Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 1/Verse 6

Chapter 1/Verse 6

युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजश्च वीर्यवान् ।

सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः ॥१-६॥

yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān ।

saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ

॥1-6॥

Valiant Yudhāmanyu and the mighty Uttamauja. The son-of-Subhadra and sons-of-Draupadī, indeed, all of them are great warriors.

yudhāmanyus (stem form: yudhāmanyu) (masculine, nominative, singular) = Yudhāmanyu

ca (indeclinable) = and

vikrāntas (stem form: vikrānta) (intransitive past passive participle, masculine, nominative, singular)= valiant

uttamaujas (stem form: uttamauja)(masculine, nominative, singular) = Uttamauja

ca (indeclinable) = and

vīryavān (stem form: vīryavat) (nominative, singular) = mighty

saubhadras (stem form: saubhadra) (masculine, nominative, singular with nominal derivative) = son-of-Subhadra

draupadeyās (stem form: draupadeya) (masculine, nominative, plural) = sons-of-Draupadī

sarve (adjective declined like a 3rd person pronoun) (masculine, nominative, plural) = all them

eva (emphatic particle that emphasizes the preceding word) (indeclinable) = indeed

mahārathās (stem form: mahāratha) (mahā + rathās) (bahuvrihī compound, masculine, nominative, plural) = great chariots (meaning great warriors)

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 1/Verse 5

Chapter 1/Verse 5

धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान् ।

पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुङ्गवः ॥१-५॥

dhṛṣṭaketuścekitānaḥ kāśirājaśca vīryavān ।

purujitkuntibhojaśca śaibyaśca narapuṅgavaḥ ॥1-5॥

Dhṛṣṭaketu, Cekitāna, and the mighty Kāśirāja. Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Śaibya, the man-bull.

dhṛṣṭaketus (stem form: dhṛṣṭaketu) (masculine, nominative, singular) = Dhṛṣṭaketu

cekitānas (stem form: cekitāna) (masculine, nominative, singular) = Cekitāna

kāśirājas (masculine, nominative, singular) = Kāśirāja

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

vīryavān (stem form: vīryavat) (nominative, singular) = mighty

purujit (stem form: purujit) (masculine, nominative, singular) = Purujit

kuntibhojas (stem form: kuntibhoja) (masculine, nominative, singular) = Kuntibhoja

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

śaibyas (stem form: śaibya) (masculine, nominative, singular) = Śaibya

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

narapuṅgavas (stem form: narapuṅgava) (nara + puṅgava) (bahuvrihī compound, masculine, nominative, singular) = man-bull

There seems to be a mistranslation in many common texts with the word “kāśirājas”. Many translations interpret this word as “King of Kāśi”, but this is incorrect given the case ending is incorrect for this version of the translation. “King of kāśi” is properly spelled “kāśirājā” and not “kāśirājas”. I will follow the lead of a translation that I found that simply uses “kāśirājas” as a name.

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 1/Verse 4

Chapter 1/Verse 4

अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि ।

युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः ॥१-४॥

atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi ।

yuyudhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ ॥1-4॥

Here are the heroes, great archers equal to Bhīma and Arjuna in battle: Yuyudhāna and Virāṭa and Drupada, the great chariot.

atra (adverb) (indeclinable) = here

śūrās (stem form: śūra) (masculine, nominative, plural) = heroes

maheṣvāsās (stem form: maheṣvāsa) (mahā + iṣu + āsās) (bahuvrihī compound, masculine, nominative, plural) = great archers

bhīmārjunasamās (stem form: bhīmārjunasama) (bhīma + ārjuna + samās) (tatpurūṣa compound, masculine, nominative, plural) = equal to Bhīma and Arjuna

yudhi (stem form: yudh) (feminine, locative case, singular) = in battle

yuyudhānas (stem form: yuyudhāna) (masculine, nominative, singular) = Yuyudhāna

Virāṭas (stem form: virāṭa) (masculine, nominative, singular) = Virāṭa

ca (adverb) (indeclinable) = and

drupadas (stem form: drupada) (masculine, nominative, singular) = Drupada

ca (indeclinable) = and

mahārathas (stem form: mahāratha) (mahā +rathas) (bahuvrihī compound, masculine, nominative, singular) = the great chariot

