This shloka completes the action that began in the previous shloka.

In 1.24, Sanjaya said that Kṛṣṇa, Hṛṣīkeśa, placed Arjuna’s excellent chariot between the two armies. Now the exact placement is described. Kṛṣṇa placed the chariot bhīṣmadroṇapramukhataḥ — in front of Bhīṣma and Droṇa, who stood prominently among the warriors.

This placement is very important in the chapter flow. Arjuna had asked to see the Kaurava side clearly. Kṛṣṇa could have placed the chariot in front of Duryodhana. If Arjuna had seen Duryodhana first, his earlier anger toward Duryodhana’s adharma may have increased. But Kṛṣṇa places the chariot in front of Bhīṣma and Droṇa.

Bhīṣma is Arjuna’s grandsire. Droṇa is Arjuna’s teacher. Both are great elders, and both are deeply connected with Arjuna’s upbringing, affection, and reverence. Seeing them in battle formation is very different from seeing only Duryodhana.

The phrase sarveṣāṁ ca mahīkṣitām means “and all the kings.” Many kings have assembled on the battlefield. Kṛṣṇa places the chariot before the great elders and in the presence of all these rulers.

Then Kṛṣṇa speaks: uvāca pārtha paśya etān samavetān kurūn iti — “He said, O Pārtha, see these assembled Kurus.”

The word Pārtha means son of Pṛthā, that is, Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa addresses him affectionately and directly.

The word paśya means “see.” Kṛṣṇa does not give a long teaching here. He simply says, “Look.” Arjuna had asked to see, and Kṛṣṇa now invites him to see.

The phrase etān samavetān kurūn means “these assembled Kurus.” This is also significant. Kṛṣṇa does not say “see your enemies.” He does not say “see Duryodhana’s army.” He says “see these Kurus.” The word Kuru points to the family line. It includes the people of the Kuru lineage who have now assembled for war. That one word prepares the emotional shift that will come next.

Until now, Arjuna was seeing the war largely as dharma versus adharma. He had called Duryodhana durbuddhi, evil-minded. His intellect was still clear that this was a dharma-yuddha. But now Kṛṣṇa places him before Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and the assembled Kurus. This becomes the immediate setting in which Arjuna’s perception begins to change.

This shloka itself does not yet describe Arjuna’s sorrow. It only shows Kṛṣṇa’s placement and words: “O Pārtha, see these assembled Kurus.” But it is a decisive moment. The chariot is not merely physically between two armies; Arjuna is now placed before the very people toward whom his attachment will soon arise.