Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 – Verse 1: Dhritarashtra’s Question

धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः ।
मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय ॥ 1॥

Transliteration

dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāśh chaiva kimakurvata sañjaya

Word-by-Word Meaning

• धर्मक्षेत्रे (dharma-kṣetre) — in the land of dharma

• कुरुक्षेत्रे (kuru-kṣetre) — in the land of Kurus

• समवेताः (samavetāḥ) — assembled

• युयुत्सवः (yuyutsavaḥ) — desiring to fight

• मामकाः (māmakāḥ) — my sons

• पाण्डवाः (pāṇḍavāḥ) — the sons of Pandu

• च (cha) — and

• एव (eva) — also

• किम् (kim) — what

• अकुर्वत (akurvata) — did they do

• सञ्जय (sañjaya) — O Sanjaya

English Translation

“In the field of Dharma, at Kurukshetra, gathered together, eager for battle, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do, O Sanjaya?”

Explanation

This is the first verse of the Bhagavad Gita.
King Dhritarashtra is asking Sanjaya what is happening on the battlefield. His question reveals attachment and partiality. He refers to his sons as “māmakāḥ” (mine), and Pandu’s sons as separate.

Life Lesson

Even on a dharmic field, our personal biases may influence decisions. Self-awareness and detachment help us rise above partiality.

Closing Note

This begins the divine dialogue of the Gita — stay tuned for Verse 2 in the next post.