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 1/Verse 3

Chapter 2/Verse 3

पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम् ।

व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता ॥१-३॥

paśyaitāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṃ camūm ।

vyūḍhāṃ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā ॥1-3॥

O’ preceptor, see this, great army of the sons-of-Pāṇḍu arrayed by the son of Drupada, your wise student!

paśya (verb root: paś) (imperative, parasmaipada, 2nd person, singular) = see!  

etām (pronoun) (feminine, accusative, singular) = this

pāṇḍuputrāṇāmām (pāṇḍu + putrāṇām) (tatpurūṣa compound, masculine, genitive, plural) = of the sons-of-Pāṇḍu

ācārya (stem form: ācārya) (masculine, vocative, singular) = O’ preceptor

mahatīm (stem form: mahatī) (feminine, accusative, singular) = great

camūm (stem form: camū) (feminine, accusative, singular) = army

vyūḍhām (verb root: vyūh) (intransitive past passive participle, feminine, accusative, singular) = arrayed

drupadaputreṇa (drupada + putreṇa) (tatpurūṣa compound, instrumental, singular) = by the son of Drupada

tava (pronoun) (2nd person, genitive, singular) = your

śiṣyeṇa (stem form: śiṣya) (masculine, instrumental, singular) = by student

dhīmatā (stem form: dhīmat) (masculine, instrumental, singular) = by the wise

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 1/Verse 2

Chapter 1, Verse 2

संजय उवाच

दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा ।

आचार्यमुपसंगम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत् ॥१-२॥

saṃjaya uvāca

dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanastadā ।

ācāryamupasaṃgamya rājā vacanamabravīt ॥1-2॥

Saṃjaya said:

Duryodhana having seen the arrayed forces of the sons-of-Pāṇḍu, having approached the preceptor, then the prince spoke these words.

saṃjayas (stem form: saṃjaya) (masculine, nominative, singular) = Saṃjaya (preceptor of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the narrator of the Bhagavad Gita)

uvāca (verb root: vac) (perfect, parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular) = one said 

dṛṣṭvā (verb root: dṛṣ) (gerund) (indeclinable) = having seen

tu (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

pāṇḍavānīkam (stem form: pāṇḍavānīka) (pāṇḍava + anīkam) tatpurūṣa compound, neuter, accusative, singular) = forces of the sons-of-Pāṇḍu

vyūḍham (verb root: vyūh) (intransitive past passive participle, neuter, accusative, singular) = arrayed

duryodhanas (stem form: duryodhana) (masculine, nominative, singular) = Duryodhana (eldest son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and main antagonist toward the Pāṇḍavā clan)

tadā (adverb) (indeclinable) = then

ācāryam (stem form: ācārya) (masculine, accusative, singular) = preceptor

upasaṃgamya (verb root: gam ) (upa + sam + gamya) (gerund) (indeclinable) = having approached

rājā (stem form: rājan) (masculine, nominative, singular) = prince

vacanam (stem form: vacana) (neuter, accusative, singular) = these words (a speech)

abravīt (irregular 1st class verb root: brū) (imperfect, parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular) = spoke

This verse is Saṃjaya’s reply to Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s question in the previous verse. Saṃjaya’s initial narration is of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s eldest son, Duryodhana, when Duryodhana is looking at the arrayed forces of the Pāṇḍavā forces and then turning to his preceptor to say something to him, which is documented in the next verses.

There are five vocabulary points and one syntax point that I will comment on. The Sanskrit word “tu” is usually translated as “but”, but “but” is not the appropriate translation in this verses given there is no contrary statements in this verse. “And” is a better translation of “tu”, which most translators use. Secondly, in my translation I am departing from the common translation choice of putting “and” before the phrase “...spoke these words.” in this verse. I prefer to use the Sanskrit word for “then” where most translators put the word for “and”. Note, most translators do not even put the word “then” or any equivalent to the word “tadā” that is in the Sanskrit verse in the English translation of this verse. I feel the placement of “then” before “...spoke these words.” gives balance and conclusion to the previous two gerund clauses that take up the majority of this verse. My translation in this matter gives the English translation a more Sanskrit syntax feel to it.  I put the Sanskrit word for “and” between the two gerund clauses in this verse.

