Gita 01.25 – Over – Reliance On Visual Perception Ends In Illusion

 

Audio Link 2: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-01-25-over-reliance-on-visual-perception-ends-in-illusion/

 

bhīṣma-droṇa-pramukhataḥ

sarveṣāṁ ca mahī-kṣitām

uvāca pārtha paśyaitān

samavetān kurūn iti 

 

Word-for-word:

bhīṣma — Grandfather Bhīṣma; droṇa — the teacher Droṇa; pramukhataḥ — in front of; sarveṣām — all; ca — also; mahī-kṣitām — chiefs of the world; uvāca — said; pārtha — O son of Pṛthā; paśya — just behold; etān — all of them; samavetān — assembled; kurūn — the members of the Kuru dynasty; iti — thus.

 

Translation:

In the presence of Bhīṣma, Droṇa and all the other chieftains of the world, the Lord said, “Just behold, Pārtha, all the Kurus assembled here.”

 

Explanation:

Here, Sañjaya is speaking and reporting the action taking place on the battlefield. At Arjuna’s request, Kṛṣṇa has positioned the chariot between the two armies, and what is happening there is described:

 

“Bhīṣma-droṇa-pramukhataḥ”: In the Kaurava army, Bhīṣma and Droṇa are the most prominent warriors, having served as commanders for the longest time—Bhīṣma for ten days and Droṇa for five. Karṇa, despite his much-lauded prowess, lasted only two days, Śalya for one day, and Aśvatthāmā for just one night.

 

Hence, Bhīṣma and Droṇa were by far the most formidable warriors, standing out as the foremost among the Kauravas. Additionally, they were especially significant in Arjuna’s eyes. Among all the warriors on the Kaurava side, they are the ones Arjuna is most reluctant to fight. Although the Kauravas had previously insulted him and the Pāṇḍavas, rightfully deserving punishment for it, Arjuna still actively supported Kṛṣṇa’s peace initiative. Arjuna has little reluctance to kill Duryodhana and his party because he knows they are evil, and for the sake of dharma, unless they change, they must be slain.

 

But Arjuna harbors significant reluctance and apprehension about killing Bhīṣma and Droṇa. Bhīṣma is his beloved grandfather and has also been like a father figure since Pāṇḍu passed away when the Pāṇḍavas were very young. Thereafter, Bhīṣma took on a paternal role for them. Droṇa, on the other hand, was their teacher, and his relationship with Arjuna went far deeper than that of a formal teacher and student. Arjuna was Droṇa’s favorite pupil due to his eagerness to learn, submissiveness, and expertise. Arjuna was also profoundly grateful to Droṇa, not only for the lessons in archery that he had imparted but also for the blessings, guidance, and mentorship Droṇa had provided. Thus, Bhīṣma and Droṇa held a unique place in Arjuna’s eyes. Hence, as Kṛṣṇa positioned Arjuna in the middle of the battlefield, Arjuna saw them prominently.

 

It could also be that when Kṛṣṇa placed the chariot in the middle of the two armies, he might have positioned it in front of Bhīṣma and Droṇa. Kṛṣṇa, knowing Arjuna’s heart, understood that Arjuna did not want to harm these venerable elders—and knowing that Arjuna would want to see them at least, Kṛṣṇa placed the chariot in front of them.

 

“Sarveṣāṁ ca mahī-kṣitām”: They were chief warriors, but alongside them, there were many other soldiers. The term “mahī-kṣitām” refers to kings. Although there were numerous soldiers in the army, they were not as prominent. In the past, kings would lead their armies from the front, so the great formidable kings were assembled at the forefront.

 

“uvāca pārtha paśyaitān”: Who spoke this? It was Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is referred to as “Hrīṣīkeśa” in the previous verse. He is the doer of the action. The first action was bringing the chariot between the two armies, and now the next action is drawing Arjuna’s attention to the assembled forces. He says, “O Pārtha (Arjuna), see all these warriors.”

 

“Samavetān kurūn iti”: “Here are all the Kurus assembled that you wanted to see.”

 

Actually, in the first chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa does not speak any full verses. The phrase “Śrī Bhagavān uvāca” does not appear in the first chapter. The first instance of “Śrī Bhagavān uvāca” occurs in Chapter 2, verses 2.2 and 2.3, which also serve as a pep talk. The serious philosophical instruction from Bhagavān begins in Chapter 2, verse 2.11. Here, Kṛṣṇa speaks only half of a verse, instructing Arjuna: “Just see, all the Kauravas are assembled here.”

