Gita 01.22 Asking to see something that is already known points to a dynamic that is not known.
kair mayā saha yoddhavyam
asmin raṇa-samudyame
Word-for-word:
kaiḥ — with whom; mayā — by me; saha — together; yoddhavyam — have to fight; asmin — in this; raṇa — strife; samudyame — in the attempt.
Translation:
Arjuna said: With whom must I contend in this great trial of arms?
Explanation:
In this verse, Arjuna asks Kṛṣṇa, “I want to see who all have come to fight against me.” This will be further elaborated in the next verse.
The previous verse states: senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me ’cyuta, yāvad etān nirīkṣe ’haṁ yoddhu-kāmān avasthitān—Who all have assembled to fight?
That same statement is further emphasized here in this verse:
kair mayā saha yoddhavyam: Who have come here to fight against me—
asmin raṇa-samudyame: —in this particular battle?
At one level, Arjuna already knows who has come to fight with him—there is no doubt about it. The alliances with different kingdoms were not formed secretly—both sides had spies, and everyone knew who would be on which side. Therefore, through both the public formation of alliances and the intelligence gathered by spies, each party was well aware of the other’s supporters. This was not an ambush; it was a planned war.
So, if Arjuna already knew who was on the opposite side, why then does he ask: kair mayā saha yoddhavyam, asmin raṇa-samudyame (“I want to see who is there on the opposite side?”)
In general, the desire to see something that is already known points to some dynamic that is unknown. Normally, when we want to see something, it is to gain knowledge about it. For example, if you are looking to buy a house, you would want to see it firsthand to understand how it stands out and to familiarize yourself with it. Based on that, you can decide whether to buy it or not. Similarly, if you inherit a house, you might want to see it firsthand to determine the best way to use it—whether to live in it, sell it, or convert it into a rental property.
Essentially, “seeing” is a process of gathering information that can form the basis for our subsequent actions. However, if we find that our information-gathering is not constructive—that is, if it does not lead to anything positive or useful—then it serves no real purpose. Continuously revisiting what we have already seen offers nothing new. For instance, if we have examined a property repeatedly and there is no new information to gain from seeing it again, the agent showing the property might become annoyed and ask, “What do you want? Why are you wasting both my time and yours by seeing this again and again? If you haven’t made a decision based on the existing information—which is practically all the information you’re going to have—then why keep looking?”
Similarly, in Arjuna’s case, he already had a general understanding of the situation. He knew what the Kauravas were planning and who was present in their ranks. Just the previous night, there had been an assembly of war where the Pāṇḍava forces assessed the strengths of their opponents and decided who would confront whom in overall faceoff.
The Bhagavad-gītā contains several sections where the seemingly obvious is not so obvious. Sometimes, what appears clear on the surface has a deeper meaning. For example, in the very first verse of the Bhagavad-gītā, Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks, dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca: dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ, māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva kim akurvata sañjaya—“What did my sons and the Pāṇḍavas do after assembling on the battlefield to fight?”
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s question doesn’t seem to make sense, as he already knows why they have gathered—they are there to fight—as he himself mentions. A more logical question might have been, “What happened in the fight?” Yet, the question he asks—“What did they do?”—appears self-evident. Such a question points to something beyond the obvious—he was afraid that the holy place might influence the protagonists and perhaps prevent the battle from taking place.
For Arjuna, asking to see who is on the opposite side is a moment of deep pain. He knows there is no turning back from this battle. The Pāṇḍavas had made every effort to reach a peaceful resolution, negotiating in the most accommodating terms, but nothing had worked. Now, as they prepare to fight, Arjuna realizes that this may be the last time he will see all his relatives assembled together—many of them soon to meet their deaths in the brutal war that lies ahead.
Arjuna wants one last look to see who is there on each side. It is similar to when we have lived in a place for a long time, and we are about to leave, possibly never to return. In such moments, we may turn around and take a long, lingering look at that place before departing. Arjuna’s request may reflect a similar sentiment.
For most of the people on the opposite side, there was no love lost for Arjuna. Yet, for his elders, especially Bhīṣma and Droṇa, there was intense affection and reverence, which would weigh heavily on him, as will soon be revealed. At this moment, however, there is intrigue and mystery in Arjuna’s request, and that mystery will unfold as we progress through the narrative of the Bhagavad-gītā.
Thank you.
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