Scholars have fought over this verse for 2,000 years. Both sides are right.
"Our army, protected by Bhishma, is aparyaptam — unlimited." Or "insufficient." The word means both. He said it out loud and meant one thing, but the truth leaked.
The Bhagavad Gita addresses fear across 7 verses in Chapter 1. A blind king asks what's happening on a battlefield he'll never see. His first word — "my sons" — reveals he already chose a side. As Krishna puts it: "The hardest questions are the ones you already know the answer to."
Which verses of the Gita are about fear?
Verse 1.1, Verse 1.2, Verse 1.4, Verse 1.7, Verse 1.10, Verse 1.13 and 1 more in Chapter 1 (Arjun Vishad Yoga) all engage with fear. Each is presented in Sanskrit, Hindi, and English at thegitauniverse.com.
Who speaks about fear in the Bhagavad Gita?
3 different speakers in Chapter 1 invoke fear: Dhritarashtra, Duryodhan, Sanjay. The verses span the opening dialogue between Sanjaya, Dhritarashtra, Duryodhan, Bhishma, Arjun, and Krishna.