Bhagavad Gita BG 1.24
Chapter 1, Verse 24 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
सञ्जय उवाच । एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत । सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम् ॥ २४ ॥
sañjaya uvāca evam ukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata senayor ubhayor madhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam
Meaning
Sanjaya said: O Dhritarashtra, thus addressed by Arjuna, Krishna drove that finest of chariots into the midst of the two armies.
Understanding
Sanjaya resumes his narration to Dhritarashtra. Without a word of argument or hesitation, Krishna immediately does what Arjuna asks. This is Krishna as the perfect friend and teacher — he creates the conditions for Arjuna's awakening. Arjuna is called 'Gudakesha' here — conqueror of sleep, one of his epithets — ironic because he is about to 'fall asleep' to his duty. 'Rathottamam' — the finest of chariots — reminds us this is no ordinary vehicle.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| एवम् उक्तः | evam uktaḥ | thus addressed / having been thus spoken to |
| हृषीकेशः | hṛṣīkeśaḥ | Krishna (master of the senses) |
| गुडाकेशेन | guḍākeśena | by Gudakesha — Arjuna (conqueror of sleep) |
| भारत | bhārata | O descendant of Bharata (Dhritarashtra) |
| रथोत्तमम् | rathottamam | the finest of chariots / the best chariot |
| सञ्जय उवाच | sañjaya uvāca | Sanjaya said (speaker attribution) |
| सेनयोः | senayor | of the two armies |
| मध्ये | madhye | in the middle / between |
| स्थापयित्वा | sthāpayitvā | having placed / having stationed |