September 1,2012. Day 26. BHAGAVAD GITA - As It Is Original by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. Chapter 1. Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra (Continued) Text 24.

BHAGAVAD GITA - As It Is Original by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada
Chapter 1. Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra (Continued)

                                                                         TEXT 24

sanjaya uvaca 
evam ukto hrsikeso 
gudakesena bharata 
senayor ubhayor madhye 
sthapayitva rathottamam

SYNONYMS

sanjayah--Sanjaya; uvaca--said; evam--thus; uktah--addressed;hrsikesah--Lord Krsna; gudakesena--by Arjuna; bharata--O descendant of Bharata; senayoh--of armies; ubhayoh--of both; madhye--in the midst of; sthapayitva--by placing; ratha-uttamam--the finest chariot.

TRANSLATION

Sanjaya said: O descendant of Bharata, being thus addressed by Arjuna, Lord Krsna drew up the fine chariot in the midst of the armies of both parties.

 

PURPORT

In this verse Arjuna is referred to as Gudakesa. Gudaka means sleep, and one who conquers sleep is called gudakesa. Sleep also means ignorance. So Arjuna conquered both sleep and ignorance because of his friendship with Krsna. As a great devotee of Krsna, he could not forget Krsna even for a moment, because that is the nature of a devotee. Either in waking or in sleep, a devotee of the Lord can never be free from thinking of Krsna's name, form, quality and pastimes. Thus a devotee of Krsna can conquer both sleep and ignorance simply by thinking of Krsna constantly. This is called Krsna consciousness, or samadhi. As Hrsikesa, or the director of the senses and mind of every living entity, Krsna could understand Arjuna's purpose in placing the chariot in the midst of the armies. Thus He did so, and spoke as follows.