Bhagavad Gita As It Is

Chapter 1
Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra

Summary

The First Chapter of Bhagavad-gita is a prelude to the rest of the text. As the
narration from the Mahbhrata continues, the opposing armies (those led
respectively by the Pandavas and the Kauravas) now stand poised for the
first battle of the great Kurukshetra War. After the tumultuous blowing of
conch-shells from both sides, signaling the beginning of the battle, Arjuna
requests Krishna, who has consented to act as Arjuna's chariot driver, to
draw his chariot between the two armies. Arjuna then sees, to his horror, his
fathers, grandfathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons and friends in the
ranks of both armies, prepared for battle. Overwhelmed with sorrow to see
his intimate relatives, teachers and friends assembled in such a militant
spirit, Arjuna, feeling compassion, becomes despondent and decides not to
fight.

Questions and Answers

Q1. Why does Arjuna decide not to fight in the Battle of Kurukshetra?
Ans. When Krishna, in response to Arjuna's request, draws Arjuna's chariot
between the opposing armies, Arjuna sees his relatives and friends
assembled in the ranks of both armies. Seeing their militant spirit and
foreseeing their imminent death, Arjuna is overwhelmed with grief and
compassion and decides not to fight. Not yet understanding the higher
purpose of the battle (that Krishna desires the demoniac armies
annihilated), Arjuna analyzes the entire situation in terms of his own
interests. He thus decides that he is not interested in achieving military
victory and winning a kingdom at the expense of the lives of his friends
and relatives and the welfare of society. (1.21-46)

Q.2. Why is Kurukshetra called Dharma-kshetra?

Ans. The Battlefield of Kuruketra, which is a sacred place of pilgrimage
from the immemorial time of the Vedic age. The Bhagavad-gita was
spoken by the Lord when He was present personally on this planet for
the guidance of mankind.
The word dharma-ketra (a place where religious rituals are performed)
is significant because, on the Battlefield of Kuruketra, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead the father of religion, r Ka was present
on the side of Arjuna.
 Kuruketra, is mentioned elsewhere in the Vedas as a place of worship
- even for the denizens of heaven. There are many tirthas present in
Kuruketra. Kurukshetra or Brahmavarta is situated between the great
pious rivers Sarasvati and Drasadwati. The most pious Brahma-
sarovara is present in the Kurukshetra. Here the great Parasurama
Kunda is present. The Brahmavedi where Lord Brahma has performed
many, many sacrifices is there in Kurukshetra. It is here that the great
sage Markendeya and King Kuru performed austerities. King Kuru had
ploughed this pious land of Kurukshetra and obtained a celestial boon
that any one who leaves his body in this land of Kurukshetra would
never take birth again in this material world. This place is named after
King Kuru and was very favorable for pious people. This place is known
as dharma-kshetra because of the presence of many, many celestial
and pious tirthas, rivers, lakes and forests which influences people with
religious characters.

Q.3. What analogy is used to show that Duryodhana and others would be
wiped out and the thoroughly religious persons headed by Yudhisthira,
would be established in the religious field of Kurukshetra?
Ans. The analogy of a paddy field is given to indicate that Duryodhana and
others would be wiped out and the thoroughly religious persons, helded
by Yudhisthira would be established by the Lord. It is mentioned as as
in the paddy field the unnecessary plants are taken out, so it is
expected from the very beginning of these topics that in the religious
field of Kuruketra, where the father of religion, r Ka, was
present, the unwanted plants like Dhtarra's son Duryodhana and
others would be wiped out and the thoroughly religious persons,
headed by Yudhihira, would be established by the Lord.

Q.4. List the names of Krishna starting with the letters of M, V, D, Y, P, J and
H and give their respective meanings.
Ans. M - Madhava (Husband of Goddess of fortune)
Madhusudana (Killer of demon Madhu)
V - Vasudeva (Son of Vasudev)
D - Divyagolokanatha (Master of the transcendental Goloka Dhama)
Y Yadava (One of the heroes of the Yadu dynasty)
P - Purushottma (Best of the men) Pitambaradhari (One who wears
yellow dress)
J Janardana (Maintainer of the masses)
H Hkea (Controller of the Senses)

Q.5. What is the difference between a man who has genuine devotion and a
non-devotee with respect to qualities?
Ans. Any man who has genuine devotion to the Lord has all the good
qualities which are found in godly persons or in the demigods, whereas
 the non-devotee, however advanced he may be in material
qualifications by education and culture, lacks in godly qualities.

