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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 1.23
योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः ।
धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः ॥ २३ ॥
yotsyamānān avekṣe ’haṁ
ya ete ’tra samāgatāḥ
dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddher
yuddhe priya-cikīrṣavaḥ
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.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Arjuna wanted to identify those fighting to please the evil-minded son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and judge their strength, not discuss peace.
Duryodhana and his father planned to take the Pāṇḍavas’ kingdom by evil means, and those joining Duryodhana’s side shared his evil intentions.
Arjuna was confident of victory because Kṛṣṇa was by his side.
These notes cover verses 1.21–23
Arjuna requests the infallible Lord to draw his chariot in the middle:
To see who were the leading men present with a desire to fight, to please evil-minded son of Dhrtarashtra
Meaning of ‘Achyuta’ — infallible, addressed so because:
The Lord never fails in affection for His devotees – thus engaged in the service of His friend, out of His causeless mercy
Did not hesitate to carry out the order of Arjuna as his charioteer
Still His supreme position as Hrsikesa, the Lord of senses was unchallenged
Relationship between Lord and devotee is sweet and transcendental — A devotee is always eager to serve the Lord and Lord obtains transcendental pleasure in receiving the orders of His pure devotees, although He is always the infallible, Supreme master
Why Arjuna asked to move the chariot amidst the armies — because:
Arjuna was forced to fight against his wish (Because of obstinacy of Duryodhana)
Anxious - To see who were the leading men present with a desire to fight, to please Duryodhana (They all must be birds of the same feather)
To see how much they were bent upon fighting
To estimate the strength which he had to face, although confident of victory – because of Krishna sitting on his side
But he had no intention of peace-making at this moment
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: saṁśaya, viṣāda.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 1.23 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to questions & crisis?
Write down the real question behind your current dilemma.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.