sañjaya uvāca
evam ukto hṛṣīkeśo
guḍākeśena bhārata
senayor ubhayor madhye
sthāpayitvā rathottamam
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 1.24
Sanjaya said: O descendant of Bharata, having thus been addressed by Arjuna, Lord Krishna drew up the fine chariot in the midst of the armies of both parties.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
In this verse Arjuna is referred to as Gudakesha. Gudaka means sleep, and one who conquers sleep is called gudakesha. Sleep also means ignorance. So Arjuna conquered both sleep and ignorance because of his friendship with Krishna. As a great devotee of Krishna, he could not forget Krishna even for a moment, because that is the nature of a devotee. Either in waking or in sleep, a devotee of the Lord can never be free from thinking of Krishna’s name, form, qualities and pastimes. Thus a devotee of Krishna can conquer both sleep and ignorance simply by thinking of Krishna constantly. This is called Krishna consciousness, or samadhi. As Hrishikesha, or the director of the senses and mind of every living entity, Krishna could understand Arjuna’s purpose in placing the chariot in the midst of the armies. Thus He did so, and spoke as follows.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
Please see text 25 for Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur’s combined commentary to texts 24 and 25.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
1.20 – 1.25 Arjuna said — Sanjaya said — Thus, directed by him, Sri Krsna did immediately as He had been directed, while Bhisma, Drona and others and all the kings were looking on. Such is the prospect of victory for your men.
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:
Then what happenned? To this question Sanjaya answers Dhritarastra in these two verses first by addressing him as O descendant of Bharata. What is being subtly suggested here is that being born in the exalted lineage of the righteous and noble King Bharata, it would not be appropriate for the blind Dhritarastra to betray his nephews the Pandavas who are the five sons of his brother.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
1.24 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:
sanjaya uvaca
evam ukto hrsikeso
gudakesena bharata
senayor ubhayor madhye
sthapayitva rathottamam
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
sañjayaḥ uvāca — Sañjaya said; evam — thus; uktaḥ — addressed; hṛṣīkeśaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; guḍākeśena — by Arjuna; bhārata — O descendant of Bharata; senayoḥ — of the armies; ubhayoḥ — both; madhye — in the midst; sthāpayitvā — placing; ratha-uttamam — the finest chariot.
