Bhagavad-gītā 1.6 – Study Guide
1. Purport Metrics & Overview
| Purport Metrics | Details |
|---|---|
| No. of times cited by Śrīla Prabhupāda | 1 |
| Total No. of Words in Purport | No Purport |
| No. of Paragraphs in Purport | No Purport |
| Purport Paragraph Title | No Purport |
High-Level Flow:
- Duryodhana continues listing the Pāṇḍava warriors, showing his increasing recognition of their formidable strength.
- He mentions great fighters like Yudhāmanyu, Uttamaujā, Abhimanyu (Saubhadra), and Draupadī’s sons, emphasizing their chariot-fighting skills.
- This verse reinforces the idea that the Pāṇḍava army is filled with warriors of high caliber, all considered mahā-rathīs (great chariot warriors).
2. Verse & Translation
Sanskrit:
yudhāmanyuś ca vikrānta
uttamaujāś ca vīryavān
saubhadro draupadeyāś ca
sarva eva mahā-rathāḥ
Translation:
“There are the mighty Yudhāmanyu, the very powerful Uttamaujā, the son of Subhadrā, and the sons of Draupadī. All these warriors are great chariot fighters.”
3. Connection with Previous Verse
Verse 1.5 continues the listing of powerful warriors in the Pāṇḍava army.
Verse 1.6 adds even more names, reinforcing Duryodhana’s growing concern.
Key Link:
- Duryodhana initially feared Arjuna and Bhīma (1.4), then other great warriors (1.5), and now acknowledges even the next generation of fighters (1.6).
- His fear is increasing as he realizes the Pāṇḍava army is not just strong but filled with trained warriors at all levels.
4. Sambandha, Abhidheya, or Prayojana?
Category: Sambandha-tattva (Understanding our relationship with Krishna and the material world)
Sambandha-tattva defines the nature of jīva, īśvara, prakṛti, kāla, and karma.
Duryodhana continues to focus only on external power and ignores Krishna’s supreme control over the war’s outcome.
He fails to realize that righteousness (dharma) ensures victory, not just military strength.
✅ This verse is Sambandha-tattva because it highlights:
- Material vision versus spiritual understanding—Duryodhana sees numbers, but Krishna determines the true outcome.
- Anxiety grows when one depends on material strength rather than divine support.
- The warriors’ presence is significant, but their real strength lies in their alignment with dharma.
5. Analysis of Key Terms
Vikrānta (Mighty Warrior)
Yudhāmanyu is described as exceptionally powerful, indicating his fearlessness and great battle skills.
Vīryavān (Very Powerful)
Uttamaujā is not just brave but exceptionally strong, highlighting the physical and strategic excellence of the Pāṇḍava army.
Mahā-rathāḥ (Great Chariot Warriors)
The title mahā-ratha means a warrior who can fight thousands at once, emphasizing that these are not ordinary fighters but elite warriors in the battlefield.
6. Connection to the Five Topics of Bhagavad-gītā
| Topic | Connection in Verse 1.6 |
|---|---|
| Īśvara (Supreme Lord) | Duryodhana focuses only on military strength, failing to see Krishna’s divine role in the battle. |
| Jīva (Living entity) | The warriors mentioned are conditioned souls fighting according to their duty and past karma. |
| Prakṛti (Material nature) | The battlefield, weapons, and warriors are all elements of prakṛti (material nature), but the real battle is beyond material perception. |
| Kāla (Time) | Kāla (time) is pushing all these warriors toward their destiny, ensuring Krishna’s divine will is fulfilled. |
| Karma (Actions & Results) | Each warrior’s presence on the battlefield is the result of their past karma and duties within varṇāśrama-dharma. |
7. Practical Lessons
Even Great Warriors Are Subject to Destiny
No matter how mighty these fighters are, the outcome of the battle is already decided by Krishna.
