Bhagwad Gita As It Is - chapter 1 verse 3 by Shyamananda Das

At the start of the Mahabharat, what does Duryodhan warn his guru, Dronacharya, about?Why did Dronacharya want to take revenge against King Dhrupad?Who taught the art of warfare to King Dhrupad’s son, Drishtadyumn? Why did Dronacharya teach the art to war to his arch-enemy’s son?What was Dronacharya’s dharma?In the Bhagwad Gita, verse 1:3, Duryodhan warns Dronacharya against showing any leniency during the battle to his enemies, even though he may have been their guru. Seeing the army of the Pandavs, Duryodhan says to his teacher Dronacharya, “Behold the great army of the sons of Pandu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple, the son of Dhrupad.” Duryodhan is pointing out the mistake Dronacharya, a liberal intellectual and an expert in the art of warfare, has made in teaching the son of Dhrupad, his arch rival. Dronacharya and Dhrupad completed their studies in the same ashram. Dhrupad had told Dronacharya, “After I finish my studies, I will become a king, if you need anything, my palace will be open for you.” Dronacharya finished his studies, got married, and had a son named Ashwathama. They were so poor that they could not even afford milk for their son. Dronacharya decides to go to Dhrupad and ask for help. Dhrupad refuses to recognise Dronacharya and insults him. Dronacharya feels humiliated and vows to take revenge. Shortly thereafter he is appointed as a teacher to both the Kauravs and Pandavs. After their training is complete, Dronacharya asks them to give guru dakshina. He asks them to capture Dhrupad in return for his teachings. Duryodhan goes first, but he is soundly defeated by Dhrupad’s army. Then Arjun goes to fight Dhrupad, he not only defeats him but also binds him and brings him back to Dronacharya like a common prisoner. Dronacharya sends Dhrupad back and returns one-half of his kingdom. Dhrupad, now humiliated, wants revenge; he performs a fire sacrifice and asks for a son and daughter. He begets a daughter called Draupadi and a son, Drishtadyumn. Dhrupad sends his son Drishtadyumn for military training to Dronacharya, who decides that it is his dharm to train Dhrupad’s son, even though he wants him killed. In Kurukshetra, Duryodhan asks Dronacharya to not be similarly lenient during the battle or else they will face defeat. Shyamananda Das is a senior member of the management committee at Sri Radha Gopinath temple, ISKCON Chowpatty, Mumbai, editor of the ISKCON monthly magazine ‘Back to Godhead’ and a translator for the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. An MBA in finance from Mumbai University, Swami ji has been a resident of the Iskcon Chowpatty for the last thirty years.Introduction: Mona MehtaText summary: Sonal SrivastavaAudio production: Basant Singhal