 

Kṛṣṇa is fulfilling Arjuna’s request by positioning their chariot in front of the Kauravas so Arjuna can see what is happening. An important point to note is that the word “paśya” will recur throughout the text. In fact, it has already appeared in 1.21, where Arjuna uses the word “nirīkṣe,” which is also related to vision (“ikṣa,” meaning eyes, or “I want to see”). It appears again in 1.23 with “yotsyamānān avekṣe ’haṁ” (I want to see those who are about to fight).

 

Here again in 1.25, Kṛṣṇa is telling Arjuna, “paśyaitān”—”You wanted to see, now see.” This directive to observe appears multiple times: in 1.21 and 1.23, and again in 1.25. The term also appears in 1.26, “tatrāpaśyat” where Arjuna will see all the warriors, and in 1.27 with “tān samīkṣya” (where “ikṣa” refers to seeing). In 1.30, Arjuna says “nimittāni ca paśyāmi,” meaning “I am unable to see.” That “seeing” refers not to literal physical vision but to metaphorical or intellectual understanding—Arjuna is expressing his inability to see any way ahead. Just as in a conversation, when someone explains a point and we say “I see,” the term “see” refers to intellectual comprehension rather than literal visual perception, similarly, in “nimittāni ca paśyāmi,” Arjuna is indicating that he cannot intellectually comprehend any way forward.

 

Although the word “paśya” appears many times, the majority of instances refer to physical seeing rather than metaphorical understanding. The repeated emphasis on physical seeing highlights its significance—while we are in material existence, the eyes often lead us into illusion, while the ears can guide us out of illusion. Our eyes, limited to the material realm, cannot perceive the soul. We can’t see Kṛṣṇa or the spiritual reality because our senses are confined to the material level of perception. Since we are unable to perceive these higher realities, we get caught in what we can see—material realities. Material things are indeed real, but they are temporary. When they completely consume our vision and occupy our thoughts, we act divorced from our spiritual interests and delve deeper into illusion.

 

An overemphasis on seeing at the expense of hearing can be disastrous from the perspective of our ability to choose the right course of action, and this is exactly what happens to Arjuna. As the narrative of the Bhagavad-gītā unfolds, it is Arjuna’s eyes that lead him into illusion, but it is his ears that eventually lead him out. Only when Kṛṣṇa speaks the Bhagavad-gītā does Arjuna begin to see the spiritual truths underlying his material and visual perceptions. Through hearing Kṛṣṇa’s words, Arjuna is reinstated in his determination to act virtuously and boldly.

 

In our case as well, if we place too much emphasis on seeing, we may start to feel that there is so much to enjoy in this world and begin to think that life as a devotee is deprived, with many things we cannot do. This can lead to questions like, “What is the point of all this?” However, when we hear and understand that the enjoyment promised by the material world is a pathetically meager and fleeting pleasure followed by much suffering, we recognize that what appears as deprivation at the material level is actually the path to elevation on the spiritual level, where one can experience unlimited happiness. Therefore, we need to hear.

 

We certainly can’t live with closed eyes, and it’s not that Arjuna, as a warrior, is expected to have his eyes closed—he must be alert and observant to fight the war. However, overreliance on the eyes at the expense of heard wisdom, especially spiritual wisdom, which takes us deeper than what the eyes can perceive, can lead to disastrous wrong choices. This is exactly what happens with Arjuna, signified by the repeated use of words like paśya, including Kṛṣṇa’s own use of paśyaitān.

 

Kṛṣṇa facilitates our desires: if we want to see, He will allow us to see; if we want to hear, He will enable us to hear. This is evident with Arjuna. First, Arjuna says, “I want to see,” and Kṛṣṇa facilitates that. Later, Arjuna says, “Please tell me, I want to hear,” and Kṛṣṇa fulfills that desire too.

 

Whenever we see things that seem to delude us, we should immediately pray to Kṛṣṇa: “Kṛṣṇa, please guide me, remind me of Your scriptural wisdom, remind me of Your message. Let me hear Your words so that I can see things as they truly are, and not as I see them now, under the spell of illusion.”

 

Thank you.