Q.6. How does a natural devotee of the Lord behave with a miscreant? How
does the Lord behave with a miscreant who does any mischief to His
devotee?
Ans. A natural devotee of the Lord, did not like to retaliate against his
miscreants, but the Lord's plan is that the miscreants trying to harm
the devotees should all be killed. The devotee of the Lord does not
retaliate against the wrongdoer, but the Lord does not tolerate any
mischief done to the devotee by the miscreants. The Lord can excuse a
person on His own account, but He excuses no one who has done harm
to His devotees.

Q.7. Who are the six kinds of aggressors who deserve to be killed?
Ans. According to Vedic injunctions there are six kinds of aggressors who
deserve to be killed. These are the aggressors (1) who give poison, (2)
who sets fire to the house, (3) who attacks with deadly weapons, (4)
who plunders riches, (5) who occupies another's land, and (6) who
kidnap anothers wife.

Q.8. Why do women require protection by the elder members of the family?
Ans. Good population in human society is the basic principle for peace,
prosperity and spiritual progress in life. The varrama religion's
principles were so designed that the good population would prevail in
society for the general spiritual progress of state and community. Such
population depends on the chastity and faithfulness of its womanhood.
As children are very prone to be misled, women are similarly very
prone to degradation. Therefore, both children and women require
protection by the elder members of the family. By being engaged in
various religious practices, women will not be misled into adultery.
According to Cakya Paita, women are generally not very intelligent
and therefore not trustworthy. So the different family traditions of
religious activities should always engage them, and thus their chastity
and devotion will give birth to a good population eligible for
participating in the varrama system. On the failure of such
varrama-dharma, naturally the women become free to act and mix
with men, and thus adultery is indulged in at the risk of unwanted
population. Irresponsible men also provoke adultery in society, and
thus unwanted children flood the human race at the risk of war and
pestilence.

Q.9. What happens when remnants of food are offered to forefathers by

descendants?
Ans. Eating the remnants of food offered to Viu can deliver one from all
kinds of sinful actions therefore when remnants of prasdam food are
 offered to forefathers by descendants, the forefathers are released
from ghostly or other kinds of miserable life.

Q.10. What is the position of one who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of
Mukunda with respect to obligations?
Ans. Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, the giver of
liberation, giving up all kinds of obligation, and has taken to the path in
all seriousness, owes neither duties nor obligations to the demigods,
sages, general living entities, family members, humankind or
forefathers." Such obligations are automatically fulfilled by
performance of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead Mukunda.
devari-bhtpta-n pit na kikaro nyam ca rjan
sarvtman ya araa araya gato mukunda parihtya kartam

Q.11. What is the way of receiving real knowledge?

Ans. The way of receiving real knowledge is to hear from the authorities and
not on personal experience. One cannot reach the real point of factual
knowledge without being helped by the right person who is already
established in that knowledge.

Please answer the following questions briefly.

Q.12. Why does Sanjaya address Duryodhana as Raja in Verse 2?

Ans. Sanjaya address Duryodhana as Raja (King) in Verse Bg.1.2 to
indicate that he was quite fit to be a politician. And also to encourage
the despondent king Dhritrastra and assure him that his sons were not
going to make any sort of compromise under the influence of the holy
place.

Q.13. Why does Dhritarashtra ask Sanjaya what happened on the battlefield?
Discuss his doubts.
Ans. Dhtarra, the father of the Kurus, was highly doubtful about the
possibility of his sons' ultimate victory. In his doubt, he inquired from
his secretary Sajaya, "What did they do?" He was confident that both
his sons and the sons of his younger brother Pu were assembled in
that Field of Kuruketra for a determined engagement of the war. Still,
his inquiry is significant. He did not want a compromise between the
cousins and brothers, and he wanted to be sure of the fate of his sons
on the battlefield. Because the battle was arranged to be fought at
Kuruketra, which is mentioned elsewhere in the Vedas as a place of
worshipeven for the denizens of heavenDhtarra became very
fearful about the influence of the holy place on the outcome of the
battle. He knew very well that this would influence Arjuna and the sons
of Pu favorably, because by nature they were all virtuous. Sajaya
was a student of Vysa, and therefore, by the mercy of Vysa, Sajaya
 was able to envision the Battlefield of Kuruketra even while he was in
the room of Dhtarra. And so, Dhtarra asked him about the
situation on the battlefield.

