Bhagavad Gita 1.1 — Dhritarashtra Asks What Happened on the Sacred Battlefield
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच ।
धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः ।
मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय ॥ १.१ ॥
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Dhritarashtra said: O Sanjaya, assembled together on the sacred field of Kurukshetra, desiring to fight, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do?
Transliteration (IAST)
Word Separation
The Sanskrit verse is separated into individual words (Padched) for easier study.
Word Meanings
| Line 1 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| dharmakṣhetre | on the sacred field of dharma (righteousness) |
| kurukṣhetre | at Kurukshetra, the land of the Kurus |
| samavetāḥ | assembled together |
| yuyutsavaḥ | desiring to fight |
| Line 2 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| māmakāḥ | my sons |
| pāṇḍavāḥ | the sons of Pandu |
| cha | and |
| eva | indeed |
| kim | what |
| akurvata | did they do |
| sañjaya | O Sanjaya |
| Line 1 | Line 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning | Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| dharmakṣhetre | on the sacred field of dharma (righteousness) | māmakāḥ | my sons |
| kurukṣhetre | at Kurukshetra, the land of the Kurus | pāṇḍavāḥ | the sons of Pandu |
| samavetāḥ | assembled together | cha | and |
| yuyutsavaḥ | desiring to fight | eva | indeed |
| kim | what | ||
| akurvata | did they do | ||
| sañjaya | O Sanjaya | ||
Detailed Meaning
Introduction
The Bhagavad Gita opens not with Lord Krishna or Arjuna, but with the question of a blind king. Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks Sañjaya what his sons and the sons of Pāṇḍu have done on the field of Kurukṣetra. These few words quietly reveal the inner condition of the one who asks, and they set the stage for the entire dialogue that follows.
Essence
This first verse is a question, yet it tells us far more about the questioner than about the battlefield. The Gita begins with a human being in confusion, and that is precisely why it speaks to every human being.
A. Dharmakṣetre Kurukṣetre (on the field of dharma, the field of the Kurus)
Dhṛtarāṣṭra calls Kurukṣetra dharmakṣetra, a field of righteousness. Kurukṣetra was regarded as a sacred land where sacrifices and austerities had been performed since ancient times. Yet the same field was about to witness a great war. The words themselves hold a profound symbolism: the place where dharma is meant to be practiced has become the place where it is tested.
At a deeper level, our own life is a dharmakṣetra. Every day the body and mind are a field in which right and wrong, duty and desire, wisdom and impulse stand face to face.
B. Māmakāḥ Pāṇḍavāś caiva (my people and the sons of Pāṇḍu)
Notice the two words Dhṛtarāṣṭra uses. He calls his own sons māmakāḥ, meaning 'mine', but calls his nephews simply Pāṇḍavāḥ, 'the sons of Pāṇḍu'. The sense of 'mine' is already dividing the family. This is moha, attachment that clouds clear seeing. He is blind in his eyes, but the Gita makes it clear that he is even more blind in his judgement because of his attachment to his sons.
C. Kim akurvata (what did they do?)
The king does not need to ask what happened; he already suspects the answer. Perhaps he hopes that the sacred land might have softened hearts and prevented the war, which would secure his sons' kingdom without bloodshed. His question reveals an anxious mind that wants a convenient outcome rather than truth.
Message for Everyday Life (Seeing Past 'Mine')
We often ask questions the way Dhṛtarāṣṭra does, not to learn the truth but to confirm our hopes. When we favour 'my' team, 'my' opinion or 'my' people without examining what is right, we become blind in a different way. The Gita invites us to begin with honest self-observation: Where does my attachment bend my judgement? Which field of dharma am I standing on today, and what am I really hoping to hear?
This first verse is a question, yet it tells us far more about the questioner than about the battlefield. The Gita begins with a human being in confusion, and that is precisely why it speaks to every human being.
A. Dharmakṣetre Kurukṣetre (on the field of dharma, the field of the Kurus)
Dhṛtarāṣṭra calls Kurukṣetra dharmakṣetra, a field of righteousness. Kurukṣetra was regarded as a sacred land where sacrifices and austerities had been performed since ancient times. Yet the same field was about to witness a great war. The words themselves hold a profound symbolism: the place where dharma is meant to be practiced has become the place where it is tested.
At a deeper level, our own life is a dharmakṣetra. Every day the body and mind are a field in which right and wrong, duty and desire, wisdom and impulse stand face to face.
B. Māmakāḥ Pāṇḍavāś caiva (my people and the sons of Pāṇḍu)
Notice the two words Dhṛtarāṣṭra uses. He calls his own sons māmakāḥ, meaning 'mine', but calls his nephews simply Pāṇḍavāḥ, 'the sons of Pāṇḍu'. The sense of 'mine' is already dividing the family. This is moha, attachment that clouds clear seeing. He is blind in his eyes, but the Gita makes it clear that he is even more blind in his judgement because of his attachment to his sons.
C. Kim akurvata (what did they do?)
The king does not need to ask what happened; he already suspects the answer. Perhaps he hopes that the sacred land might have softened hearts and prevented the war, which would secure his sons' kingdom without bloodshed. His question reveals an anxious mind that wants a convenient outcome rather than truth.
Message for Everyday Life (Seeing Past 'Mine')
We often ask questions the way Dhṛtarāṣṭra does, not to learn the truth but to confirm our hopes. When we favour 'my' team, 'my' opinion or 'my' people without examining what is right, we become blind in a different way. The Gita invites us to begin with honest self-observation: Where does my attachment bend my judgement? Which field of dharma am I standing on today, and what am I really hoping to hear?
Next Topic
Dhṛtarāṣṭra has asked what is happening on the field. In the next verse, Sañjaya begins to answer by describing the first action on the battlefield: King Duryodhana, seeing the Pāṇḍava army arrayed for battle, goes to his teacher Droṇācārya.
Hidden Messages In This Shloka
Reflect on this verse from different perspectives and see which deeper message opens up for you.
Wisdom Nuggets
Where we stand inside shapes what we see outside.
Ask not only what happened, but what part of it was yours.
Possessiveness quietly colors the questions we ask.
Battles begin in the mind well before they reach the field.
Those who hold power cannot hand away their accountability.
Righteousness is tested most when interests collide.
Clarity begins by seeing a situation as it is, not as we wish it to be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Kurukshetra called 'dharmakṣhetra' (the field of righteousness)?
Why does Dhritarashtra say 'māmakāḥ' (my sons) and 'pāṇḍavāḥ' (sons of Pandu) separately?
Why does Dhritarashtra ask Sanjaya instead of seeing the events himself?
Is there a symbolic meaning to this opening verse?
Why does the Gita begin with a question from Dhritarashtra and not with Krishna?
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