The Bhagavad Gita begins not with divine teachings or grand miracles, but with a scene of war — the battlefield of Kurukshetra. And one of the first verses that stands out comes not from Arjuna or Krishna, but from Duryodhana, the prince of the Kauravas:
paśyaitāṁ pāṇḍu-putrāṇām ācārya mahatīṁ camūm
vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā
“O my teacher, behold the mighty army of the sons of Pandu, arranged so well by your wise disciple, the son of Drupada.”
This verse may seem like just a tactical observation, a commander speaking to his general. But like many verses in the Gita, its deeper meanings unfold when we bring it into our own lives. Duryodhana’s words are filled with more than military anxiety — they reveal the human mind under pressure, the dynamics of ego, and the deeper war that all of us are fighting within.
1. The Mind That Always Sees the Enemy
Duryodhana begins by asking his teacher, Drona, to “behold” — to paśya, or look. But what is he seeing? Not just an army — he’s seeing a threat, a challenge. A reminder that someone he once dismissed (Drupada’s son Dhrishtadyumna) is now a commander.
This happens in or lives too.
Whenever someone we once underestimated begins to shine, we often feel uneasy — even threatened. Instead of being inspired, we might see them as competition. Duryodhana calls Dhrishtadyumna “your wise disciple”, with a hint of sarcasm. He’s indirectly blaming Drona for training someone who now stands against him.
We do this too — blaming others when our own fear or jealousy shows up. Instead of celebrating others’ growth, we sometimes view it as our own defeat.
2. Duryodhana’s Insecurity Behind the Mask of Confidence
On the surface, Duryodhana is acting like a leader — alerting his teacher, analyzing the enemy. But the undertone is clear: he’s nervous. He calls the army “mahatīṁ camūm” — a great force — emphasizing its strength.
This shows a key lesson: many people appear confident, but are actually insecure deep inside. They talk loudly about competition, success, and power, but within, they are fearful. Duryodhana’s words mirror our internal dialogue during moments of pressure — when our “inner enemy” is the fear of not being enough.
3. The Battlefield Is Also Within Us
The Gita’s battlefield is symbolic. Pandavas and Kauravas represent two sides of ourselves — wisdom vs desire, truth vs ego, humility vs pride.
And like Duryodhana, our ego is always watching the rise of our inner wisdom with suspicion. Whenever we take a spiritual step, try to do something right, or act with awareness, our old habits — anger, doubt, jealousy — raise their voice and say, “Look! Look what’s coming. Watch out!”
The ego does not like to lose control.
Just like Duryodhana felt threatened by the Pandavas’ unity and their intelligent leader, our ego feels threatened when our inner intelligence begins to guide us. It tries to distract us, confuse us, and call our wisdom a “threat.”
4. The Irony of Teaching the Enemy
Another powerful lesson from this verse: Dhrishtadyumna, who is leading the army against Drona, was trained by Drona himself! This teaches us something beautiful: true knowledge empowers, even if it ends up working against the teacher.
In today’s world, we often want credit for what we teach — we want loyalty, gratitude, even control. But true teaching means letting go. It means allowing others to grow, even if their path challenges ours.
Drona taught Dhrishtadyumna knowing he was born to kill him. He did his duty as a teacher, despite personal risk. That is dharma — acting rightly, not for personal benefit but because it is right.
How many of us can do that?
Are we willing to help someone even if they one day stand stronger than us? Can we let go of control over those we once guided?
This verse invites us to reflect on whether we’re really offering wisdom — or just wanting obedience.
5. Wisdom in the Eyes of the Beholder
The word “dhīmatā” used for Dhrishtadyumna means “intelligent.” Duryodhana acknowledges his intelligence, though grudgingly. Often, even those who oppose us can recognize our strength — though their ego might prevent them from saying it openly.
Let this teach us that true wisdom does not need praise. It shines quietly. Even enemies might see it, even if they don’t admit it.
In your life, continue doing what is right, even if others don’t immediately appreciate it. The world may see your efforts and still not support you. That’s okay.
Because real value is not in how loudly the world claps — but how silently your conscience smiles.
Train the Right Leader Within
This verse is not just Duryodhana talking about an army. It is you, noticing the rising strength of your better self. The wise part within you — like Dhrishtadyumna — has been trained by your experiences, your teachers, and your inner learning.
But your ego — like Duryodhana — is still loud, scared, and reactive. It tries to dominate the conversation.
The question is: who will you allow to lead?
Will you keep feeding fear and jealousy, seeing every rising soul as a threat? Or will you quietly watch the rise of your inner wisdom and surrender to it?
The Gita begins with war, but its purpose is peace — the peace that comes when you let your inner Krishna guide your Arjuna. When you let wisdom lead, and ego step aside.
So next time your mind says, “Look! Look at the threat!” — pause. Maybe it’s not a threat. Maybe it’s growth. Maybe it’s your own intelligence, finally ready to take charge.
The battlefield is still there. But the war is not outside. It is within.
Victory begins with awareness. And awareness begins with a single word: paśya — Look.