The consequence of the War
Chapter 1 introduces the scene,battlefield the circumstances and the characters involved determining the reasons for the "Bhagavad-Gita's" revelation. The scene is the sacred plain of "Kuruksetra". The circumstances is war. The main characters are the Supreme Lord Krishna and Prince Arjuna, witnessed by four million soldiers led by their respective military commanders. After naming the principal warriors on both sides, Arjuna's growing dejection is described due to the fear of losing friends and relatives in the course of the impending war and the subsequent sins attached to such actions. Thus this chapter is entitled: Lamenting the Consequence of War.
When King Dhritarastra heard that Lord Krishna had accepted the
position of chariot driver for Arjuna, he was suspicious and
became angry of his son, Duryodhana's chances for victory. At that time
he asked his minister Sanjaya a redundant question as
"What did my sons and the sons of Pandu, assembled at the righteous land of Kuruksetra desirous of battle do?"
- Dhritarastra was thinking: Kuruksetra is famous as the land of sacrifice for the demigods and also the abode of brahma-jnana, knowledge of the Ultimate Truth for all living entities. He was worried that under the potent influence of Kuruksetra's righteous land, his sons would have decided to return half of the kingdom back unto the sons of Pandu now being free from all jealously? Or is it that the sons of Pandu fearing that the destruction of a dynasty is an unrighteous act in a holy place like Kuruksetra and have decided that it's best to retire to the forest and live as renunciations for the rest of their lives?
- By addressing Sanjaya, Dhritarastra means that by the mercy of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Sanjaya has become free from attachment and aversion and thus he will certainly speak the truth. By using the word mamakah and pandavah in referring to his sons and the sons of Pandu indicates disparity and shows that Dhritarastra did not accept the sons of his deceased brother Pandu as he did his own sons and this reveals his enmity towards them.
- Ksetra also means field of cultivation. Just as in a rice field there are unwanted grasses looking exactly like the rice paddy which must be uprooted. Similarly the use of the word dharma-ksetra is indicative that the unrighteous sons of Dhritarastra will also be uprooted.
