Dhritarashtra said (Commentary p. 1.2) – O Sanjaya! (Commentary p. 1.3) What did my sons and the sons of Pandu, assembled on the sacred field of Kurukshetra with the desire to fight, also do?
Commentary:
1. Explanation – 'In the field of dharma, in Kurukshetra' – In Kurukshetra, the deities performed a yajna. King Kuru also performed austerities here. Because it is the site of dharmic acts like yajna and because it is the land of King Kuru's austerities, it is called the sacred field of Kurukshetra.
Here, by using the word 'kshetra' (field) in the terms 'dharmakshetre' and 'kurukshetre', Dhritarashtra's intent is that this is the land of his Kuru lineage. It is not merely a battlefield, but indeed a holy land, where beings can perform pure deeds while alive and attain their welfare. Thus, considering that all benefits – worldly and otherworldly – may be attained, and after consulting with noble persons, this land was chosen for the war.
In the world, conflict generally arises over three things – land, wealth, and women. Among these three, kings mainly fight amongst themselves over land. Here, the implication of using the term 'kurukshetre' is also fighting over land. In the Kuru lineage, the sons of Dhritarashtra and Pandu all become one. Being of the Kuru lineage, both have an equal claim to Kurukshetra, i.e., the land of King Kuru. Therefore, (because the Kauravas did not give the Pandavas their land) both have come to fight over the land.
Although, because it is their own land, using the term 'kurukshetre' for both is logical and just, yet our eternal Vedic culture is so exceptional that whenever any action is to be undertaken, it is done keeping dharma foremost. Even an action like war is performed only in a sacred land – a holy land – so that those who die in the war may attain liberation, may attain welfare. Hence, here, along with 'kurukshetre', the term 'dharmakshetre' has come.
Here, at the beginning, the term 'dharma' also reveals another point. If the syllable 'dhar' is taken from the initial term 'dharma' and the syllable 'ma' is taken from the term 'mama' in the final verse of the eighteenth chapter, then the word 'dharma' is formed. Therefore, the entire Gita is encompassed within dharma, meaning that by following dharma, the principles of the Gita are followed, and by performing duty-bound action according to the principles of the Gita, dharma is practiced.
From these terms 'dharmakshetre kurukshetre', all human beings should learn this lesson: whatever work is to be done, it should be done keeping dharma foremost. Every action should be performed with the vision of everyone's welfare, not merely with the vision of one's own comfort and ease; and regarding what is to be done and what is not to be done, the scriptures should be kept as the authority (Gita 16.24).
'Assembled with the desire to fight' – Despite repeated peace proposals by the elders, Duryodhana did not accept making peace. Not only that, even upon Lord Shri Krishna's urging, my son Duryodhana clearly stated that without war, he would not give the Pandavas even land equal to the tip of a sharp needle. (Commentary p. 2.1) Then, compelled, the Pandavas also accepted to wage war. Thus, my sons and the sons of Pandu – both, along with their armies, have assembled with the desire to fight.
Although both armies had the desire to fight, Duryodhana especially had a strong desire for war. His main objective was only to obtain the kingdom. His sentiment was that we must get the kingdom by any means – whether through dharma or adharma, justly or unjustly, by prescribed methods or forbidden methods. Therefore, specifically Duryodhana's side was 'yuyutsu', i.e., desirous of war.
Among the Pandavas, dharma was primary. Their sentiment was that we may manage our livelihood in any way, but we will not let any obstacle come to our dharma, we will not act against dharma. Because of this, Maharaja Yudhishthira did not wish to fight. However, it was only due to the command of his mother, on whose order Yudhishthira had married Draupadi along with his four brothers, that Maharaja Yudhishthira was inclined towards war (Commentary p. 2.2). That is, Yudhishthira became desirous of war only due to the dharma of obeying his mother's command. The meaning is that while Duryodhana and others were 'yuyutsu' for the sake of the kingdom, the Pandavas became 'yuyutsu' only for the sake of dharma.
'My sons and the Pandavas' – The Pandavas regarded Dhritarashtra (as their father's elder brother) as equal to a father and obeyed his commands. Even when Dhritarashtra gave improper commands, the Pandavas, without considering right or wrong, obeyed his command. Therefore, here, under the term 'my sons', both the Kauravas (Commentary p. 3.1) and the Pandavas are included. Still, using the separate term 'Pandavas' implies that Dhritarashtra did not have equal affection for his own sons and the sons of Pandu. He had partiality, attachment towards his own sons. He considered Duryodhana and others as his own, but did not consider the Pandavas as his own. (Commentary p. 3.2) For this reason, he has used the term 'my sons' for his own sons and the term 'Pandavas' for the sons of Pandu; because the sentiments that are within generally come out through speech. Due to this sense of duality, Dhritarashtra had to suffer the sorrow of the destruction of his own dynasty. From this, all human beings should learn this lesson: they should not harbor a sense of duality – that these are ours, these are others – in their homes, neighborhoods, villages, provinces, countries, or communities. The reason is that from a sense of duality, mutual love and affection do not arise; rather, conflict arises.
Here, using the term 'eva' (indeed) along with 'Pandavah' implies that the Pandavas are great righteous souls; therefore, they should not have waged war. But they too have come to the battlefield for war, so having come there, what did they do?
Regarding 'my sons' and 'the Pandavas' (Commentary p. 3.3), Sanjaya will first give the answer concerning 'my sons' from the next (second) verse up to the thirteenth verse: that your son Duryodhana, having seen the Pandava army, went to Dronacharya and named the main commanders of the Pandavas to create hatred in his mind towards them. After that, Duryodhana named the main warriors of his own army and praised their martial skill etc. To please Duryodhana, Bhishma blew his conch powerfully. Hearing it, conches and other instruments sounded in the Kaurava army. Then, from the fourteenth verse to the nineteenth verse, he will give the answer concerning 'the Pandavas': that Shri Krishna, seated on the chariot on the Pandava side, blew his conch. After that, Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishthira, Nakula, and Sahadeva blew their respective conches, causing the hearts of Duryodhana's army to tremble. After that, while still speaking about the Pandavas, Sanjaya will begin the context of the dialogue between Shri Krishna and Arjuna from the twentieth verse.
'What did they do?' – The word 'what' has three meanings: doubt, censure (objection), and question.
The doubt of whether the war happened or not cannot be taken here; because the war has already been waged for ten days, and after felling Bhishma from his chariot, Sanjaya has come to Hastinapura and is narrating the events there to Dhritarashtra.
The censure or objection – 'What have my sons and the sons of Pandu done, that they have engaged in war! They should not have waged war' – also cannot be taken here; because the war was already ongoing, and within Dhritarashtra there was no sentiment of asking with an objection.
Here, taking the meaning of the word 'what' as a question fits correctly. Dhritarashtra is asking the question precisely to know, in sequence and in detail, all the events – small and big – accurately from Sanjaya.
Connection – Sanjaya begins to give the answer to Dhritarashtra's question from the next verse.
★🔗
