This is an ongoing series on my reflections on The Bhagavad Gita. I will post 2-5 posts a week, each post talking about 1 verse. You can find links for the entire series here.
Chapter 1 – Arjun Viṣhād Yog (अर्जुन विषाद योग) – Lamenting the Consequence of War – Verse 6
This post talks about the sixth verse of the first chapter.
Verse:
युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान् |
सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथा: || 6||
Translation:
The brave Yudhamanyu, the courageous Uttamauja, the son of Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi are all distinguished chariot warriors indeed
Reflection:
In the last two verses, Duryodhana was telling his teacher Dronacharya about the various warriors assembled by the Pandavas for the Kurukshetra war. In this verse also, Duryodhana continued telling Guru Drona about the Pandava’s warriors.
Duryodhana told Dronacharya that the brave warrior Yudhamanyu and the courageous warrior Uttamauja were present in the Pandava’s army. Along with these, Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu (Arjuna’s son with one of his four wives Subhadra) and Draupadi’s sons (Prativindhya by Yudhishthira, Sutasoma by Bhima, Shrutakarma by Arjuna, Shatanika by Nakula, and Shrutasena by Sahadeva) collectively known as Upapandavas were also participating from the Pandava’s side. All of these warriors were classified as great chariot warriors and maharathas by Duryodhana.
Classification of warriors
- Maharatha – Can fight against 10000 bowmen simultaneously and not be defeated | Master of weaponry and the science of warfare
- Atiratha – Can fight large troops (more than 1000 but less than 10000) of bowmen simultaneously and not be defeated
- Ratha – Can fight against 1 bowman and not be defeated
- Ardha ratha – Cannot fight against 1 bowman and win
Language of Mind 
