Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Verse 26

Bhagavad Gita 1.26

Recognition turns battle into sorrow.

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितृ़नथ पितामहान् ।
आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातृ़न्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
उसके बाद पृथानन्दन अर्जुनने उन दोनों ही सेनाओंमें स्थित पिताओंको, पितामहोंको, आचार्योंको, मामाओंको, भाइयोंको, पुत्रोंको, पौत्रोंको तथा मित्रोंको, ससुरोंको और सुहृदोंको भी देखा ॥
English
Then Arjuna, son of Pritha, saw fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, fathers-in-law, and well-wishers standing there.

What this verse means

Arjuna looks across the battlefield and recognizes his own relatives and teachers among the enemy ranks.

Context & commentary

On Kurukshetra, Krishna has placed Arjuna between the armies. As Arjuna looks, he sees fathers, grandfathers, teachers, cousins, sons, and friends on both sides. The war becomes personal in a single glance.

Why this verse still matters

You open a group chat before a painful family decision and see every name tied to memory. The choice is no longer theoretical; it cuts through your own relationships.

The takeaway

The enemy is no longer abstract. The sight of familiar faces turns battle into grief.

Word-by-word translation

तत्र (there) / अपश्यत् (saw) / स्थितान् (standing) / पार्थः (Arjuna, son of Pritha) / पितृ़न् (fathers) / अथ (also) / पितामहान् (grandfathers) / आचार्यान् (teachers) / मातुलान् (maternal uncles) / भ्रातृ़न् (brothers) / पुत्रान् (sons) / पौत्रान् (grandsons) / सखीन् (friends) / तथा (and so on)

Explore related themes: kurukshetra (95 verses), arjuna (52 verses)

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