Gita 1.09 – Listing the warriors’ qualities for enlisting their commitment

 

Audio Link 2: Gita 01.09 – Listing the warriors’ qualities for enlisting their commitment – The Spiritual Scientist 

 

anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā

mad-arthe tyakta-jīvitāḥ

nānā-śastra-praharaṇāḥ

sarve yuddha-viśāradāḥ

 

Word-For-Word:

anye — others; ca — also; bahavaḥ — in great numbers; śūrāḥ — heroes; mat-arthe — for my sake; tyakta-jīvitāḥ — prepared to risk life; nānā — many; śastra — weapons; praharaṇāḥ — equipped with; sarve — all of them; yuddha-viśāradāḥ — experienced in military science.

 

Translation:

There are many other heroes who are prepared to lay down their lives for my sake. All of them are well equipped with different kinds of weapons, and all are experienced in military science.

 

Explanation:

 

Duryodhana, ever the diplomat, is alert to the dangers he faces. He is confident in his army’s ability to combat the Pāṇḍavas but wants to ensure his generals do not feel neglected. One of the biggest challenges for a leader is balancing the egos of different team members. While “ego” often has a negative connotation, everyone has a sense of self-respect and honor. When people feel dishonored, they can lose enthusiasm, stop contributing, or even work against the cause they once supported.

 

Yuyutsu, one of the Kaurava warriors, defected to the Pāṇḍavas just before the war, upsetting Duryodhana. Yuyutsu was Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son by a maidservant. Gandhari’s prolonged pregnancy led Dhṛtarāṣṭra to unite with a maidservant, resulting in Yuyutsu’s birth. Though never accorded the same status as the Pāṇḍavas, Yuyutsu considered himself part of the royal family and sided with the Pāṇḍavas just before the war.

 

Yudhiṣṭhira invited anyone who believed in his honorable cause to join him. When Yuyutsu asked if he would be accepted, Yudhiṣṭhira welcomed him, predicting that Yuyutsu would perform the last rites for all the Kauravas, reflecting Yudhiṣṭhira’s confidence. Duryodhana, aware of this defection, did not want any other warriors to feel dishonored. Therefore, he acknowledged the many great heroes in his ranks (anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā), emphasizing their dedication and willingness to sacrifice their lives for him (mad-arthe tyakta-jīvitāḥ). He intended to say that they are ready to lay down their lives for him. However, he made a tense error. Instead of using the future tense, he used the past tense, making it seem as though he said, “they have given up their lives for me.”

 

Certainly, that is not Duryodhana’s intention, but slips of the tongue can reveal hidden thoughts. Such slips often bypass the filters we use to conceal our true feelings, revealing what lies within. This phrase serves as an indirect prophecy of the Pāṇḍavas’ victory and the Kauravas’ defeat. Krishna explicitly states this in BG 11.33, telling Arjuna that his opponents are already dead by His arrangement (mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva).

 

Krishna’s arrangement unintentionally slips out of Duryodhana’s mouth. This faux pas was not his intention, as he did not mean to imply the death of his own warriors. He continues to praise his warriors’ skills with various weapons and their expertise in battle. Despite the clear adharmic nature of Duryodhana’s side, many warriors joined him. Why did so many warriors—11 akshauhinis, more than the Pāṇḍavas—side with the Kauravas? Their choice indicated that they gave some credence to Duryodhana’s cause. However, some were tricked into fighting for him.

 

Shalya wanted to fight on Yudhiṣṭhira’s side, but he was tricked by Duryodhana. Duryodhana arranged lavish hospitality for him along the way, and Shalya thought it was arranged by the Pāṇḍavas’ staff. Consequently, Shalya declared he would fight for whoever had made such nice arrangements. Duryodhana, seizing the opportunity, revealed it was he who had made the arrangements. Realizing he had been deceived, Shalya was forced to fight for the Kurus, despite his wishes. Similarly, others like Bahlika, Somadatta, and Bhurishrava were bound by their dynastic commitments to the Kurus, compelling them to fight on Duryodhana’s side. They also brought their own akshauhini soldiers.

 

Duryodhana is trying to strike a more inclusive note by stating that all his warriors are experts in fighting. In this way, he aims to inspire and motivate everyone to fight. In the previous verse, he listed some warriors but realized that there were too many names to list them all. So, he acknowledges the others and praises them in various ways. First, he calls them courageous and notes their expertise in weapons and experience in fighting. He essentially emphasizes three qualities: valor, expertise, and experience. In war, courage alone is not enough; one also needs expertise and intelligence. Additionally, a sacrificing spirit is necessary. He mentions that they are ready to lay down their lives for him, though he mistakenly uses the past tense, implying that they have already done so. This slip of the tongue, which could be seen as a divine arrangement, unintentionally reveals his appreciation for their commitment. In a way, appreciation acts as indirect instruction; when someone says, “you are a good singer,” it encourages the person to sing well. Similarly, Duryodhana’s praise is meant to inspire his warriors to uphold their commitment and fight valiantly.

 

When we are aware that someone expects us to live up to certain standards, it can inspire us to meet those expectations. Despite his demonic nature, Duryodhana is clever and tries to motivate his warriors. He acknowledges their inherent valor, commitment to his cause, expertise in weaponry, and experience and intelligence in warfare. By highlighting these qualities, he asserts that his warriors are fully qualified and will lead their side to victory. In the next verse, he will discuss how his strength surpasses that of the Pāṇḍavas.

 

Thank you.