FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 1.21-22

అర్జున ఉవాచ సేనయోరుభయోర్మధ్యే రథం స్థాపయ మేఽచ్యుత । యావదేతాన్నిరీక్షేఽహం యోద్‍ధుకామానవస్థితాన్ ॥ ౨౧ ॥ కైర్మయా సహ యోద్ధవ్యమస్మిన్‍రణసముద్యమే ॥ ౨౨ ॥
arjuna uvāca
[arjuna uvaacha]
senayor ubhayor madhye
[senayor ubhayor madhye]
rathaṁ sthāpaya me ’cyuta
[ratham sthaapaya me ’chyuta]
yāvad etān nirīkṣe ’haṁ
[yaavad etaan nireekshe ’ham]
yoddhu-kāmān avasthitān
[yoddhu-kaamaan avasthitaan]
kair mayā saha yoddhavyam
[kair mayaa saha yoddhavyam]
asmin raṇa-samudyame
[asmin rana-samudyame]
Word-for-word
arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said senayoḥ — of the armies ubhayoḥ — both madhye — between ratham — the chariot sthāpaya — please keep me — my acyuta — O infallible one yāvat — as long as etān — all these nirīkṣe — may look upon aham — I yoddhu - kāmān — desiring to fight avasthitān — arrayed on the battlefield kaiḥ — with whom mayā — by me saha — together yoddhavyam — have to fight asmin — in this raṇa — strife samudyame — in the attempt .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
arjuna uvāca
arjunaḥ uvāca
Arjuna said
senayor ubhayor madhye
senayoḥ
of the armies
ubhayoḥ
both
madhye
between
rathaṁ sthāpaya me ’cyuta
ratham
the chariot
sthāpaya
please keep
me
my
acyuta
O infallible one
yāvad etān nirīkṣe ’haṁ
yāvat
as long as
etān
all these
nirīkṣe
may look upon
yoddhu-kāmān avasthitān
kair mayā saha yoddhavyam
aham
I
yoddhu - kāmān
desiring to fight
avasthitān
arrayed on the battlefield
kaiḥ
with whom
mayā
by me
asmin raṇa-samudyame
saha
together
yoddhavyam
have to fight
asmin
in this
raṇa
strife
samudyame
in the attempt .
Important Words
  • madhye — between
    Locative of *madhya* — middle, midst. The Gītā's geographical setting in a single word: the chariot is placed *in the middle* between the two armies. The teaching happens *between* contending forces, not on either side. The dharmic vantage is always *between*, never *with*.
  • sthāpaya — please keep, station
    Imperative of causative *sthā* — *cause to stand*. Arjuna's first command to Kṛṣṇa is to *station* the chariot. Sanskrit dharma-discourse uses *sthā* obsessively (*sthita-prajña*, *sthiti*, *avasthāna*). To be *placed* is the first condition; what one does next depends on where one stands.
  • acyuta — O infallible one
    *A-cyuta* — never fallen. From *cyu* (to fall). Kṛṣṇa is *the one who never falls*. Arjuna addresses Him by this epithet precisely as he himself is about to fall. The infallible one is asked to station the falling one.
  • nirīkṣe — may look upon
    First-person optative of *ni-īkṣ* — to look attentively, to examine. *Nirīkṣe aham* — "let *me* see." The Gītā's opening movement is the soul asking for *sight*, not for victory. Direct examination of one's situation is the first step of dharmic action.
  • yoddhu - kāmān — desiring to fight
    Same desiderative root *yudh* as *yuyutsavaḥ* in v.1. The chapter began with Dhṛtarāṣṭra naming those *desiring to fight*; Arjuna ends his request with the same desiderative. The two men, blind father and seeing warrior, ask about the same desire. One asks from anxiety; one asks from dharma.
Arjuna said: O infallible one, please draw my chariot between the two armies so that I may see those present here, who desire to fight, and with whom I must contend in this great trial of arms.
Purport

Although Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, out of His causeless mercy He was engaged in the service of His friend. He never fails in His affection for His devotees, and thus He is addressed herein as infallible. As charioteer, He had to carry out the orders of Arjuna, and since He did not hesitate to do so, He is addressed as infallible. Although He had accepted the position of a charioteer for His devotee, His supreme position was not challenged. In all circumstances, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hṛṣīkeśa, the Lord of the total senses. The relationship between the Lord and His servitor is very sweet and transcendental. The servitor is always ready to render service to the Lord, and, similarly, the Lord is always seeking an opportunity to render some service to the devotee. He takes greater pleasure in His pure devotee’s assuming the advantageous position of ordering Him than He does in being the giver of orders. Since He is master, everyone is under His orders, and no one is above Him to order Him. But when He finds that a pure devotee is ordering Him, He obtains transcendental pleasure, although He is the infallible master in all circumstances. As a pure devotee of the Lord, Arjuna had no desire to fight with his cousins and brothers, but he was forced to come onto the battlefield by the obstinacy of Duryodhana, who was never agreeable to any peaceful negotiation. Therefore, he was very anxious to see who the leading persons present on the battlefield were. Although there was no question of a peacemaking endeavor on the battlefield, he wanted to see them again, and to see how much they were bent upon demanding an unwanted war.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
20-23. O King, then, as the armies prepared to fight, Arjuna with Hanumān’s insignia on his flag, seeing the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra standing there, taking his bow in hand, spoke to Hṛṣīkeśa: O Acyuta please station my chariot between the two armies, so I can view at the commencement of the war those situated with a desire to fight, and those with whom I should fight. I see that those who have gathered here, desiring to please the foolish sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, are intent on fighting.
Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
20-23. O King, then, as the armies prepared to fight, Arjuna with Hanuman insignia on his flag, seeing the sons of Dhṛtrāṣṭra standing there, taking his bow in hand, spoke to Hṛṣīkeśa: O Acyuta, please station my chariot between the two armies, so I can view at the commencement of the war those standing desirous of fighting, and those with whom I should fight. I believe that those who have gathered here, desiring to please the foolish sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, are intent on fighting.
Commentary