Q.14. Name five great fighters on Duryodhanas side.

Ans. Greate fighters on the side of Duryodhana were Drocrya, Bhma,
Kara, Kpcrya, Avatthm, Vikara and the son of Somadatta
called Bhrirav.

Q.15. Name five great fighters on Arjunas side.

Ans. Greate fighters on Arjunas side were Bhma, Arjuna, Yuyudhna,
Vira, Drupada, Dhaketu, Cekitna, Kirja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja,
aibya, Yudhmanyu, the very powerful Uttamauj, the son of
Subhadr and the sons of Draupad.

Q.16. Discuss Duryodhanas diplomacy with Dronacharya

Ans.

Q.17. How did the blowing of the conch shells affect the individuals on the
two sides?

Q.18. Discuss the symptoms that indicated the Pandavas victory right from
the beginning.

Q.19. Why does Arjuna address Krishna as Acyuta? Give the specific context.

Q.20. Why is Lord Krishna addressed as Hrsikesa, and why is Arjuna called
Gudakesa?
Ans. Lord Ka is referred to as Hkea because He is the owner of all
senses. The living entities are part and parcel of Him, and therefore the
senses of the living entities are also part and parcel of His senses. The
Lord, situated in the hearts of all living entities, directs their senses. On
the Battlefield of Kuruketra the Lord directly controlled the
transcendental senses of Arjuna, therefore His particular name of
Hkea is mentioned.

Arjuna is called Gukea because he has controlled both sleep and

ignorance. Guk means sleep, and one who conquers sleep is called
gukea. Sleep also means ignorance. So Arjuna conquered both
sleep and ignorance because of his friendship with Ka because of
which he was referred to as Gukea.

Q.21. Describe Arjunas symptoms upon seeing his family members, ready to
fight.
Ans. Just after seeing his kinsmen, friends and relatives on the battlefield,
Arjuna was at once overwhelmed by compassion for them who had so
 decided to fight amongst themselves. Upon seeing them in the mood
of fighting, the limbs of Arjunas body began to quivering and his
mouth became dry up. His whole body was trembling, his hairs were
standing on end, his bow Gva was slipping from his hand and his
skin was burning. He was unable to stand there any longer and he was
forgetting himself, and his mind was reeling. He was seeing only causes
of misfortune.

Q.22. At what times does ones hair stand on end?

Ans. There are two kinds of standings of the hair on end. Such phenomena
occur either in great spiritual ecstasy or out of great fear under
material conditions.

Q.23. Give the Sanskrit and translation of the verse quoted from Srimad
Bhagavatam by Srila Prabhupada to show that a devotee possess all
good qualities.

Q.24. Clearly discuss how far Arjuna was willing to go in order not to fight in
the battle.

Q.25. How can we possibly justify Arjunas reluctance not to kill such
aggressors? What does Srila Prabhupada state in this regard?

Q.26. Explain the terms Kula-ksaya-krtam dosam

Q.27. Why is a devotee not required to fulfill his obligation to anyone?

Q.28. Discuss some of the Ksatriya principles mentioned in Chapter 1 of

Bhagavad-gita.

Q.29. Match the following:

ANSWERS
a Devadatta A Sahadevas Conch a E
b Mudhusudana B Husband of goddess of b D
fortune
c Anususruma C Desireless c G
d Govinda D Killer of demon Madhu d F
e Sughosha E Arjunas conch e J
f Madhava F Giver of pleasure to the f B
senses
g Kankse G Disciplic succession g L
h Sramsate H Unwanted progeny h K
i Manipushpaka I Yamaraja i A
j Varna sankarah J Nakulas conch j H
k Varna asrama K Slipping k M
l Pitrolaka L Hankering l I
m Akincana M Divisions of society m C
N Yudhistiras conch
O Standing of hair