Gita 1.26
Arjuna Vishada Yoga
तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितृनथ पितामहान् । आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातृन्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा ॥२६॥
tatrāpaśyat sthitān pārthaḥ pitṝn atha pitāmahān ācāryān mātulān bhrātṝn putrān pautrān sakhīṁs tathā
In essence: When we truly see those we are about to harm, the abstraction of 'enemy' dissolves into the unbearable specificity of beloved faces.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Guruji, Arjuna was a great warrior. He had fought many battles before. Why does seeing his relatives suddenly affect him now?"
Guru: "Had he truly seen before? In previous battles, the enemies were clearly enemies—demons, foreign kings, clear aggressors. Here, he sees his own blood. More importantly, he is between two armies, asked by Krishna to observe. That pause, that stillness, allows seeing to happen."
Sadhak: "So the problem is that he looked too closely?"
Guru: "The problem—or the grace—is that he looked truly. Most violence depends on not looking. We bomb cities from high altitude. We fire at uniforms, not faces. We speak of 'casualties,' not 'Ramesh who loved his daughter.' Arjuna lost this protective distance."
Sadhak: "But wasn't this weakness? A warrior shouldn't hesitate."
Guru: "Is it weakness to recognize your teacher? To remember your uncle's kindness? To see your cousin's children who call you 'uncle'? What you call weakness, I call humanity awakening. The question is what you do with that awakening."
Sadhak: "The list in this verse is overwhelming—fathers, grandfathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends. It covers everyone."
Guru: "That is precisely the point. Who is NOT covered? There is no one on that battlefield who is simply 'other.' Every human being, if you trace connections far enough, is related to you. The Gita begins by making this visible."
Sadhak: "But some of these people—like Duryodhana—had done terrible things. Doesn't that matter?"
Guru: "It matters enormously. But notice—Arjuna doesn't see 'good relatives' and 'bad relatives.' He sees relatives. The moral complexity comes later. First comes the recognition: these are my people. From that recognition, all genuine ethics begins."
Sadhak: "I feel this in smaller ways. When I'm angry at my brother, I think of him as an obstacle. Then I see an old photo and remember who he is."
Guru: "Exactly. That photo does what this verse describes—it dissolves the abstraction back into the person. Arjuna is experiencing the ultimate version of that. The entire enemy army has become an old photo album."
Sadhak: "Is there a way to maintain this clarity without becoming paralyzed like Arjuna?"
Guru: "That is the entire journey of the Gita. Arjuna's paralysis is not the final answer—it's the beginning of the question. Krishna will teach him how to see clearly AND act rightly. But you cannot skip the seeing. Many people act without ever truly seeing. Their 'strength' is actually blindness."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Before you begin your day's work, take a moment to humanize someone you're in conflict with. Perhaps a difficult colleague, a family member you're estranged from, or even a public figure you oppose. Instead of thinking of them as 'that obstruction' or 'that adversary,' recall three specific human details about them: their laugh, their child's name, something they love. Like Arjuna seeing fathers and friends instead of enemies, let the abstraction dissolve into specificity. This doesn't mean you'll agree with them or abandon your position—but you'll engage with a person, not a caricature.
During the workday, notice when you abstract people into functions: 'the IT guy,' 'the HR department,' 'those customers.' Arjuna's vision stripped away functional labels to reveal human beings. When you send an email to 'the team,' pause to remember that each recipient has their own hopes, fears, and complexity. When you're frustrated with 'customer service,' remember there's a person having their own difficult day. This practice doesn't slow you down—it enriches every interaction.
In the quiet of evening, reflect on any conflict or tension currently active in your life. Write down the names of those involved—actual names, not roles. For each name, write one thing you know about their inner life: a dream they have, a wound they carry, a joy they cherish. Arjuna saw 'fathers, teachers, friends'—not 'the enemy.' By evening's end, can you see your own 'enemies' as something more than their opposition to you? This seeing is not weakness; it is the beginning of wisdom.