Vedic · Sanskrit
Bhagavad Gita Opening (Dharmakshetre Kurukshetre)
धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः। मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय॥
Pronunciation: dhar-mah-kshe-treh · koo-roo-kshe-treh · sah-mah-veh-tah · yoo-yoot-sah-vah · / · mah-mah-kah · pahn-dah-vahsh-chai-vah · kim-ah-koor-vah-tah · sahn-jah-yah
Translation: On the field of dharma, on the field of the Kurus, gathered together eager to fight, what did my people and the Pandavas do, O Sanjaya?
The opening verse of the Bhagavad Gita — establishing the dharmic context from which the Gita's entire teaching emerges. Among the most quoted verses in Hindu tradition.
What this mantra is
The Bhagavad Gita ("Song of the Lord") is one of the most important Hindu scriptures and among the most-translated spiritual texts in the world. The Gita appears in the Mahabharata epic — Krishna's teaching to Arjuna on the eve of the great war, when Arjuna faces the moral crisis of having to fight against his own family and teachers. The 700-verse text addresses dharma, the nature of action, the paths of yoga (karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga, raja yoga), and the structure of reality.
The opening verse (1.1) is spoken by the blind king Dhritarashtra to his charioteer Sanjaya, asking what is happening on the battlefield. The phrasing is dense with meaning. "Dharmakshetre" — on the field of dharma. "Kurukshetre" — on the field of the Kurus (the warring families). "Samaveta yuyutsavah" — gathered together eager to fight. "Mamakah pandavascha eva" — my people and the Pandavas (Dhritarashtra refers to his own sons as "my people," indicating his bias). "Kim akurvata" — what did they do. "Sanjaya" — the name of the charioteer.
Each phrase carries the entire Gita in compressed form. Kurukshetra is both the literal battlefield (in modern Haryana, India) and the field of every human moral conflict — the place where dharma must be enacted in difficult circumstances. The Gita's teaching emerges from this universal context.
The opening verse is often recited as the beginning of Bhagavad Gita study, as the opening of broader Krishna-devotional practice, and as a contemplative anchor for those engaging with Vedic ethics and philosophy.
For non-Hindu practitioners, the Bhagavad Gita is among the most accessible Hindu philosophical texts. Multiple excellent translations exist — Eknath Easwaran's, Stephen Mitchell's, the ISKCON Bhaktivedanta translation, Winthrop Sargeant's verse-by-verse translation. Beginning with the opening verse and moving systematically through the text rewards substantial study.
Meaning
The opening verse of the Bhagavad Gita — spoken by the blind king Dhritarashtra to his charioteer Sanjaya at the start of the Mahabharata war. The verse establishes the entire framework of the Gita: the field of dharma (cosmic right action), the field of the Kurus (the family conflict, the human stakes), the gathering of opposing forces, the king's anxious question about what is happening. Each phrase carries layers of philosophical meaning — Kurukshetra is both the literal battlefield and the field of every human moral conflict; the Gita's teaching emerges from this universal context.
History
The Bhagavad Gita is part of the Mahabharata epic, dated to approximately 5th century BCE through 2nd century CE in current form. The Gita itself is the philosophical-devotional core of the epic — 18 chapters of Krishna's teaching to Arjuna.
Major classical commentaries include Adi Shankaracharya's (Advaita Vedanta interpretation), Ramanuja's (Vishishtadvaita interpretation), Madhva's (Dvaita interpretation), and various others representing the major Hindu philosophical schools. Modern commentaries by Sri Aurobindo, Mahatma Gandhi, Eknath Easwaran, the Dalai Lama (his "For the Benefit of All Beings" includes Gita material), and various contemporary teachers have made the text accessible globally.
The Gita has been continuously recited and studied across Hindu tradition for at least 2,000 years. It is the most-translated Hindu scripture in any language.
Associated deity / focus
Krishna (who teaches the Gita to Arjuna) and the broader cosmic structure that the Gita addresses. The opening verse establishes the human context; the deity-teaching unfolds across the rest of the text.
How to use it
Sit upright. Three slow breaths.
The opening verse takes ~15 seconds. Recite as the opening of Gita study sessions, as a contemplative anchor, or as the opening of broader Krishna practice.
For study: pair recitation with reading the full Gita. The text is short enough (700 verses, perhaps 200-250 pages depending on edition) to read through in a few sittings; it is dense enough to reward lifetime study.
Daily practice: many practitioners recite the opening verse as the start of daily Gita reading — even just one verse per day, with contemplation, builds substantial relationship with the text over years.
Best time
At the opening of Gita study sessions. Pre-dawn for daily contemplative practice. Gita Jayanti (the 11th day of the bright fortnight of Margashirsha, December) is the central annual celebration of the Gita.
Benefits
Traditionally: establishes the dharmic context for Gita engagement; provides daily contact with one of the most concentrated philosophical-devotional texts in any tradition; supports serious study and contemplation.
Cultural context
The Gita is genuinely cross-cultural in its reach. Practice with depth: read multiple translations; study commentaries from different schools (Advaita Vedanta vs. bhakti vs. Madhva); engage with the full text rather than just isolated verses.
FAQ
What's the significance of "dharmakshetre"?
Dharma kshetra means "field of dharma" or "field of right action." The phrasing is significant — the Gita doesn't begin with the war as merely physical conflict, it begins with the war as the place where dharma must be enacted. Every human moral choice happens on a kind of dharmakshetra — the field where right action must be performed in difficult circumstances. The Gita's teaching is universal because every person faces some form of moral conflict requiring dharmic discernment.
Should I read the Gita?
If interested in Hindu philosophy or contemplative practice, yes — the Gita is one of the most accessible and rewarding Hindu texts. Multiple excellent translations exist. The text is short (700 verses, ~200-250 pages depending on edition) and structured (18 chapters, each with specific theme). Read systematically with a good commentary; the philosophical depth rewards lifetime engagement.
Why is Dhritarashtra blind?
Dhritarashtra's blindness is both literal and symbolic. Literally: he was born blind (a key plot point in the Mahabharata). Symbolically: his blindness represents the moral blindness of attachment — Dhritarashtra cannot see his own sons clearly enough to recognize their wrongness. The opening verse's phrasing "my people and the Pandavas" reveals his bias — he refers to his own sons as "my people" while the Pandavas (also his nephews, equally part of his family) are merely named. The Gita's teaching unfolds from this context of moral blindness clarified by Krishna's wisdom.
What is Gita Jayanti?
Gita Jayanti is the annual celebration of the Bhagavad Gita's revelation, falling on the 11th day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month Margashirsha (typically late November or December). The day commemorates Krishna teaching the Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield. Many Hindus undertake intensive Gita reading or recitation on this day; some communities organize public Gita recitations or studies.
Which translation should I read?
Multiple excellent options. Eknath Easwaran's translation is highly accessible and readable. Stephen Mitchell's is poetic. The ISKCON Bhaktivedanta translation provides extensive Gaudiya Vaishnava commentary. Winthrop Sargeant's verse-by-verse translation includes Sanskrit and word-by-word breakdown for serious study. Sri Aurobindo's commentary is philosophically deep. Reading multiple translations illuminates different aspects of the text.