Shloka 22
Karma-Yoga, Yajña-Cakra, and the Governance of Desire (कर्मयोग–यज्ञचक्र–कामनिग्रह)
यावदेतान् निरीक्षे5हं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान् कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन् रणसमुद्यमे
yāvad etān nirīkṣe ’haṁ yoddhukāmān avasthitān | kair mayā saha yoddhavyam asmin raṇasamudyame ||
“جب تک میں ان جنگ کے خواہش مند، میدان میں ڈٹے ہوئے جنگجوؤں کو اچھی طرح دیکھ نہ لوں کہ اس رزم کے اقدام میں مجھے کن کن کے ساتھ لڑنا ہے، تب تک رتھ یہیں ٹھہرائے رکھئے۔”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights discernment before action: Arjuna seeks to see clearly who stands before him in war, implying that ethical responsibility and clarity about one’s opponents and obligations should precede decisive engagement in a grave act like battle.
On the battlefield, Arjuna asks that the chariot be positioned so he can carefully survey the opposing side—those assembled and eager to fight—so he can understand whom he is about to confront in the imminent war.