Bhagavad Gita

chapter 1: observing the armies on the battlefield of kurukshetra

Text-1

Dharma_ksetre kuru - ksetre   samveta yuyusavah mamakah Pandavas caiva Kim akurvata Sanjaya

Dhrtarastra said : O Sanjaya ,after my son's and the sons of Pandu assembled in the place of pilgrimage at kurukshetra, desiring to fight ,what did they do?

The word dharma - kshtre (a place where religious rituals are performed) is significant because,on the battlefield of kurukshetra,the supreme personality of godhead was present on the side of Arjun. Dhrtarastra the father of Kurus ,was  highly about the possibility of his sons ultimate victory. In his doubt,he inquired from his secretary sanjaya,"what did they do?" He was confident that both his sons and the sons of his younger brother Pandu were assembled in that field of kurukshetra for a determined engagement of the war . Still, his inquiry is significant. He did not want a compromise between the cousins and brothers , Because the battel should be fought at kurukshetra, which is mentioned elsewhere in the Vedas as a place of worship.

Text -2

Sanjaya uvach
Drstva tu pandavanikam   vyudham duryodhana tada acaryam upasangamya   Raja vacanam abravitha

Sanjaya said : O king, after looking over the army arranged in military formation by the sons of Pandu ,king duryodhana went to his teacher and spoke the following words.

Dhrtarastra was blind from birth. Unfortunately,he was also bereft of spiritual vision. He knew very well that his sons were equally blind in the matter of religion,and he was sure that they could neve reach understanding with Pandavas,who were all pious since birth. Still he was doubtful about the influence of the place of pilgrimage,and Sanjaya could understand his motive in asking about the situation on the battlefield. Sanjaya wanted , therefore,to encourage the despondent king and thus assured him that his sons were not going make any sort of compromise under the influence of the holy place. Sanjaya therefore informed the king that his son duryodhana,went to the commander in chief , Dronacharya to inform him of thereal position. Although duryodhana is mentioned as the king , he still had to go to the commander on account of the seriousness of the situation. He was therefore quite fit to be a politician . But duryodhana's diplomatic veneer could not disguise the fear he felt when he saw the military arrangements of Pandavas.