Gita 01.24- Position Of Maximum Vulnerability
sañjaya uvāca
evam ukto hṛṣīkeśo
guḍākeśena bhārata
senayor ubhayor madhye
sthāpayitvā rathottamam
Word-for-Word:
sañjayaḥ uvāca — Sañjaya said; evam — thus; uktaḥ — addressed; hṛṣīkeśaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; guḍākeśena — by Arjuna; bhārata — O descendant of Bharata; senayoḥ — of the armies; ubhayoḥ — both; madhye — in the midst; sthāpayitvā — placing; ratha-uttamam — the finest chariot.
Translation:
Sañjaya said: O descendant of Bharata, having thus been addressed by Arjuna, Lord Kṛṣṇa drew up the fine chariot in the midst of the armies of both parties.
Explanation:
evam ukto hṛṣīkeśaḥ: In this way, Hṛṣīkeśa (Kṛṣṇa) spoke.
guḍākeśena bhārata: When Guḍākeśa (Arjuna) spoke to Kṛṣṇa.
senayor ubhayor madhye: In the middle of the two armies.
sthāpayitvā rathottamam: The great chariot was placed.
It’s interesting that earlier, Arjuna was described as being equipped with a magnificent chariot drawn by four white horses. The chariot is again described here as “rathottamam”—the best of chariots. This chariot has its own story of how Arjuna received it from the gods and how it survived numerous dangers and attacks. While the warrior is the target, the chariot too endures the onslaughts.
When the charioteer or the chariot with horses is attacked, the warrior becomes immobilized. An immobilized warrior is an endangered warrior. Mobility is crucial for survival in battle. Without it, survival becomes difficult because enemies can strike from any direction. Knowing that a warrior is immobilized in a particular spot, enemy forces may focus their attacks there. Considering all this, it was vital for Arjuna to have a strong, reliable chariot.
Now, Kṛṣṇa takes the chariot to the middle of the two armies. The position of maximum visibility is often also the position of maximum vulnerability. In general, invisibility provides a kind of shelter. If someone is shooting arrows—or, in modern times, bullets—an enemy that is visible can be targeted and shot. But if the enemy is not visible, it becomes much more difficult to aim and strike. Therefore, it is crucial for each warrior to recognize the importance of being in a strategic position where their visibility is minimized, yet their capacity to attack remains maximized.
Now that Arjuna has requested Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa has positioned the chariot between the two armies, the situation extends beyond just Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. A discussion is about to take place, but this preceding request or instruction by Arjuna has placed him in a position of maximum visibility. He can see both armies, but both armies can also see him.
Therefore, if any rogue element wanted to attack him, he would be highly vulnerable to such an attack at any moment. However, at least in the initial days of the war, there were not many violations of the military code, so things proceeded without incident.
At this stage, since the war had not yet begun, they didn’t expect the Kauravas or anyone else to suddenly shoot Arjuna. However, the fact remains that Arjuna was not only vulnerable to physical attacks from weapons and missiles by the opponents but also to verbal assaults, especially if he were to break down. A battlefield is a place where everyone must be tough. War is brutal, and in this harsh reality, if someone is pulled down, they are pulled down for good. There is little they can do to resist being overpowered.
If one bullet or arrow strikes a fatal or vulnerable part of the body, it can be deadly. In a setting where toughness must be displayed, if someone becomes emotional, overwhelmed with tears, or appears fearful, it can be dangerous. Such vulnerability can harm not only the individual but also the morale of the entire army, especially if the soldier is a commander or the foremost warrior. If that person suffers a nervous breakdown or becomes overwhelmed, it is extremely undesirable. Therefore, the key point here is that the Bhagavad-gītā is spoken at a moment when Arjuna has put himself in the middle of the battlefield, and his emotional breakdown is visible for all to see.
Thus, he becomes vulnerable to their mockery and derision. When they see him crying and laying down his bow, saying that he cannot fight, it becomes evident that he is deeply affected by the situation, even if they cannot hear the exact words he speaks. The impact of the circumstances on him is clear for all to see.
This means that everyone sees that he is on the battlefield, overwhelmed by what is happening, and is therefore in a vulnerable situation. Unless we acknowledge our vulnerability, we cannot access higher power. While we understand that at our core we are indestructible, in this world, we can be brought down by temptation at any moment. To avoid being overwhelmed by temptation, we must recognize our vulnerability and take shelter of Kṛṣṇa wholeheartedly. The extent to which we seek Kṛṣṇa’s shelter is the extent to which we rise, become elevated, and ultimately attain liberation.
Hence, it is vital for us to become resourceful in realizing our spirituality. Arjuna’s visibility and vulnerability will lead to his temporarily being overcome by sentimentality. However, this will be the beginning of his journey towards spiritual realization.
Despite his increased visibility and vulnerability, and his momentary overwhelm by sentimentality, Arjuna was ultimately empowered and enriched by spirituality. How this transformation occurred will be described in the Bhagavad-gītā in due course.
Thank you.
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