Bhagavad-gītā 1.4
Read once with your eyes. Read again aloud.
अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि। युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः।।1.4।।
atra śhūrā maheṣhvāsā bhīmārjuna-samā yudhi yuyudhāno virāṭaśhcha drupadaśhcha mahā-rathaḥ
In it are heroes and great bowmen; the equals in battle of Arjuna, Bheema, Yuyudhana, Virata, and Drupada:all great soldiers.
English rendering by Shri Purohit Swami. Each source voice remains named.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| atra | here |
| śhūrāḥ | powerful warriors |
| mahā-iṣhu-āsāḥ | great bowmen |
| bhīma-arjuna-samāḥ | equal to Bheem and Arjun |
| yudhi | in military prowess |
| yuyudhānaḥ | Yuyudhan |
| virāṭaḥ | Virat |
| cha | and |
| drupadaḥ | Drupad |
| cha | also |
| mahā-rathaḥ | warriors who could single handedly match the strength of ten thousand ordinary warriors |
Technically, maharatha means a warrior who is proficient in the science of war and who is able to fight alone with ten thousand archers.
Attributed explanatory witness: Swami Sivananda. Chapter lens: Map the battlefield, speakers, relationships and Arjuna’s reasons before reading later answers backward into the crisis.
Three named reading witnesses
Śaṅkara edition witness
Swami GambiranandaHere are the heroes wielding great bows, who in battle are peers of Bhima and Arjuna: Yuyudhana (Satyaki) and Virata, and the maharatha (great chariot-rider) Drupada;
Rāmānuja edition witness
Swami AdidevanandaThere (in that army) are heroes, great bowmen, such as Bhima and Arjuna; Yuyudhana, Virata, and Drupada, a mighty warrior;
Sivananda commentary witness
Swami SivanandaTechnically, maharatha means a warrior who is proficient in the science of war and who is able to fight alone with ten thousand archers.
These are concise, attributed reading witnesses from identified editions. They are presented for comparison and are not merged into one anonymous interpretation.
Meaning map
Follow the thought
- 1
In it are heroes and great bowmen
- 2
the equals in battle of Arjuna, Bheema, Yuyudhana, Virata
- 3
all great soldiers
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