Bhagavad Gita - First Shloka Insights & interpretation

Dhritarashtra uvacha :

"Dharmakshetre Kurukshetre samaveta Yuyutsavah
Mamakah Pandvashchaiva kimakurvata Sanjaya"

Translation :
Dhritrashtra said : O Sanjaya, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do as they assembled at the holy place of Kurukshetra to fight

Insights & Interpretation :

Origin of Gita is Geet or song. It is a scripture which is not to be read as a normal book. One should read one verse of Gita at a time and then ponder over it. Each verse is loaded with deep insights and meaning.

Any war is a 'Dharamakshetra' as it is the field of righteousness and ground for moral struggle.

The world that we live in is also a 'Dharamakshetra' as we constantly struggle between 'right' and 'wrong', the decisive factors lies in our heart or conscience where the battles are fought daily and hourly. Our Karmakshetra or our karmabhoomi where we do our karma ie. action and fulfill the purpose of soul making is the foundation of our 'Dharamakshetra'.

The Gita teaches practice and not theory of Karma as the foundation for Dharma.

Man is deeply related to Dharma, though one may argue that even animal is related to Dhrama but there is difference between animal and man. Man has knowledge of 'Right' and 'Wrong' which is not with animal. If an animal is domesticated, to a certain extent he understands right or wrong but that is the human touch which helps him understand the difference. Recently there was an article in newspapers about a dog who tried saving children of his masters who were caught in a fire by jumping into the fire and burning himself in the process. You cannot find any such instance in animal world. Animals by nature are innocent but lack wisdom of right or wrong. Man is higher animal, he is called higher animal or hidden animal because at times man does actions lower than those done by animals. If the man ignores right and wrong sooner or later he will face a war and pay heavy price for his conduct.

Dhritarashtra's words which distinguish 'my sons' and 'Pandu's sons' cannot be interpreted as ordinary as they are loaded with partiality towards his own sons. Dhritarashtra was blind physically but his fondness for his eldest son Duryodhan made him blind even mentally. Inspite of knowing all ill plans of his sons against Pandavas and inspite of being the king he ignored all the rule of governance. As the king his Dharma required him to be impartial but the partiality in his karma towards his sons ultimately resulted in all his sons dying untimely death and in complete destruction of his clan. Hindus have sought sons as one of the main function that a son does is to lit the pyre of his parents when they dye. Dhritarashtra's karma resulted in a situation wherein not single son of his was left to lit his pyre. All his sons died infront of him and ultimately this is the price that he paid for displaying partiality towards his sons and against Pandu's sons. Dharma cannot be selected as Dharma is like a mother which one gets without choice. You can select your spouse but not your mother. So Dharma is like mother or equivalent of God.

Kurukshetra : Kuru is the clan for both Kauravas and Pandavas, it is also a place in Haryana. Kurukshetra is the battle ground for the Kurus. By not following Dharma, Kurus are now set to fight a battle that will be the bloodiest and toughest of battle ever fought by man kind.

The witness to this war is Sanjay who is chariot to Dhritarashtra and is blessed with divya drishti (divine sight) by sage Vysya.

Mahabharat was originally titled 'JaiBharat' but later it became Mahabharat perhaps because of the size of the scripture.

Mahabharat establishes that injustice and attachments ultimately result into pain and destruction and that the biggest battle ground is ones mind where there is a constant battle happening between right and wrong.