Bhagavad Gita 1.1 — Dharma-kshetre Kuru-kshetre — Word-by-Word Meaning
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १.१ — धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे
Every Sanskrit word explained in English
Word-by-Word Breakdown
धृतराष्ट्रः उवाच
dhṛitarāśhtraḥ uvācha
Dhritarashtra said
धर्मक्षेत्रे
dharma-kṣhetre
the land of dharma
कुरुक्षेत्रे
kuru-kṣhetre
at Kurukshetra
समवेताः
samavetāḥ
having gathered
युयुत्सवः
yuyutsavaḥ
desiring to fight
मामकाः
māmakāḥ
my sons
पाण्डवाः
pāṇḍavāḥ
the sons of Pandu
च
cha
and
एव
eva
certainly
किम्
kim
what
अकुर्वत
akurvata
did they do
सञ्जय
sañjaya
O Sanjaya
Complete Translation
Dhritarashtra said: O Sanjaya, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do when, eager to fight, they had assembled together on the holy field of Kurukshetra, the field of dharma?
Origin & History
Source: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 1
Author: Sage Veda Vyasa (Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva)
Period: Ancient (text compiled c. 5th–2nd century BCE)
The Bhagavad Gita opens in the first chapter, Arjuna Vishada Yoga. As the great war is about to begin, the blind king Dhritarashtra, unable to see the battlefield himself, asks his charioteer Sanjaya — gifted with clairvoyant vision by Vyasa — to narrate the events at Kurukshetra. His very first words become the opening of the entire Gita.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who speaks the first verse of the Bhagavad Gita?▼
The blind king Dhritarashtra speaks the opening verse. He asks his minister Sanjaya, who has been granted divine sight by Veda Vyasa, to describe what is happening on the battlefield of Kurukshetra between his sons (the Kauravas) and the Pandavas.
Why is Kurukshetra called 'dharma-kshetra'?▼
Kurukshetra is called the 'field of dharma' because it was a sacred land of pilgrimage and because the battle fought there was, at its heart, a struggle for righteousness. Commentators also note that being on holy ground would naturally awaken dharma even in those inclined to adharma.
Why does the Gita begin with a question from Dhritarashtra?▼
Beginning with Dhritarashtra's anxious question immediately reveals his attachment to his own sons ('my sons' versus 'the sons of Pandu'). This subtle partiality frames the moral tension of the epic and draws the listener into the unfolding dialogue that becomes the Gita.
Is this verse important even though Krishna does not speak it?▼
Yes. As the opening verse, it sets the entire scene and is traditionally recited at the beginning of any complete reading of the Gita. It establishes the setting of Kurukshetra and the relationship between the speakers before Krishna's teaching begins.
Ready to start chanting?
See Benefits & How to Chant →