This shloka continues Arjuna’s request from the previous shloka.

In 1.21, Arjuna asked Kṛṣṇa, “O Acyuta, place my chariot between the two armies.” Now he gives the immediate purpose of that request.

The word yāvat here carries the sense “so that” or “until.” Arjuna is saying: “Place the chariot there so that I may see.”

He says, etān nirīkṣe aham — “let me see these people carefully.” The verb nirīkṣe is important. It means to observe, inspect, or look closely. Arjuna does not want a vague look from far away. He wants to survey the warriors directly and clearly from the middle of the battlefield.

At this stage, Arjuna’s mindset is still that of a prepared warrior. He is not yet expressing sorrow or withdrawal. Having trained his whole life for such a moment, he wants to see the opposing warriors properly before beginning the battle. There is an eagerness to inspect the opponents before the fighting starts.

Who are they? He calls them yoddhukāmān avasthitān — those who are standing there, desirous of fighting. Yoddhukāmāḥ means those who desire to fight. Avasthitāḥ means those who are positioned or stationed. They have not come casually; they are arrayed and ready for battle.

Then he says, kaiḥ mayā saha yoddhavyam — “with whom fighting has to be done by me.” The usage is significant. He does not say merely, “whom I want to fight.” The form yoddhavyam has the sense of “has to be fought” or “is to be fought.” This keeps the tone close to duty. Arjuna is approaching the battle as something to be done, not as a personal adventure driven by excitement or hatred.

Finally he says, asmin raṇasamudyame — “in this undertaking of war.” This is not a small quarrel. It is the huge Mahābhārata war-effort. Many kings and warriors from different sides have gathered. Arjuna wants to see them clearly.

The shloka therefore shows Arjuna’s intention at this stage: through nirīkṣe, he wants to carefully survey the assembled fighters; through kaiḥ mayā saha yoddhavyam, he wants to know with whom this battle-duty has to be performed by him; and through asmin raṇasamudyame, he recognizes the seriousness of this great war-effort. The deeper emotional change will unfold later. Here, the focus remains on clear inspection before the war begins.