Chapter 1, Verse 23 (Bhagavad Gita 1.23)
Chapter 1: Arjun Viṣhād Yog – Arjuna's Dilemma
Sanskrit Shloka
योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः। धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः
Transliteration
yotsyamānān avekṣhe ’haṁ ya ete ’tra samāgatāḥ dhārtarāṣhṭrasya durbuddher yuddhe priya-chikīrṣhavaḥ
Word Meanings
yotsyamānān—those who have come to fight; avekṣhe aham—I desire to see; ye—who; ete—those; atra—here; samāgatāḥ—assembled; dhārtarāṣhṭrasya—of Dhritarashtra’s son; durbuddheḥ—evil-minded; yuddhe—in the fight; priya-chikīrṣhavaḥ—wishing to please
Translation
For I desire to observe those who are assembled here to fight, wishing to please in battle the evil-minded Duryodhana—the son of Dhritarashtra.
Meaning & Commentary
Arjuna’s request signifies the psychological necessity of objective detachment before engagement, seeking to identify the moral alignment of one's adversaries. It reflects the introspective urge to assess the external manifestations of 'evil-mindedness' and the collective ignorance that binds individuals to unrighteous causes.