Arjuna continues his request, clarifying the purpose behind his command to be placed in the heart of the battlefield. The twenty-second verse, known as the Kair Maya Saha Yoddhavyam verse, reveals the warrior’s mindset in its purest form. He is not just an observer; he is a general making a final assessment of the enemy forces. The Kair Maya Saha Yoddhavyam verse is the last beat of the war drum before the silence of Arjuna’s inner turmoil begins.
Sanskrit Verse
कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन् रणसमुद्यमे ॥ २२ ॥Transliteration
kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasmin raṇasamudyame || 22 ||Word for Word Translation
kaiḥ – with whom; mayā – by me; saha – with; yoddhavyam – to be fought; asmin – in this; raṇa-samudyame – in the attempt of this war.
English Translation
[So I may see] with whom I must fight in this great endeavor of war.
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
This verse, combined with the next, completes Arjuna’s thought. The Kair Maya Saha Yoddhavyam verse is a statement of intent. He is asking a simple, strategic question: “Who are the key players I must contend with?” At this point, his mind is clear, his purpose unwavering. He sees the war as a “raṇa-samudyame,” a great and necessary endeavor, and he is ready to perform his duty as a warrior.
The core of the Kair Maya Saha Yoddhavyam verse is his desire to identify those who have chosen to stand on the side of injustice. As the next verse will clarify, he is specifically looking for those who have come to please the “evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.” This language is critical. It shows that Arjuna is not in doubt about the morality of the war. He firmly believes his cause is righteous and that the opposing side is fighting for a corrupt leader, Duryodhana.
He is not yet seeing grandfathers, teachers, and cousins. He is seeing combatants, strategic pieces on a battlefield. The Kair Maya Saha Yoddhavyam verse is Arjuna’s final moment as “Dhananjaya,” the pure hero, before the sight of his own family transforms him into a grieving, confused soul.
Conclusion
The Kair Maya Saha Yoddhavyam verse teaches us about the clarity that can come before a great personal crisis. We often prepare for challenges by logically assessing the situation, identifying the obstacles, and planning our strategy, just as Arjuna is doing. He is in problem-solving mode, viewing the situation from a detached, professional standpoint.
This verse is a powerful reminder that the greatest challenges to our convictions often come not when we are confused, but when we are most certain. Arjuna, in his absolute certainty, asks to see the truth of the battlefield. He has no idea that this truth will shatter his certainty and force him to seek a much deeper understanding of himself and his duty. The Kair Maya Saha Yoddhavyam verse is the precipice from which he is about to fall.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 – Verse 23 – Yotsyamanan Avekshe Ham
