Sanskrit Verse
सञ्जय उवाच–
दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस् तदा ।
आचार्यम् उपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration
sañjaya uvāca –
dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanas tadā |
ācāryam upasaṅgamya rājā vacanam abravīt || 2 ||
English Translation
Sañjaya said:
O King, after observing the Pāṇḍava army arranged in military formation,
King Duryodhana approached his teacher Droṇācārya and spoke the following words.
Word for Word Translation
sañjayaḥ uvāca – Sanjaya said, dṛṣṭvā – after seeing, tu – and, pāṇḍava-anīkam – the army of the Pāṇḍavas, vyūḍham – arranged in formation, duryodhanaḥ – Duryodhana, tadā – then, ācāryam – his teacher (Droṇācārya), upasaṅgamya – approached, rājā – the king, vacanam – words, abravīt – spoke.
Explanation
Each verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
The second verse of the chapter 1 of Bhagavad Gita moves the story forward. The wise minister Sanjaya begins to describe the battlefield scene to King Dhritarashtra. He tells him that Duryodhana, the eldest of the Kauravas, saw the powerful formation of the Pandava army and became alert.
This was no ordinary sight. The army was not just large, it was arranged in a strong, strategic formation called vyūha. It was clear that the Pandavas had prepared well for battle. Feeling uneasy, Duryodhana immediately walked up to his teacher and military commander, Dronacharya. Though he acted confidently, inside, he was disturbed by what he saw.
Duryodhana did not speak directly to his father or other warriors. Instead, he went to his guru, this shows that he respected Dronacharya’s wisdom but also had something deeper in mind. He wanted to show that he was a clever king. On the outside, he was being respectful, but deep down, he was afraid and trying to hide his fear with words.
This is the beginning of a series of verses where Duryodhana will speak about the strengths of the Pandava army and subtly question the loyalty and strength of his own army. Duryodhana is trying to sound strong, but Sanjaya, being wise, can see what’s really going on.
Conclusion
In this second verse of Bhagavad Gita, we see how emotions begin to rise even before the first arrow is shot. Duryodhana sees the Pandava army and immediately feels nervous. Though he acts confidently, his actions reveal his inner fear.
This Bhagavad Gita verse reminds us that even the proudest leaders can feel insecure in times of challenge. The battlefield of Kurukshetra is not just a war of weapons, but a war of the mind and it has already begun. This moment also shows us something important about human nature. When we feel threatened, we often turn to those we trust most but our words may carry hidden fears.
Are you ready to face our own inner battles when life presents us with challenges? Comment down. The Bhagavad Gita invites you to look within.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 1, Verse 3