Material Calculations Increase Fear
Duryodhana lists warriors but does not gain confidence—this shows that material intelligence alone cannot remove anxiety.
True Strength Comes from Dharma, Not Just Weapons
The Pāṇḍavas’ real advantage is not their powerful warriors but their alignment with Krishna and righteousness.
8. Preaching Relevance & Application
| Preaching Topic | How This Verse is Relevant |
|---|---|
| Spiritual Strength vs. Material Strength | Duryodhana sees numbers, but Krishna determines the outcome. |
| Karma and Destiny | Each warrior is on the battlefield due to their karma, but Krishna’s will prevails. |
| How Fear Develops Without Faith | Despite a strong army, Duryodhana is afraid—faith in Krishna removes fear. |
9. Realisations
The Parade of Names: Duryodhana’s Desperate Math
Verses 1.4–1.6 read like a roll call of heroes:
Bhīma and Arjuna are matched, supposedly, by great men like Bhīṣma, Karuṇa, Kṛpa, Aśvatthāmā, Vikarna, and the son of Somadatta.
These warriors are described as “heroes equal to Bhīma and Arjuna in fighting.”
Sounds impressive, right?
But here’s the thing: when you’re actually confident, you don’t need to convince yourself with lists.
You don’t need to recite your team’s resume unless you’re trying to hide the fact that you’re nervous.
And that’s exactly what’s happening here.
Duryodhana is speaking out loud, but he’s trying to convince himself.
Srila Prabhupada makes this crystal clear: Duryodhana is fearful. That’s why he’s nervously glorifying his own side, trying to create psychological comfort in the face of deep internal conflict.
He sees Bhīma and Arjuna across the field—powered not just by skill, but by Krishna Himself—and suddenly, his strategic mind starts scrambling for reassurance.
> “We’ve got Bhīṣma. We’ve got Karṇa. We’ve got powerful men.”
Yes. But what Duryodhana doesn’t have—and what he can’t buy, manipulate, or recruit—is truth on his side.
Because deep down, he knows:
Bhīṣma is morally torn.
Karṇa has a debt to Duryodhana, not love.
Drona has inner conflict, having trained both sides.
And none of them are fighting for Krishna.
This is the problem with material leadership based on alliances rather than dharma.
It counts power, but doesn’t connect with purpose.
It collects names, but never asks: “Are these warriors even aligned in heart?”
And the most ironic part?
Duryodhana is glorifying Bhīṣma—the same Bhīṣma who will later refuse to kill the Pandavas, and who knows that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
So we’re seeing Duryodhana do what many so-called leaders do:
Use impressive language to hide a fragile position.
Mask faithlessness with numbers.
Replace Krishna with calculation.
And that’s not strength.
That’s fear wearing armor.
Let’s go deeper.
Srila Prabhupada explains that Duryodhana is overestimating his position. He’s glorifying his side to bolster morale—but in doing so, he exposes his own unease.
This is the condition of the soul disconnected from Krishna:
Instead of surrender, it calculates.
Instead of seeking grace, it strategizes.
Instead of acknowledging truth, it drowns in ego-reinforcing narratives.
But here’s the eternal law of dharma:
Truth doesn’t depend on numbers.
Victory doesn’t depend on strength.
It depends on alignment with Krishna.
And Krishna?
He’s on the side of the Pandavas.
So what’s the takeaway?
If you find yourself trying to justify your position with long mental lists—people, achievements, qualifications—pause.
Ask:
“Am I building confidence from within, or patching up anxiety with noise?”
Because real strength comes from clarity, surrender, and alignment with dharma.
Not from name-dropping.
10. Conclusion
Bhagavad-gītā 1.6 continues Duryodhana’s evaluation of the Pāṇḍava army, listing even more powerful warriors. However, his focus remains entirely on external factors, ignoring that Krishna’s will, not military strength, determines victory. His growing concern reveals that material assessments create anxiety when one lacks faith in dharma and divine protection.