The Yoga of Arjuna's Dejection
Chapter 1 of the Bhagavad Gita unfolds on the sacred battlefield of Kurukshetra, a "dharma-kshetra" (field of righteousness). It opens with blind King Dhritarashtra's anxious question to Sanjaya about the impending war. As the great warriors on both sides are surveyed, Arjuna asks Krishna to position their chariot between the two armies. Seeing his beloved teachers, uncles, and cousins arrayed on both sides, Arjuna experiences a profound moral and psychological crisis, casting aside his bow in overwhelming grief. This chapter sets the stage for Krishna's divine teachings in Chapter 2.
The first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, titled Arjuna Vishada Yoga (The Yoga of Arjuna's Dejection), serves as the dramatic and philosophical foundation for the entire text. It unfolds on the sacred field of Kurukshetra, a "dharma-kshetra" (field of righteousness), where two massive armies stand poised for the catastrophic Mahabharata war.
The chapter opens with a question from the blind king Dhritarashtra to his charioteer and minister Sanjaya, who has been granted divine vision to witness the battlefield events. Dhritarashtra's anxious inquiry—"What did my sons and the sons of Pandu do?"—reveals his deep-seated partiality and foreboding about the impending conflict. This question, though seemingly simple, carries profound psychological weight, exposing the king's attachment to his sons despite their moral transgressions.
The narrative then shifts to Duryodhana's strategic assessment of both armies, where he approaches his teacher Drona and catalogues the great warriors on each side. This military survey establishes the gravity of the situation—this is no ordinary battle, but a clash of civilizations involving the greatest heroes of the age.
The emotional crescendo arrives when Arjuna, the mighty warrior and hero of countless battles, experiences a profound moral and psychological crisis. As Krishna positions their chariot between the two armies at Arjuna's request, the warrior prince surveys the battlefield and sees his beloved teachers, uncles, cousins, and friends arrayed on both sides. The recognition triggers an existential collapse—his famous Gandiva bow slips from his hands, his limbs tremble, and he sinks into the chariot, overwhelmed by grief and moral confusion.
This chapter is crucial because it presents the quintessentially human predicament: the collision between duty and emotion, social obligation and personal conscience. Arjuna's dejection is not weakness but the necessary precondition for receiving wisdom. His vulnerability creates the opening for Krishna's discourse. Without this crisis, there would be no Bhagavad Gita.
Kurukshetra is identified as both a sacred "field of dharma" and the arena of karma. This dual designation signals that the battle is not merely political but a cosmic confrontation between righteousness (dharma) and unrighteousness (adharma). The battlefield becomes a metaphor for life itself.
The blind king's question reveals more than curiosity—it exposes the psychology of attachment. His deeper blindness lies in moral discernment. He separates "my sons" from "the sons of Pandu," showing how possessive attachment distorts judgment and perpetuates suffering.
Legendary warriors like Bhishma, Drona, Karna, and Arjuna represent the peak of worldly power. Yet this concentration of might cannot resolve the moral crisis at the heart of the conflict, demonstrating that external power cannot address deeper questions of meaning and righteousness.
Arjuna's breakdown manifests on multiple levels: physical (trembling limbs), emotional (overwhelming grief), moral (confusion about duty), and existential (questioning the value of victory). His crisis stems not from cowardice but from heightened moral sensitivity.
The chapter concludes with Arjuna's complete surrender, creating the perfect condition for receiving spiritual knowledge. His declaration "I am your disciple; teach me" represents a crucial transition from friendship to discipleship, from debate to receptivity.
Chapter 1 introduces legendary warriors who represent various aspects of dharma, loyalty, skill, and moral complexity:
Grand-uncle of both sides, symbolizing duty divorced from conscience
Martial teacher, representing knowledge used without moral clarity
Kaurava prince, embodying ambition and the refusal to share justly
The protagonist, combining martial excellence with moral sensitivity
Arjuna's brother, representing the passionate, vital forces in nature
Duryodhana's ally, symbolizing loyalty and uncertain identity
Divine charioteer, representing the Lord dwelling within
Narrator with divine vision, the neutral witness to cosmic drama
dhritarashtra uvacha |
dharma-kshetre kuru-kshetre samaveta yuyutsavah |
mamakah pandavash chaiva kim akurvata sanjaya ||1||
sanjaya uvacha |
drishtva tu pandavanikam vyudham duryodhanas tada |
acharyam upasangamya raja vachanam abravit ||2||
arjuna uvacha |
senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me 'chyuta |
yavad etan nirikse 'ham yoddhu-kaman avasthitan |
kair maya saha yoddhavyam asmin rana-samudyame ||21-22||
arjuna uvacha |
drishtv emam sva-janam krishna yuyutsum samupasthitam |
sidanti mama gatrani mukham cha parishushyati ||28||
kim no rajyena govinda kim bhogair jivitena va |
yesham arthe kankshitam no rajyam bhogah sukhani cha |
ta ime 'vasthita yuddhe pranams tyaktva dhanani cha ||32-33||
yadi mam apratikaram ashastram shastra-panayah |
dhartarashtra rane hanyus tan me kshema-taram bhavet ||45||
sanjaya uvacha |
evam uktvarjunah sankhye rathopastha upavishat |
visrijya sa-sharam chapam shoka-samvigna-manasah ||47||
Arjuna's dilemma represents situations we all face where multiple legitimate values conflict—career versus family, personal conscience versus organizational loyalty, short-term compassion versus long-term responsibility. The chapter teaches that such dilemmas cannot be resolved through emotional reasoning alone. Instead, we need a higher framework—for Arjuna, it's Krishna's teaching; for us, it might be consulting wise mentors, examining our deepest values, and seeking perspective beyond our immediate emotional state.
Modern professionals constantly face Arjuna-like moments: the manager who must fire a loyal employee to save the company, the doctor choosing between competing patient needs with limited resources, or the whistleblower weighing job security against exposing wrongdoing. Chapter 1 illuminates these situations by showing that Arjuna's crisis stems from seeing only immediate, personal dimensions rather than the larger context of dharma.
Few situations parallel Arjuna's predicament more closely than family conflicts—divorce proceedings, inheritance disputes, or choosing between partners and parents. Like the Kurukshetra battlefield where loved ones stand on opposing sides, family conflicts force us to navigate loyalty, justice, and love simultaneously. The chapter teaches that sentimentality isn't wisdom—true love sometimes requires difficult actions.
Chapter 1's resolution comes not from Arjuna solving his problem independently but from his willingness to surrender and seek guidance. In contemporary culture that emphasizes self-sufficiency, this is counter-cultural teaching. Arjuna's strength lies in recognizing when his own resources are insufficient. This applies through mentorship, therapy, spiritual counseling, or expert consultation.
Arjuna's experience demonstrates the difference between acknowledging emotions and being controlled by them. He fully expresses his grief and moral confusion—this emotional honesty is valuable. However, the chapter also shows the limitation of letting emotions dictate our actions. This relates to emotional intelligence—the capacity to feel emotions fully while not being enslaved to them.
Explore each verse of Arjuna Vishada Yoga. Key verses are highlighted.
Experience Chapter 1's dramatic setting and profound teachings with our comprehensive study features including audio recitation, word-by-word analysis, and multiple commentaries.