A story moment · reflective in mood · easy to enter
“Conflict becomes real when you look at the people involved.”
I want to see those who have gathered here, eager to fight and wishing to please the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
Read literallythose eager to fight · I want to see · I · who · these · here · assembled · of Dhritarashtra’s son · of the evil-minded · in battle · wishing to please
Arjuna wants to inspect the warriors gathered on the opposite side, especially those fighting for Duryodhana.
Arjuna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Arjuna Vishada Yoga" (The Yoga of Arjuna's Despair).
Verse 23 sits in Chapter 1 of the Bhagavad Gita — Arjuna Vishada Yoga, "The Yoga of Arjuna's Despair". The chapter has 47 verses in total.
You pause before sending the message that will end a friendship. First you read the names again, face the people involved, and feel the weight of what is about to happen.
Did you like this verse?
It shifts the mind from abstract conflict to the real human faces inside it.
What this verse means
Arjuna wants to inspect the warriors gathered on the opposite side, especially those fighting for Duryodhana.
Context & commentary
Arjuna has asked Krishna to place the chariot between the armies. Now, in the charged silence before the battle, he wants to see the warriors who have come to support Duryodhana. This is the moment his hesitation turns into a direct look at the cost of war.
Why this verse still matters
You pause before sending the message that will end a friendship. First you read the names again, face the people involved, and feel the weight of what is about to happen.
“Before a hard choice, he looks directly at the people involved instead of hiding from the reality.”
Explore related themes: kurukshetra (95 verses), arjuna (52 verses), battlefield (20 verses)