Gita : Ch-1. Slo-4,5,6.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :


Chapter-1. ( Arjuna-vishadha-yogam )



Sloka-s -4,5,6.

{ Slokam-s  4,5,6 give  a   detailed table  of  all important personals of Pandava army. All are 'Maharathan'. In the ancient Bharatham, Maharathan, is one who is the head of a part  of army in which 11000, soldiers were under him.


Bhima and Arjuna in this order very strong and great warriors.Here the Maharathans are are best and equal in everything to Bhima and Arjuna. This is the opinion of Duryodhanan. That is, though in numbers they are smaller to Kouravas army, they are above than Kouravas, because of their efficiency. }




(4)

atra    sura    maheshvasah     bhimarjuna    samayudhi,



yuyudhano    viratasca     drupadasca    maharathah.



(5)


dhrshtaketuscekitanah          viryavan,



purujit    kuntibhojasca    saibyasca    narapungavah.



(6)


yudhamanyusca    vikrantah    uttamaujasca    viryavan,



saubhadro    draupadeyasca    sarva    eva    maharathah.



(4)

atra    maheshvasah   =   there    (  in   that    pandava-army   )    mighty bowmen;

yudhi     bhimarjuna samah   =     and   in    the    war    equal     to    bhimarjuna;

sura  =   warriors   are   there;

yuyudhanah    viratah   ca   =    also   yuyudhana    and    virata;

mahararathah    drupadah    ca   =   the    great    fighters    drupada    too;  



(5)

dhrshtaketuh   scekitanah   =    dhrshtaketu    and    scekitana    also    there;

viryavan     kasirajah   ca   =    also    very   powerful    king    of    kasi    too;

purujit    kuntibhojah   ca   =    and   purujit     with    kunti   bhojan    also;

narapungavah   saibyah   ca   =   also    great   hero    saibyan    there;  


(6)


vikrantah    yudhamanyah   ca    =    and   mighty    yudhamanyu;

viryavan    uttamaujah   ca   =   very   powerful   uttamauja   too;

saubhadrah    draupadeyah   ca   =    and    sons   of   Subhadra    and   draupadi   also;

sarva    eva    maharathah   =    certainly    all    of    them    great    warriors







(4)


Here in this army there are many heroic bowmen equal in fighting to Bhima and Arjuna; there are also great fighters like Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada.



Even though Dhshtadyumna was not a very important obstacle in the face of Dronacarya's very great power in the military art, there were many others who were the cause of fear. They are mentioned by Duryodhana as great stumbling blocks on the path of victory because each and every one of them was as formidable as Bhima and Arjuna. He knew the strength of Bhima and Arjuna, and thus he compared the others with them.



Duryodhana's use of the words atra surah in addressing Drona is an innuendo meaning: If you are thinking that because the Pandavas army commanded by Dristayumna are less than ours they can be easily defeated and there is nothing to worry about you are mistaken. These warriors are all mighty bowmen, the arrows from whose bows can never be thwarted by any enemy. Not only that but their expertise in the art of warfare is equal to that of Bhima and Arjuna. Yuyudhana who is also known as Satyaki, Virata and Drupada are distinguished as maha-ratha meaning the mightiest of chariot warriors.



Anyway let it be so, Durydhana concedes and concludes that every one of the soldiers in his battalions can defeat the army of the Pandavas headed by Dhristadyumna and that Drona should have no doubts about this as they are not invincible. This he is stating in this verse and the next 2 verses describing the might and valour of the individual warriors among the Pandava ranks. In their army are many valiant heroes, hence it is not possible for their army to be defeated by anyone single-handed. The valiant warriors Yuyudhana known as Satyaki, King Virata, Drupada and others are all mighty bowman and moreover they are not less skilled in the science of warfare but equal to Bhima and Arjuna. The use of the description maharatha which confirms a warrior who is able to defeat in battle 10,000 opponents at a time applies to all three warriors as well as Arjuna and Bhima.



(5)

There are also great, heroic, powerful fighters like Dhrshtaketu , Cekitana, Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Saibya.


The attribute viryavan meaning heroic is given to Dhristaketu, Cekitana and Kasiraja. The attribute nara-pungavah meaning noblest of men is given to Kuntibhoga and Saibya.


The adjective viryavan meaning very powerful applies to Dhristiketu the son of Sisupala, Cekitana and the famous King of Kasi. Purujit meaning winner of many battles refers to Kuntibhoga while narapungava meaning noblest among men qualifies King Saibya.


(6)

There are the mighty Yudhamanyu, the very powerful Uttamauja, the son of Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi. All these warriors are great chariot fighters


Here means here in this army are those weapons by which arrows are discharged. Those weapons are called bows. Those who are wielders of mighty bows are known as mighty-bowed. Bhima and Arjuna are two exceptionally famous warriors. There are other heroes equally famous in the Pandava army. They are being mentioned from verse 4 to verse 6. They are all maha- ratha's. A maha-ratha is a warrior so perfected in the science of weaponry that he can fight alone against 11,000 bowmen all at the same time and not be defeated. An ati-ratha is so expert that he can fight alone against many innumerable bowmen at the same time and not be defeated. A rathi is he who can fight against one bowman at the same time and not be defeated and he who cannot fight successfully against even one bowman is called a half- rathi.



The adjective vikranta meaning valiant qualifies Yudhamanyu and the adjective viryavan meaning very powerful qualifies Uttamauja. Saubhadra refers to Abhimanyu the son of Saubhadra by Arjuna. Draupadeya refers to the five sons of Draupadi being Prativindhya, Sutasoma, Srutakirti, Sutanika and Srutasena. The particle ca refers to Ghatotkaca the son of Hidimba by Bhima. All these are also certainly maharathas. Arjuna and his brothers are not mentioned because it is well known by all that they are all unrivalled maharathas. The characteristics of a maharatha are that he can fight single-handedly against 10,000 bow weilding archers and is expert in the science and practice of warfare. An atiratha can fight with innumerable warriors up to 10,000. A ratha can fight alone against one opponent and a ardharatha cannot defeat even a single opponent.


The attribute vikrantah meaning valiant is given to Yudhamanyu and again the attribute viryavan which is heroic is given to Uttamauja. Saubhadrah is Abhimanyu the son of Subhadra who is the wife of Arjuna. Draupadeyah are the five sons of Draupadi who are: Pratibindha, Srutasena, Srntakirti, Satanika and Srutavarma and by the use of the word ca it refers to Bhima's son Ghatatkaca and others.


As for the Pandavas themselves Duryodhana did not mention them at all as their name and fame was known by everybody. The names of these 17 heroes mentioned and all those in favor of the Pandavas are all maha-rathas. By the use of the word sarve meaning all, Duryodhana instigates and agitates the fighting mood of Drona, by adding even those warriors who are atirathas and placed them in the class of maha-rathas as well.


The defintion of maha-ratha is he who can fight against 10,000 bowmen all at the same time and not be defeated and is a master in the science of warfare and the use of all weapons. An ati-ratha is a hero who can fight against innumerable bowmen but less than 10,000 at the same time and remain undefeated. A yoddha-ratha is the hero who can fight against one bowmen at a time and remain undefeated and one who cannot even fight against one bowman successfully is called an arddha-ratha.

To be continued ....