Comparison can inform you; obsession with comparison weakens you.
Sanjaya narrates to King Dhritarashtra
अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि।युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः।।
atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjuna-samā yudhi yuyudhāno virāṭaś ca drupadaś ca mahārathaḥ
Return to this verse whenever comparison disturbs your peace.
Meaning
Here are heroes and mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna: Yuyudhana, Virata, and Drupada, the great chariot warrior.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Duryodhana begins counting the strength of the other side. Comparison can provide information, but obsession with comparison weakens the mind.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
This verse looks like a list of warriors, but it shows the anxious mind scanning threats. Duryodhana compares others to Bhima and Arjuna, symbols of power. In today’s world, we do this with competitors, colleagues, creators and businesses. Awareness of competition is useful; anxiety-driven comparison is not. The Gita teaches us to observe reality without losing our inner center.
Read the traditional commentary
Duryodhana continues his catalogue of the Pandava generals, naming warriors of exceptional calibre. Each name he recites increases the psychological pressure he is placing on Dronacharya and himself. The comparison to Bhima and Arjuna — the most fearsome Pandava warriors — signals that Duryodhana recognises the formidable opposition aligned against him.
This enumeration of enemies is a double-edged act: Duryodhana may be trying to impress upon his teacher the seriousness of the threat, but it also exposes his own dread. A person who lists every danger in elaborate detail often does so not to inform but to voice inner fear.
For us, this is a reminder that cataloguing obstacles and fears exhaustively can itself become an obstacle. Courage is not the absence of recognising danger; it is choosing to act in alignment with dharma despite danger. The moment we stop counting the enemy's strengths and start concentrating on our own preparation, we shift from anxiety to readiness.
In daily life
Use comparison as data, not as self-judgment.
A founder can study competitors to improve strategy, but fear of being behind kills creativity.
Try this today
Write one thing to learn from someone you compare with and one strength you already have.
I learn from others without losing faith in myself.Reflect
Where is comparison helping me grow, and where is it stealing peace?
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Quick check
What does ‘भीमार्जुनसमाः’ mean in this verse?
The Gita on war, in other chapters
- Verse 11.26 · ArjunaEven those we love most are held within the Divine's vast unfolding, far beyond our hands to save or destroy.
- Verse 2.2Recognize when what feels like compassion is actually ego-driven weakness, and choose clarity over comfortable inaction.
- Verse 3.1 · ArjunaWhen spiritual ideals seem to clash with hard duties, bring the confusion into the open rather than using it as an excuse to retreat.
- Verse 4.13The divine creates the whole moving world yet remains untouched by it — the model for acting fully while staying inwardly free.
Swipe left for 1.5 · Do not let fear become the narrator of facts.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 1.4
Who says Bhagavad Gita 1.4, and to whom?
Sanjaya narrates to King Dhritarashtra in verse 1.4, in Chapter 1, Arjuna's Dilemma (Arjuna Vishada Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 1.4 mean?
Here are heroes and mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna: Yuyudhana, Virata, and Drupada, the great chariot warrior. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 1.4 for daily life?
Use comparison as data, not as self-judgment. A founder can study competitors to improve strategy, but fear of being behind kills creativity.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 1.4 mean?
अत्र — here; शूराः — heroes; महेष्वासाः — great bowmen; भीमार्जुनसमाः — equals of Bhima and Arjuna; युयुधानः — Yuyudhana (Satyaki).
Where does verse 1.4 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 4 of 47 in Chapter 1, Arjuna's Dilemma. The next verse is 1.5.