Sanskrit Verse
पश्यैतां पाण्डु-पुत्राणाम् आचार्य महतीं चमूम् ।
व्यूढां द्रुपद-पुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता ॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration
paśyaitāṃ pāṇḍu-putrāṇām ācārya mahatīṃ camūm
vyūḍhāṃ drupada-putreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā || 3 ||
English Translation
O teacher, behold this mighty army of the sons of Pāṇḍu,
strategically arranged by your wise disciple Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the son of King Drupada.
Word for Word Translation
paśya – behold, etām – this, pāṇḍu-putrāṇām – of the sons of Pāṇḍu (the Pāṇḍavas), ācārya – O teacher, mahatīm – great, camūm – vyūḍhām – arranged in a military formation, drupada-putreṇa – by the son of Drupada (Dhṛṣṭadyumna), tava – your, śiṣyeṇa – by the disciple, dhīmatā – intelligent
Explanation
This Bhagavad Gita verse explains that Duryodhana, the prince of the Kauravas, stands before his teacher Dronacharya. He does not speak with humility, but with a hidden sharpness. On the surface, it seems like he is simply pointing out the strong and well-organized army of the Pandavas. But behind his words lies a sarcastic and clever provocation.
He refers to Dhrishtadyumna as “dhimata,” which means intelligent. However, this is not a genuine compliment. It is actually meant as a sarcastic remark. Dhrishtadyumna was born from a sacrificial fire with one purpose— to kill Dronacharya. Even though Droṇa knew this, he still chose to teach him the art of warfare, fulfilling his duty as a teacher.
Duryodhana wants to awaken anger in Droṇa’s heart. He is indirectly saying, “Look, Acharya, see how your own student is now using your teachings against you.” He wants Drona to feel betrayed, insulted, and emotionally disturbed, so that he will fight with full force in the war.
It is also important to notice the choice of words in this Bhagavad Gita verse. Duryodhana does not call Dhrishtadyumna an enemy or a future killer. Instead, he calls him “your disciple.” This is another way he tries to play with Droṇa’s emotions. He is planting seeds of doubt and emotional conflict within his teacher.
This Bhagavad Gita verse reveals a deeper truth. It shows how knowledge, if given without careful thought, can be misused. Even those who are close to us can one day become weapons in the hands of destiny.
Conclusion
In this Bhagavad Gita verse, the battle has not yet begun, but the war of minds has already started. Just like Dronacharya, we often give our time, knowledge, or love to people who may later challenge us and like Duryodhana, some people may use clever words to stir emotions, create doubt, or provoke action.
In life, the real battles often begin long before any action is taken. They start in the mind through pride, old wounds and emotional manipulation but the Gita reminds us: Our true strength lies not in reacting with anger, but in choosing wisdom over impulse.
Have you ever faced a moment where your own kindness or efforts were used against you? How did you respond?
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 1, Verse 4
