Duryodhana Surveys the Pandava Army

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Bhagavad-gītā 1.2–3 — July 9, 1973, London 730709BG-LONDON [24:52 Minutes] Bg-01.02–03_730709BG-LONDON Pradyumna: [leads chanting of verse] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] sañjaya uvāca dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ vyūḍhaṁ duryodhanas tadā ācāryam upasaṅgamya rāja vacanam abravīt [Bg. 1.2] [break] [leads chanting of synonyms] sañjayaḥ—Sañjaya; uvāca—said; dṛṣṭvā—after seeing; tu—but; pāṇḍava-anīkam—the soldiers of the Pāṇḍavas; vyūḍham—arranged in military phalanx; duryodhanaḥ—King Duryodhana; tadā—at that time; ācāryam—the teacher; upasaṅgamya—approaching nearby; rājā—the king; vacanam—words; abravīt—spoke. [01:52] Translation: "Sañjaya said: O King, after looking over the army gathered by the sons of Pāṇḍu, King Duryodhana went to his teacher and began to speak the following words." Prabhupāda: Hm. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra inquired from Sañjaya, kim akurvata: "After my sons and my brother's sons assembled together for fighting, what did they do?" This was the inquiry. So to encourage him...

Because Sañjaya could understand the feelings of his master that he wanted the fight, no compromise, kṣatriya spirit: "Let my sons and my brother's sons fight." That is kṣatriya spirit. "My sons are one hundred in number, and they are only five. So certainly my sons will come out victorious, and then the kingdom will be assured." That was his plan. So Sañjaya, his secretary, could understand the feeling. Of course, at last he would inform differently: yatra yogeśvaraḥ hariḥ.

At last he described, "My dear sir, you do not expect victory. It is not possible. Because the other side is Kṛṣṇa, yatra yogeśvaraḥ hariḥ, and the fighter Arjuna, so it is beyond your expectation of victory." But in the beginning he says, "Don't be discouraged. There was no compromise.

Immediately your son Duryodhana..." And he is addressing himself as rāja, because Dhṛtarāṣṭra would be encouraged when at least he thinks of his son becoming the king. Therefore he said rāja. So dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkam. Duryodhana did not expect that the Pāṇḍavas would be able to accomplish military strength so nicely, because they were bereft of all sources. Their kingdom was taken away, their money was usurped, they were sent into the forest—so many tribulations.

But the foolish Duryodhana did not know that above all, there was Kṛṣṇa on their side. That he could not calculate. Therefore when he saw the Pāṇḍavas are well equipped with good number of soldiers, pāṇḍavānīkam, he was little surprised, that "How they could gather so many soldiers?" So immediately, to consult the commander-in-chief, Dronācārya... Dronācārya was everyone's teacher, ācārya. Ācārya means teacher. Ācāryam upasaṅgamya [Bg. 1.2]. The military teacher.

So Duryodhana, he was military teacher of the Pāṇḍavas also. When all of them were children, they were given under the instruction of Dronācārya. Dronācārya was brāhmaṇa, but he knew the military art. Therefore he was appointed teacher for all the boys, the Kaurava.

So... But Ācārya, Dronācārya, joined with Duryodhana. Bhīṣmadeva joined with Duryodhana. None of them joined with Arjuna.

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