियां ॥ १७१॥

बहुतकरुनि कौरव । हे आतुर दुःस्वभाव । वाटिवांवीण हांव । बांधिती झुंजीं ॥ १७२॥

झुंजाची आवडी धरती । परी संग्रामी वीर नव्हती । हे सांगेन रायाप्रती । काय संजयो म्हणे । १७३॥

(1.170) जिससे मैं क्षण भर इन सब सैनिक वीरों को देख लूँ जो युद्ध के लिए उद्यत है।

(1.171) क्योंकि यहाँ आये तो सभी है परन्तु मुझे यह देखना चाहिए कि मुझे किसके साथ लड़ना योग्य है।

(1.172) क्योंकि कौरव प्रायः उतावले और दुःखभाव रखते हैं, पराक्रम बिना युद्ध की अभिलाषा रखते हैं;

(1.173) युद्ध की तो इच्छा रखते हैं परन्तु युद्ध के समय धैर्यवान् नहीं होते। राजा से इतना कहकर संजय और बोले कि

'धार्तराष्ट्रस्य* दुर्बुद्धेयुद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः'—यहाँ दुर्योधनको दुष्प्रबुद्धि कहकर अर्जुन यह बताना चाहते हैं कि इस दुर्योधनने हमारा नाश करनेके लिये आजतक कई तरहके षड्यन्त्र रचे हैं। हमें अपमानित करनेके लिये कई तरहके उद्योग किये हैं। नियमके अनुसार और न्यायपूर्वक हम आधे राज्यके अधिकारी हैं, पर उसको भी यह हड़पना चाहता है, देना नहीं चाहता। ऐसी तो इसकी दुष्प्रबुद्धि है; और यहाँ आये हुए राजालोग युद्धमें इसका प्रिय करना चाहते हैं! वास्तवमें तो मित्रोंका यह कर्तव्य होता है कि वे ऐसा काम करें, ऐसी बात बतायें, जिससे अपने मित्रका लोक-परलोकमें हित हो। परन्तु ये राजालोग दुर्योधनकी दुष्प्रबुद्धिको शुद्ध न करके उलटे उसको बढ़ाना चाहते हैं और दुर्योधनसे युद्ध कराकर, युद्धमें उसकी सहायता करके उसका पतन ही करना चाहते हैं।

तात्पर्य है कि दुर्योधनका हित किस बातमें है; उसको राज्य भी किस बातसे मिलेगा और उसका परलोक भी किस बातसे सुधरेगा—इन बातोंका वे विचार ही नहीं कर रहे हैं। अगर ये राजालोग उसको यह सलाह देते कि भाई, कम-से-कम आधा राज्य तुम रखो और पाण्डवोंका आधा राज्य पाण्डवोंको दे दो तो इससे दुर्योधनका आधा राज्य भी रहता और उसका परलोक भी सुधरता।

'योत्स्यमानानवेक्षोऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः'—इन युद्धके लिये उतावले होनेवालोंको जरा देख तो लूँ! इन्होंने अधर्मका, अन्यायका पक्ष लिया है, इसलिये ये हमारे सामने टिक नहीं सकेंगे, नष्ट हो जायेंगे।

'योत्स्यमानान्' कहनेका तात्पर्य है कि इनके मनमें युद्धकी ज्यादा आ रही है; अतः देखूँ तो सही कि ये हैं कौन ?

सम्बन्ध—अर्जुनके ऐसा कहनेपर भगवान्ने क्या किया—इसको संजय आगेके दो श्लोकोंमें कहते हैं।

सञ्जय उवाच