bhisma-drona-pramukhatah
sarvesam ca mahi-ksitam
uvaca partha pasyaitan
samavetan kurun iti
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 1.25
In the presence of Bhishma, Drona and all the other chieftains of the world, the Lord said, Just behold, Partha, all the Kurus assembled here.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
As the Supersoul of all living entities, Lord Krishna could understand what was going on in the mind of Arjuna. The use of the word Hrishikesha in this connection indicates that He knew everything. And the word Partha, or the son of Kunti, or Pritha, is also similarly significant in reference to Arjuna. As a friend, He wanted to inform Arjuna that because Arjuna was the son of Pritha, the sister of His own father Vasudeva, He had agreed to be the charioteer of Arjuna. Now what did Krishna mean when He told Arjuna to “behold the Kurus”? Did Arjuna want to stop there and not fight? Krishna never expected such things from the son of His aunt Pritha. The mind of Arjuna was thus predicted by the Lord in friendly joking.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
The Lord, Hrsikesa, though himself the controller of everyone’s senses, was thus ordered by Arjuna, controlled just by his words. See how the Lord is controlled by prema! This is the implication of calling the Lord Hrsikesa.
Here is the significance of the word Gudakesa. Akesa means Visnu (a), Brahma (ka) and Siva (Isa). Gudakesa means he who gives them (akesa) the experience of the sweetness of the Lord’s affection just as sugar (guda) gives the experience of sweetness. Therefore, Gudakesa refers to he who, by bringing Krishna under his control, gave Visnu, Brahma, and Siva the opportunity to experience of Krishna’s sweetness. Where the Supreme Lord Krishna, the crown jewel, source of all avataras, being controlled by prema, followed the orders of his servant, Arjuna, how could Visnu, Brahma and Siva, his mere expansions as guna avataras, show off any of their powers? Instead, by manifesting affectionate feelings for the Lord themselves (inspired by Arjuna), they felt successful.
The lord of the spiritual sky (Mahavisnu) said: dvijatmamaja me yuvayor didrksuna
I brought the brahmana’s sons here because I wanted to see the two of you. SB 10.89.58
Gudakesa can also mean the lord (isa) of sleep (gudaka), the controller of the senses. Even Krishna, who is the direct controller of maya, became controlled by Arjuna’s prema. Thus despicable maya or sleep was conquered by Arjuna. He spoke in front of Bhisma, Drona and all the kings.
Though the word pramukhatah is compounded only with Bhisma and Drona, it refers to everyone. Thus the meaning is “putting his chariot in front of Bhisma, Drona and all the other kings.”
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
After attentively surveying the army of the Kauravas arranged in battle formation, Arjuna the son of Pandu on whose flag bears the image of Hanuman, who set the kingdom of Lanka ablaze, requested Lord Krishna to place their chariot between the two opposing armies. Requested whom? Arjuna requested no lesser peronality than the Supreme Lord Himself, the treasurehouse of such attributes as wisdom, strength, sovereignity, eternality, omnipotence and splendour. Whom by His will created the complete cosmic manifestation in its triple aspect of inception, preservation and dissolution for His own pleasure as in sport.
The Supreme Lord Krishna, Hrsikesa, the master of the senses. The Supreme Controller, internally and externally of all living entities evolving and evolved. Who although the Supreme Lord of all, yet descended down to Earth out of His causeless mercy for the redemption of the faithful and even more, He condescended to be Arjuna’s chariot driver, carrying out his wish to station their chariot in such a commanding position as to be able to readily view the belligerent Kauravas and put within the range of his vision such heroes as Bhishmadeva, Dronacarya and Kripa and the Kings of royal dynasties. At that time the Supreme Lord Krishna said to Arjuna: see what chances there are for the Kauravas victory over thee.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
What happenned after that? Being so requested by Arjuna who is also called Gudakesa because he had mastered the ability to go without sleep.
Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
Lord Krishna requested by the ever alert Arjuna stationed that finest of chariots between the two opposing armies in front of Bhisma, Drona and all the kings and said: Behold all these members of the Kuru dynasty assembled here.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
1.25 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
1.12 — 1.29 Sri Abhinavgupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
bhisma-drona-pramukhatah
sarvesam ca mahi-ksitam
uvaca partha pasyaitan
samavetan kurun iti
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
bhīṣma — Grandfather Bhīṣma; droṇa — the teacher Droṇa; pramukhataḥ — in front of; sarveṣām — all; ca — also; mahī-kṣitām — chiefs of the world; uvāca — said; pārtha — O son of Pṛthā; paśya — just behold; etān — all of them; samavetān — assembled; kurūn — the members of the Kuru dynasty; iti — thus.
