Chapter 1: Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra
Bg 1.23
TEXT 23
yotsyamanan avekse 'ham
ya ete 'tra samagatah
dhartarastrasya durbuddher
yuddhe priya-cikirsavah
SYNONYMS
yotsyamänän—those who will be fighting; avekñe—let me see; aham—I; ye—who; ete—those; atra—here; samägatäù—assembled; dhärtaräñörasya—the son of Dhåtaräñöra; durbuddheù—evil-minded; yuddhe—in the fight; priya—well; cikérñavaù—wishing.
TRANSLATION
Let me see those who have come here to fight, wishing to please the evil-minded son of Dhåtaräñöra.
PURPORT
It was an open secret that Duryodhana wanted to usurp the kingdom of the Päëòavas by evil plans, in collaboration with his father, Dhåtaräñöra. Therefore, all persons who had joined the side of Duryodhana must have been birds of the same feather. Arjuna wanted to see them in the battlefield before the fight was begun, just to learn who they were, but he had no intention of proposing peace negotiations with them. It was also a fact that he wanted to see them to make an estimate of the strength which he had to face, although he was quite confident of victory because Kåñëa was sitting by his side.