So dåñövä tu päëòavänékam [Bg. 1.2]. Duryodhana did not expect that the Päëòavas would be able to accomplish military strength so nicely because they were bereft of all sources. Their kingdom was taken away, their money was usurped, they were sent into the forest, so many tribulations. But the foolish Duryodhana did not know that above all, there was Kåñëa on their side. That he could not calculate. Therefore when he saw the Päëòavas are well-equipped with good number of soldiers, päëòavänékam, he was little surprised, that "How they could gather are so many soldiers?" So immediately, to consult the commander-in-chief Dronäcärya....

Dronäcärya was everyone’s teacher, äcärya. Äcärya means teacher. Äcäryam upasaìgamya [Bg. 1.2]. The military teacher. So Duryodhana, he was military teacher of the Päëòavas also. When all of them were children, they were given under the instruction of Dronäcärya. Dronäcärya was brähmaëa, but he knew the military art. Therefore he was appointed teacher for all the boys, the Kauravas. So... but Äcärya, Dronäcärya joined with Duryodhana. Bhéñmadeva joined with Duryodhana. None of them joined with Arjuna. Because Arjuna or Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira was not king at that time, the financial control was not in their hands, and these people, sons of Dhåtaräñöra, they were on the government political power. The financial control was in their hands. So they were giving enough money for maintenance to Dronäcärya and Bhéñmadeva. So they felt obliged. Of course, they knew everything. But externally, they felt obligation: "Arjuna, I am getting money from Duryodhana. So in this point of danger, if I do not join him, it does not look well. I am getting financial maintenance."

Of course, Arjuna did not ask him. Arjuna was satisfied with Kåñëa. That’s all. Kåñëa also divided Himself. Because it is family quarrel. So He said, "I cannot take part with anyone and even if I take part, side, of any of you, I shall not fight. Directly I shall not fight. I may be on your side or that side, but I’ll not fight." Still, Arjuna was satisfied. So Kåñëa, in order to satisfy Arjuna, that "I shall not fight, but I shall become your charioteer. I shall drive your chariot." So in this way the battle was arranged, and when Dhåtaräñöra inquired, kim akurvata saïjaya [Bg. 1.1], "What did they do?" He said, "Sir, don’t be disappointed. There was no compromise. Immediately your son, after seeing the military arrangement of the Päëòavas, he was surprised, and immediately he went to Dronäcärya." He is the commander-in-chief appointed first. "What to do?" Räjä vacanam abravét [Bg. 1.2]. Then he began to speak, to inform Dronäcärya. So next verse.

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.)

paçyaitäà päëòu-puträëäm
äcärya mahatià camüm
vyüòhäà drupada-putreëa
tava çiñyeëa dhématä
[Bg. 1.3]

Translation: "O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Päëòu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada."

Prabhupäda: So—intelligent. This Drupada, the son of Drupada, he was meant for killing Dronäcärya. Drupada Mahäräja was not in good terms with Dronäcärya. So he performed a yajïa to get a son who could kill Dronäcärya. That son is this Draupada. So Dronäcärya knew that "Drupada Mahäräja has got his son. In future he would kill me." Still, when he was offered to become his disciple, to learn military art, he accepted, "Yes." That means the brähmaëas were so liberal: "When he is coming as my disciple, never mind, he would kill me in future. That doesn’t matter. But I must give him teaching." Therefore this word is used, dhématä, very intelligent: "He has killed the military science from you just to kill you." Dhématä, tava çiñyeëa. "Your disciple, he has arranged." This is the pointing out. So that he may be angry: "This rascal has learned from me and he wants to kill me?"

But no. Duty is duty. After all, everyone will die; nobody will exist. So nobody should be afraid of death. This is Vedic civilization. Death is inevitable. "As sure as death." Who can avoid death? So being afraid of death, we should not deviate from our duties, real duty. That is Vedic civilization. So Duryodhana wanted to point out "That this boy, your disciple, he... It is fixed up that he’s meant for killing you, and he has arranged nicely military phalanx just to defeat you. And he has learned this art from you."

Therefore he is using this word, dhématä. Dhé, dhé means intelligence. Dhémat-çabda. Dhémat. Dhé means intelligence, and mat means "one who possesses." Asty arthe matup-pratyaya. When one possesses something, in this sense, this pratyaya... In Sanskrit there are pratyayas. So matup pratyaya. So matup. From matup, it comes to mat. Sanskrit language means it is so reformed that each and every word has significance. Not that like your English language. "Beauty but peauty put.(?)" No, not like that. If you say "beauty but," you must say, "peauty put." But no, you change: beauty but peauty put. Why? This kind of change cannot be allowed in Sanskrit language. If the "u" means "aù," just like beauty but, then it must always mean like that, no change. So dhématä. Dhé means intelligence. Dhé means intelligence. So one who has got intelligence. Every word is used with full meaning. Sanskrit language is so nice. Therefore it is called Sanskrit, Sanskrit, Saàskåta. Saàskåta means reform. And the alphabets are called devanägaré. Devanägaré means these alphabets... Just like in Europe the Roman letters are used, similarly, in the upper planetary system these alphabets are used, devanägaré, used in the cities of the demigods. And the language is called Saàskåta, "most reformed." And Sanskrit is the mother of all languages.

Even in this planet, the Latin is also derived from Sanskrit. Just like the "maternal," the matå-çabda, "paternal," pitå-çabda. So dhématä. So here the writer is Vyäsadeva. So every word is selected, either in Bhagavad-gétä or in Çrémad-Bhägavatam or the Puräëas, all writings of..., Mahäbhärata, each and every word is used just like weighing in the balance. So many words should be in the beginning, so many words should be in the end. And not whimsically. That cannot be allowed. That is called saàskåta sähitya, literary... Just like Caitanya Mahäprabhu when he was hearing Keçava Käçméré, as soon as there was little discrepancy, bhaväné-bhartä, immediately he criticized and defeated him. Sanskrit language is so nice.

Paçyaitäà päëòu-puträëäm äcärya: [Bg. 1.3] "My dear teacher, just see how many military soldiers are standing there on behalf of the Päëòavas, and they have been arranged by your disciple, who is meant for killing you. So just remember." That means "You become more strong that this boy and the other party may not kill you." But Duryodhana does not know that the death does not depend on military strength or bodily strength. When death will come, nobody can check. Death is God. When Kåñëa desires that "This man should be killed now," or "He must die now," nobody can check. Räkhe kåñëa mare ke mare kåñëa räkhe ke. If Kåñëa desires to kill somebody, nobody can give him protection, no power. And if He wants to save somebody, nobody can kill him. This is Kåñëa’s protection.