Gita 1.22
Arjuna Vishada Yoga
यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान् । कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन्रणसमुद्यमे ॥२२॥
yāvadetānnirīkṣe'haṁ yoddhukāmānavasthitān kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasmin raṇasamudyame
In essence: Before any great action, the wise ask: Who exactly am I facing? What precisely am I about to do?—for clarity of vision precedes clarity of action.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Guruji, Arjuna says he wants to see who he 'must' fight. But hasn't the battle already been decided? Why is he questioning now?"
Guru: "The battle was decided politically, yes. But Arjuna is a conscious being, not a chess piece. A decision made by others doesn't become your decision until you own it. He's pausing to own what he's about to do."
Sadhak: "He says he wants to see those 'eager for battle.' But surely not everyone on the Kaurava side is eager?"
Guru: "Exactly. This is where Arjuna's words will come back to confront him. He'll look for eager enemies and find reluctant relatives. He'll look for warriors to defeat and see teachers to whom he owes reverence. His own question will undo him."
Sadhak: "Is that why Krishna grants the request? To let Arjuna's own inquiry lead to his breakdown?"
Guru: "Krishna grants what is asked because asking is already the beginning of awakening. Arjuna could have simply fought. Instead, he chose to see first. That choice—to look before acting—is the difference between a killer and a warrior, between mechanical action and dharmic action."
Sadhak: "But didn't Arjuna know who would be on the battlefield? He knew the Kauravas, knew Bhishma and Drona were fighting for them."
Guru: "Knowing abstractly and seeing directly are vastly different. You might know that your action will hurt someone, but when you see their face in the moment of impact, the knowledge becomes real. Arjuna knew the facts. He was about to know the reality."
Sadhak: "So this verse is the last moment before his world falls apart?"
Guru: "Yes. This is Arjuna still in control, still speaking as a commander assessing the field. Within moments, he'll be unable to speak at all, then unable to stand. This verse captures the final instant of the old Arjuna—competent, confident, professional. What comes next will destroy all of that. And from that destruction, something new will be born."
Sadhak: "That sounds terrifying."
Guru: "Transformation always is. The seed must crack for the sprout to emerge. The old Arjuna must break for the new Arjuna to arise. This verse is the last breath before the breaking. Its calmness makes what follows even more powerful."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Before your first significant action today, practice Arjuna's request: 'Let me see clearly who I'm engaging with and why.' Whether it's an email, a meeting, or a conversation, take thirty seconds to actually observe—the situation, the people, what's really at stake. This prevents mechanical action.
When faced with conflict or competition today, ask Arjuna's question: 'Who exactly am I opposing here? What do they want? Are they truly eager for this, or caught in circumstances like me?' This inquiry doesn't prevent action—it informs it. You might still proceed, but with clearer eyes.
Reflect on one action you took today that was 'yoddhavyam'—something you felt you 'must' do. Examine that 'must.' Was it truly necessary? Was it your duty, your desire, or your conditioning? The Gita begins with Arjuna's unexamined 'must' and ends with transformed understanding. Your evening reflection can mirror this journey.