Mahīpate means “O Dhṛtarāstra.” Arjuna then spoke. “O Acyuta, you do not deviate from your innate nature—from your affection for your devotee, or from your supreme power. Controlled by this quality, without fear, place my chariot according my words, the words of your devotee.” He then speaks of the purpose of doing so. ‘Place the chariot so that I can see who are situated firmly, not trembling in fear (avasthitān), who are desirous of fighting (yoddu kamān), with no desire for compromise.” “But you are fighter, not a spectator. What will be accomplished by viewing this?” “I wish to see at the beginning of the battle those friends and relatives in whose company I will fight, and those friends and relatives against whom I will fight. For that purpose, place my chariot between the two armies. ” “Out of friendship they will make peace.” “No, there will be no conciliation between the two sides. I believe (avekṣe) that they are intent on fighting (yotsyamānām). They are intent on fighting, desiring to please the son of Dhṛtarāstra who is unintelligent (durbuddheḥ), ignorant of means for his own survival (ignorant that he is going to die), even in face of this war, which does not sober his intelligence. Therefore my viewing the rival party in war has been justified. ”

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Translation
Arjuna said: O infallible one, please draw my chariot between the two armies so that I may see those present here, who desire to fight, and with whom I must contend in this great trial of arms. (cn/DS) This is a sign that something wrong is going to happen. And this verse is the first time when our attention is drawn to Lord Krsna ‑ the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so intimate with His devotee that even takes the subordinate position.
Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

This is Kṛṣṇa’s first appearance in Bhagavad-gītā. What is He doing? He is driving Arjuna’s chariot

and accepting his orders. This is glorious: Kṛṣṇa, the supreme controller, is taking orders from His

devotee as if He were a menial servant.

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
1.21 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
1.20 - 1.25 Arjuna said - Sanjaya said Thus, directed by him, Sri Krsna did immediately as He had been directed, while Bhisma, Drona and others and all the kings were looking on. Such is the prospect of victory for your men.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
1.12 1.29 Sri Abhinavgupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
1.21 Arjuna said In the middle between the two armies, place my chariot, O krishna, so that I may behold those who stand here desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight, when the battle is about to commence.
Commentary

1.21 -- 1.22 सेनयोः of the armies? उभयोः of both? मध्ये in the middle? रथम् car? स्थापय place? मे my? अच्युत O Achyuta (O changeless? Krishna)? यावत् while? एतान् these? निरीक्षे behold? अहम् I? योद्धुकामान् desirous to fight? अवस्थितान् standing? कैः with whom? मया by me? सह together? योद्धव्यम् must be fought? अस्मिन् in this? रणसमुद्यमे eve of battle.No Commentary.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
1.21 Arjuna said O Acyuta, please place my chariot between both the armies .
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
1.21 Raising his bow, spoke this to the Lord Shri Krishna: O Infallible! Lord of the earth! Please draw up my chariot betwixt the two armies,
Related values & verses
Related values
Discriminative WisdomSeva (Service / Selfless Action)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)
Related verses
BG 1.24 BG 2.7 BG 18.73 SB 1.7.22 SB 10.1.4 SB 11.9.3 CC Madhya 22.100 CC Madhya 19.151 CC Madhya 8.128 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.3Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.9
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Arjuna asks Kṛṣṇa to position him so he can see clearly — every soul needs Kṛṣṇa to draw the chariot of life into a vantage of clear vision.
Practical Applications
  • Begin difficult tasks by asking Kṛṣṇa, in your own words, to position you for clear sight.
  • When confused, withdraw briefly and place the matter at Kṛṣṇa's feet through prayer or japa before deciding.
  • Trust that Kṛṣṇa will move your chariot toward what you most need to see — even when it is painful.
Reflection Questions
  • Have I asked Kṛṣṇa, today, to give me clear vision over my present situation?
  • Where am I refusing to look at what Kṛṣṇa is positioning me to see?
Analogy

The first thing the soul asks of the Lord is not victory, not power, not blessing — but *position me where I can see*. Arjuna's only request before his collapse is for a vantage. The Gītā opens with a prayer for sight.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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