1.25. Commentary – 'Gudakeshena' – The word 'Gudakesha' has two meanings: (1) 'Guda' means curled or coiled, and 'kesha' means hair. One whose head-hair is curled, i.e., curly, is called 'Gudakesha'. (2) 'Gudaka' means sleep, and 'isha' means master. One who is the master of sleep, meaning one who can take sleep or not—one who has control over sleep, is called 'Gudakesha'. Arjuna's hair was curly and he had mastery over sleep; therefore, he is called 'Gudakesha'.
'Eevamuktah' – The Lord listens to the words of that devotee who is not a slave to the pleasure of sleep and laziness, who is not a slave to sense enjoyments, but is solely a servant (bhakta) of the Lord. Not only does He listen, but He also obeys his command. Therefore, upon being commanded by His dear devotee Arjuna, the all-knowing Lord Sri Krishna stationed Arjuna's chariot between the two armies.
'Hrishikeshah' – The senses are called 'Hrishika'. One who is the master (Isha) of the senses is called Hrishikesha. The intent of using 'Hrishikesha' in the twenty-first verse and here is that He who is the impeller of the mind, intellect, senses, etc., the commander of all, that very all-knowing Lord has here become the one who obeys Arjuna's command! How immense is His grace upon Arjuna!
'Senayorubhayormadhye sthaapayitvaa rathottamam' – In the space that was empty between the two armies, the Lord stationed Arjuna's excellent chariot.
'Bhishmadronapramukhatah sarveshaam cha maheekshitaam' – And with remarkable skill, the Lord placed that chariot in such a spot where Arjuna could see before him his familial elder, Grandsire Bhishma, his teacher by the bond of knowledge, Acharya Drona, and the principal kings of the Kaurava army.
'Uvaacha Paartha pashyaitaansamavetaankuruniti kuru' – In the word 'Kuru', both the sons of Dhritarashtra and the sons of Pandu are included; because both are of the Kuru dynasty. The intent of saying 'See these assembled Kurus' is that upon seeing these Kurus, the feeling should arise within Arjuna that we are all one! Whether on this side or that side; whether good or bad; whether virtuous or wicked; yet they are all my own kinsmen. Consequently, the familial affection-laden attachment lying hidden within Arjuna would become awakened, and with the awakening of this attachment, Arjuna would become inquisitive, so that using Arjuna as the instrument, the great teachings of the Gita for the welfare of future beings in the Kali Yuga could be given. It is with this very intent that the Lord said here, 'See these assembled Kurus'. Otherwise, the Lord could have said, 'See these sons of Dhritarashtra assembled'. But saying so would have aroused a fighting spirit in Arjuna; as a result, the occasion for the manifestation of the Gita would not have arisen, and the dormant familial attachment within Arjuna would also not have been removed, which the Lord considers His responsibility to remove. Just as when a boil appears, physicians first try to ripen it, and when it ripens, they lance it and clean it; similarly, the Lord first awakens the attachment lying hidden within the devotee and then eradicates it. Here too, the Lord is awakening the attachment hidden within Arjuna by saying 'See the Kurus', which He will later destroy through His teachings.
Arjuna had said, 'Let me see them' – 'Nireekshe' (1.22), 'Avekshe' (1.23); therefore, there was no need for the Lord to say here, 'Pashya' (You see). The Lord should have merely stationed the chariot. However, the Lord, having stationed the chariot, said 'See the Kurus' precisely to awaken Arjuna's attachment.
There is a great difference between familial affection and divine love (Bhagavat-prema). When there is affection tinged with possessiveness in the family, one does not even consider the faults of the family; rather, the feeling 'They are mine' persists. Similarly, when the Lord has special affection for His devotee, the Lord does not even consider the devotee's faults; rather, the feeling 'He is mine alone' persists. In familial affection, action and the object (body, etc.) are primary, while in divine love, feeling (bhava) is primary. In familial affection, delusion (moha) is primary, while in divine love, intimacy (aatmeeyata) is primary. In familial affection there is darkness, and in divine love there is light. In familial affection, a person becomes negligent of duty, while in divine love, due to absorption, there can be forgetfulness in performing duties, but a devotee never becomes negligent of duty. In familial affection, the kinsmen are primary, while in divine love, God is primary.
Connection – In the previous verse, the Lord told Arjuna to see the Kurus. What happened after that is described by Sanjaya in the following verses.
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