The Sanskrit word “upasaṃgamya” in this verse was a bit hard for me to figure out at first given there are two possible grammatical constructions for “upasaṃgamya”: a gerundive or a gerund. It was easy to disqualify the gerundive once I figured out that a gerund was a possible candidate and that I could find no instrumental case words in the verse. The tricky part was that the gerund form for the Sanskrit word “gam” has a prefix and a non-prefix gerund ending. Once I found this clarification in the Primer by the Goldmans, this part of the translation easily fell into place.

“Rājā” in Sanskrit can be translated either as a king, a prince, or a chief. “Prince” is the best translation here because “Duryodhana” is connected with the word “rājā” in this verse and “Duryodhana” is a prince given he is the eldest son and prince apparent to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

Lastly, the Sanskrit word “vacana” can simply mean a word, a speech, or a command, etc. All these possible English translations for the word “vacana” are sloppy and unfit for this verse. I follow the lead of many translators for this word by using the phrase “these words” for the word “vacana”.

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 1/Verse 1

Chapter 1/Verse 1

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच

धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः ।

मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत संजय ॥१-१॥

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca

dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ ।

māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kimakurvata saṃjaya ॥1-1॥

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said:

On the field of dharma, on the field of Kuru, the followers of my sons and indeed the sons-of-Pāṇḍu are assembled desirous to fight. What did they do, Saṃjaya?

dhṛtarāṣṭras (stem form: dhṛtarāṣṭra) (masculine, nominative, singular) = Dhṛtarāṣṭra (the blind king)

uvāca (verb root: vac) (perfect, parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular) = one said 

dharmakṣetre (stem form: dharmakṣetra) (dharma + kṣetre) (tatpurūṣa compound, neuter, locative , singular) = on the field of dharma 

kurukṣetre (stem form: kurukṣetra) (kuru + kṣetre) (tatpurūṣa compound, neuter, locative, singular) = on the field of Kuru (clan of Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

samavetās (verb root: i) (sam + ava + i) (past passive participle, masculine, nominative, plural) = they are assembled

yuyutsavas (stem form: yudh) (nominal desiderative, masculine, nominative, plural) = desirous to fight   

māmakās (stem form: māmaka) (masculine, nominative, plural with nominal derivatives) = followers of my sons

pāṇḍavās (stem form: pāṇḍava) (masculine, nominative, plural, with a nominal derivative) = sons-of-Pāṇḍu, political and warring enemies of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the Kauravas

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

eva (adverb) (indeclinable) = indeed

kim (interrogative) (indeclinable) = what

akurvata (irregular verb root: kṛ)  (imperfect, ubhayapada, 3rd person, plural) = did they do

saṃjaya (stem form: saṃjaya) (masculine, vocative, singular) = O’ Saṃjaya (preceptor of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the narrator of the Bhagavad Gita)

This verse sets the scene of the Bhagavad Gita with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the blind king, asking Saṃjaya, preceptor of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the narrator of Bhagavad Gita, to tell him what the two forces, desirous to fight, did.

“On the field of dharma” is cryptic. Dharma is a word with many meanings and difficult to translate into English. In its simplest of definitions, it can mean “right action” or “one’s purpose in life.” Is this verse stating the obvious that dharma is being played out on this battlefield or is it “on the field of dharma” a euphemism for “the field of Pāṇḍavās” were the Pāṇḍavās are located on the battlefield and “the field of Kuru” being where the Kuru army is located on the battlefield? It is definitely ambiguous and that is why most translators tend to leave words like dharma untranslated. Words like dharma are rich soil for large commentaries. There are many opinions as to what this section of the verse means.  

For people not familiar with the Sanskrit language, there is no set word order in a Sanskrit sentence. Only compounds require a strict word order.

One will find “māmaka” in the dictionary defined as “mine,” but I think we should go a little deeper with the word to drawn out a more proper definition. “Mama” is a 1st person, genitive, singular pronoun meaning “of me” or “mine.” Two nominative derivatives are added to this pronoun. One is the lengthening of the initial vowel of the pronoun that indicates the derivative is a genealogical descendant of the pronoun in this verse, so “māma” means “sons of mine.” The “ka” suffix indicates something is a follower of the derived noun, so in this case “māmakās” means “followers of my sons.” This pronoun with two nominal derivatives has a masculine, nominative, plural case ending of “as” added to  “māmaka” to make “māmakās.”