Bhagavad Gītā · Chapter 1, Verse 7
अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम।
नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान्ब्रवीमि ते।।
नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान्ब्रवीमि ते।।
asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye tānnibodha dwijottama
nāyakā mama sainyasya sanjñārthaṁ tānbravīmi te
also searched as "asmakam tu vishishta ye tannibodha dwijottama"
Translation
Know, O best of Brahmanas, those who are important on our side—those who are the commanders of my army. I shall name them to refresh your memory.
Vāṇi's rendering
Now hear our own leaders, the finest of my army — let me name them for you.
Word by word
| Sanskrit & transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|
| अस्माकम्asmākaṁ | of ours, on our side |
| तुtu | but, now |
| विशिष्टाःviśiṣṭāḥ | the distinguished ones, the outstanding |
| येye | who |
| तान्tān | them (sandhi: tān + nibodha) |
| निबोधnibodha | know, hear and mark |
| द्विज-उत्तमdvija-uttama | O best of the twice-born (address to Drona) |
| नायकाःnāyakāḥ | leaders, commanders |
| ममmama | my |
| सैन्यस्यsainyasya | of the army |
| संज्ञा-अर्थम्saṁjñā-arthaṁ | for the sake of recognition, so you will know them |
| तान्tān | them (sandhi: tān + bravīmi) |
| ब्रवीमिbravīmi | I name, I speak |
| तेte | to you |
Frequently asked
What does Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 Verse 7 mean?
Duryodhana turns from the Pāṇḍava ranks to his own, telling Droṇa to mark the outstanding men who lead his army, and offering to name them. On the surface it is a briefing. Underneath it is a man reassuring himself out loud, listing his strengths because he has just finished looking at someone else's.
What does asmakam tu vishishta ye tannibodha dwijottama mean?
It means: now hear those on our side who are distinguished, O best of the twice-born. Duryodhana addresses Droṇa with an honorific that is also a needle — twice-born, brāhmaṇa, teacher by caste rather than soldier. Praise and pressure arrive in the same breath, which is how Duryodhana speaks to everyone.
Why does Duryodhana list his own commanders here?
Because he has just listed the enemy's and did not like the arithmetic. The naming is meant to steady Droṇa; it steadies Duryodhana more. Strength that is genuinely felt stays quiet. Strength that is being argued for needs an audience, and here the audience is the speaker himself.
What can I take from this verse in my own life?
Watch the moments you begin cataloguing your resources — your credentials, your allies, your record. Ask who the list is really for. Often it is not persuasion of another but a private attempt to quiet a doubt that has already spoken. Hear the doubt instead. It is more honest company than the list.
Read every verse this way, held — inside Vāṇi.
View on the App Store
Commentary
Duryodhana has just counted the enemy. Now he counts his own — and the counting is the tell. He calls Drona best of the twice-born, honouring the teacher while reminding him he is a priest by birth, not a warrior. Every word is placed. A man sure of his strength does not need to list it aloud; he recites his commanders' names the way a frightened man checks his pockets. Fear, in Duryodhana, sounds exactly like confidence. Notice this the next time you find yourself reciting your advantages to someone who never asked. You are not informing them. You are steadying yourself.