Gita 1.23
Arjuna Vishada Yoga
योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः । धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः ॥२३॥
yotsyamānān avekṣe 'haṁ ya ete 'tra samāgatāḥ dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddher yuddhe priya-cikīrṣavaḥ
In essence: Before we fight, we must see clearly whom we fight—Arjuna's request to observe reveals the warrior's need to know his enemy's true face.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Guruji, Arjuna asks to see the enemy. But he's already seen them—the Pandavas know exactly who they're fighting. Why this request?"
Guru: "Knowing who is there and truly seeing them are different things. Before you fight someone, have you ever paused to really look at them? Not as an opponent, but as a person?"
Sadhak: "I suppose not. In conflicts, I usually focus on winning, not on understanding."
Guru: "Arjuna is about to do something dangerous—he's going to see his enemies as human beings. This will shatter him. Sometimes ignorance protects us from paralysis."
Sadhak: "But he calls Duryodhana 'evil-minded.' That doesn't sound like he's trying to see humanely."
Guru: "Notice carefully—he calls Duryodhana evil-minded, but describes the warriors as those 'wishing to please' him. He already distinguishes between the corrupt leader and those who follow him. This is nuanced moral vision."
Sadhak: "So the soldiers aren't evil, just... loyal to the wrong person?"
Guru: "Exactly. And that's the unbearable truth Arjuna is about to face. It's easier to fight monsters. What do you do when you must fight good men serving a bad cause?"
Sadhak: "That happens in real life too. I've seen decent people support terrible things because of group loyalty."
Guru: "And have you ever been such a person yourself? Following a boss, a party, a tradition that you knew in your heart was wrong—because you wanted to 'please' them, to belong?"
Sadhak: "...Yes. I have."
Guru: "Then you understand 'priya-chikirshavah'—the pull to please that overrides conscience. Arjuna is about to see an army of such people. And he'll recognize that he could have been among them, given different circumstances."
Sadhak: "That's terrifying."
Guru: "It's supposed to be. The Gita doesn't offer easy comfort. It offers the hardest possible truth: that life requires action even when all choices are painful."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Before beginning today's challenges, take a moment to genuinely see the people you might be in conflict with. Not as obstacles or opponents, but as humans with their own pressures, loyalties, and limitations. This doesn't mean abandoning your position—it means holding it with awareness rather than blindness.
When you find yourself in any disagreement or competition today, pause and ask: 'Is this person truly my enemy, or are they serving something or someone they feel bound to?' Arjuna distinguished between Duryodhana's evil intent and the warriors' misplaced loyalty. Can you make similar distinctions in your conflicts?
Reflect on times you acted as 'priya-chikirshavah'—doing things to please those in authority rather than following your conscience. What pulls you to such compliance? Fear of rejection? Desire for approval? Economic necessity? Understanding your own tendencies toward compliant silence helps you extend compassion to others caught in the same trap.