Gita 01.20 Life is so unpredictable that it can unbalance the unflappably balanced.

 

Audio link 1: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-01-20-life-is-so-unpredictable-that-it-can-unbalance-the-unflappably-balanced/

 

atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā

dhārtarāṣṭrān kapi-dhvajaḥ

pravṛtte śastra-sampāte

dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ

hṛṣīkeśaṁ tadā vākyam

idam āha mahī-pate 

 

Word-for-word:

atha — thereupon; vyavasthitān — situated; dṛṣṭvā — looking upon; dhārtarāṣṭrān — the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra; kapi-dhvajaḥ — he whose flag was marked with Hanumān; pravṛtte — while about to engage; śastra-sampāte — in releasing his arrows; dhanuḥ — bow; udyamya — taking up; pāṇḍavaḥ — the son of Pāṇḍu (Arjuna); hṛṣīkeśam — unto Lord Kṛṣṇa; tadā — at that time; vākyam — words; idam — these; āha — said; mahī-pate — O King.

 

Translation:

At that time Arjuna, the son of Pāṇḍu, seated in the chariot bearing the flag marked with Hanumān, took up his bow and prepared to shoot his arrows. O King, after looking at the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra drawn in military array, Arjuna then spoke to Lord Kṛṣṇa these words.

 

Explanation:

The vision now shifts to one of the main characters of the Bhagavad-gītā: Arjuna. The other main character, of course, is Kṛṣṇa, as the Bhagavad-gītā is Kṛṣṇa’s song. Up until now, both parties have blown their conches, and the effect of the Pāṇḍavas blowing their conches is described as “atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā.” Just as Duryodhana was observing the Pāṇḍavas’ military formation, Arjuna was similarly observing the Kauravas’ military formation.

 

“Dhārtarāṣṭrān”: The sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra—this is a common term that Sañjaya uses to refer to the Kauravas. It’s interesting to note that the word “Dhārtarāṣṭra” is actually more specific than the word “Kaurava.” Sañjaya uses this precise word multiple times in the Bhagavad-gītā, especially in this chapter and section.

 

“Kapi-dhvajaḥ”: Arjuna has a flag with a symbol of monkey (kapi-dhvajaḥ) as his standard. While he already had that symbol, Hanumān, the great heroic monkey warrior on Lord Rāma’s side, agreed to manifest through it. Thus, Arjuna’s standard bore the symbol of a monkey, with Hanumān manifesting through it.

 

“Pravṛtte śastra-sampāte”: Arjuna is ready with his bow and arrow. “Dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ”: Picking up his bow, Arjuna prepares to fight, just as everyone else is ready with their weapons. “Hṛṣīkeśaṁ tadā vākyam”: At that moment, Arjuna spoke these words to Kṛṣṇa.

 

“Idam āha mahī-pate”: Sañjaya addresses Dhṛtarāṣṭra as mahī-pate, meaning “king of the earth.” However, the implication is that he may not remain king for long, though this remains unsaid. For now, he is the king—mahī-pate. Previously, there was an exchange between Duryodhana and Droṇa, and now the focus shifts to the dialogue between Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa. “Hṛṣīkeśaṁ tadā vākyam”: These words were spoken to Hṛṣīkeśa, or Kṛṣṇa. While Duryodhana’s words to Droṇa were meant to charge him up for battle, Arjuna’s words will reveal that he has lost his resolve; he has lost his will to fight. Kṛṣṇa’s words, in turn, will reinvigorate him—not just to fight, but to fulfill his duty as a kṣatriya in the establishment of dharma.

 

At this stage, a dramatic and fateful conversation is about to take place—one that cannot be foreseen. Sañjaya is narrating this conversation. When describing events, consider the example of a cricket match where a commentator narrates the unfolding action. Suppose the match is moving in a particular direction: the bowling team needs to defend a target, and after getting some initial breakthroughs, they seem to have the upper hand. But then, two batsmen form a long partnership, causing the game to drift away from the bowling team. If suddenly a batsman gets out, it’s often said that he got out “against the run of play.” This phrase means that the game was moving in one direction, but the batsman’s dismissal shifted the momentum. When two or three batsmen get out in quick succession, the entire direction of the match can change unexpectedly.

 

Similarly, the thrust here is that Arjuna’s actions will suddenly change the direction of the discussion and the course of events. Initially, the military preparations suggested that Duryodhana was somewhat rattled upon seeing the Pāṇḍavas’ formation. Then, the Kauravas were said to be shattered by the sound of the Pāṇḍavas blowing their conches. The run of play indicates that, despite having fewer forces, the Pāṇḍavas seem to have the upper hand.

 

While the run of play thus continues, the prime warrior on the Pāṇḍavas’ side will suddenly develop cold feet. The reasoning behind his hesitation will be described in the next few verses. The key point is that real-life issues cannot be dealt with in a predictable pattern. Life is filled with phases where things seem to be going predictably, followed by sudden moments when everything turns topsy-turvy and the entire trend reverses. We cannot foresee what will happen in the future. No one could have anticipated the words Arjuna is about to speak.

 

Among the Pāṇḍavas, Bhīma is the most bellicose and prone to taking offense and seeking vengeance, while Yudhiṣṭhira is the most pacifistic. He is ready to forgive almost anything and is always trying to de-escalate conflicts. Arjuna, overall, serves as the balancing element between the two.

 

There are times when Bhīma becomes angry with Yudhiṣṭhira for gambling away everything. Bhīma even suggests to Arjuna that they should get fire to burn Yudhiṣṭhira’s hands, as these hands were used for gambling away Draupadī and subjecting her to humiliation and suffering. In such situations, it is Arjuna who calms Bhīma down.

 

When the Kauravas are sneering at the crestfallen Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, ready to explode with anger and seeking vengeance on all the Kauravas, is once again calmed down by Arjuna. Thus, Arjuna acts as a balancer of Bhīma’s rage. During the gambling match, as Yudhiṣṭhira continues to gamble and lose, Arjuna taps him on the shoulder and signals him to stop—indicating that it’s enough and he should cease playing. Yudhiṣṭhira hears him, but caught up in the fever of gambling, he cannot bring himself to stop and is carried away by the heat of the moment.

 

So, for Arjuna, usually the balancer of things, to suddenly become unbalanced is a dramatic turn of events. It is this dramatic turn that will lead to the narration of the Bhagavad-gītā. In the next few verses, Arjuna will express his extreme reservations about fighting the war. Then, Kṛṣṇa will respond by delivering the exalted message of the Bhagavad-gītā, which will recharge Arjuna not just with martial vigor but with transcendental strength, as he will march towards victory in the ensuing battle.

 

Thank you.