Here, with the battle lines drawn, Duryodhana speaks his first words, and they are not words of a noble king. The third verse, known as the Pashyaitam Pandu Putranam verse, is a sharp, calculated, and deeply manipulative address to his military commander, Dronacharya. With the verse Pashyaitam Pandu Putranam, Duryodhana reveals that his strategy is not just military, but psychological, aimed at exploiting the personal wounds of his own commanders.
Sanskrit Verse
पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम् ।
व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता ॥ ३ ॥Transliteration
paśyaitāṁ pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṁ camūm |
vyūḍhāṁ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā || 3 ||Word for Word Translation
paśya – behold; etām – this; pāṇḍu-putrāṇām – of the sons of Pandu; ācārya – O teacher; mahatīm – great; camūm – army; vyūḍhām – arranged; drupada-putreṇa – by the son of Drupada; tava – your; śiṣyeṇa – disciple; dhīmatā – very intelligent.
English Translation
O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pandu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada.
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
The Pashyaitam Pandu Putranam verse is dripping with sarcasm. On the surface, Duryodhana seems to be praising the enemy’s formation, but his words are carefully chosen daggers aimed at Dronacharya’s heart.
- “Your intelligent disciple”: He is referring to Dhrishtadyumna, the commander of the Pandava army. While it is true that Drona taught him military science, Duryodhana’s use of “your disciple” is a bitter reminder of a painful truth.
- The Son of Drupada: Duryodhana makes sure to mention his parentage. Dhrishtadyumna was born from a sacrificial fire performed by King Drupada with a single purpose: to be the man who would kill Drona.
Duryodhana’s message is cruel and clear: “Look, teacher. The army that is here to destroy us was arranged by the very man you taught, the man who is destined to kill you. See how your own teachings have been turned against you.” He is deliberately stoking Drona’s anger and reminding him of this painful betrayal to ensure that Drona fights with personal vengeance and without any lingering affection for the Pandavas.
Conclusion
The Pashyaitam Pandu Putranam verse teaches a powerful lesson about how words can be weaponized. Duryodhana’s speech is a perfect example of emotional manipulation, using truth to inflict pain and incite anger. He isn’t just assessing the enemy; he is trying to control his own commander by exploiting his past traumas.
This verse shows that the real war has already begun—not the war of arrows and chariots, but the war of minds and hearts. It is a timeless reminder that in any conflict, the most insidious attacks are often not physical, but psychological. The Pashyaitam Pandu Putranam verse reveals that Duryodhana, for all his arrogance, is a master of this dark art, and he is willing to wound his own allies to achieve his goals.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 – Verse 4 – Atra Shura Maheshvasa
