O King Dhritarashtra! Just as the weapons were about to be raised, at that moment, seeing the unjust rulers who had usurped the kingdom and their allies arrayed in formation before him, Arjuna, the son of Pandu, whose banner bore the emblem of Hanuman, lifted his Gandiva bow and spoke these words to the all-knowing Lord Shri Krishna, the inner ruler.
Commentary: The word 'atha' (now) signifies that Sanjaya now begins the dialogue between Lord Shri Krishna and Arjuna, which is the Bhagavad Gita. This dialogue concludes with the word 'iti' in the seventy-fourth verse of the eighteenth chapter. Similarly, the instruction of the Bhagavad Gita begins from the eleventh verse of its second chapter and concludes in the sixty-sixth verse of the eighteenth chapter.
'When weapons were about to clash'—Although grandsire Bhishma did not blow his conch to signal the commencement of battle, but rather blew it only to please Duryodhana, still, the armies of the Kauravas and Pandavas took it as the declaration of war and, lifting their weapons, stood ready. Seeing the armies thus armed, Arjuna, filled with valor, also lifted his Gandiva bow.
'Seeing the sons of Dhritarashtra arrayed'—Through these words, Sanjaya implies that when your son Duryodhana saw the Pandava army, he ran in haste to Dronacharya. But when Arjuna saw the Kaurava army, his hand went straight to his Gandiva bow—'lifting the bow'. This reveals that within Duryodhana there is fear, while within Arjuna there is fearlessness, enthusiasm, and heroism.
'He of the monkey banner'—By using the epithet 'Kapidhvaja' for Arjuna, Sanjaya reminds Dhritarashtra of Hanumanji, who is seated upon the flag of Arjuna's chariot. When the Pandavas were living in the forest, one day, suddenly, the wind brought and dropped a divine thousand-petaled lotus before Draupadi. Seeing it, Draupadi was greatly delighted and said to Bhimasena, 'O great hero! Please bring many such lotuses for me.' To fulfill Draupadi's wish, Bhimasena set out from there. When he reached a banana grove, he met Hanumanji there. Many conversations took place between the two. Finally, when Hanumanji urged Bhimasena to ask for a boon, Bhimasena said, 'May your grace remain upon me.' To this, Hanumanji said, 'O son of the wind! At the time when you, having entered the enemy ranks agitated by the strikes of arrows and spears, roar like a lion, I shall amplify that roar with my own thunderous cry. Furthermore, seated upon the flag of Arjuna's chariot, I shall emit such a terrifying roar that it will steal the life-force of the enemies, enabling you all to slay your foes with ease.' Thus, victory is certain for one upon whose chariot flag Hanumanji is seated.
'The son of Pandu'—Dhritarashtra had used the word 'Pandavas' in his question. Therefore, to remind Dhritarashtra repeatedly of the Pandavas, Sanjaya (in verse 1.14 and here) uses the word 'Pandava'.
'O King, then he spoke these words to Hrishikesha'—Seeing the Pandava army, Duryodhana goes to his preceptor Dronacharya and speaks words filled with cunning. But Arjuna, seeing the Kaurava army, speaks (the words to be spoken next) filled with heroism, enthusiasm, and a sense of his duty to Lord Shri Krishna, who is the preceptor of the universe, the inner ruler, and the director of the mind and intellect.
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