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 self-doubt across 4 verses in Chapter 1. Duryodhan names Bheem, Arjun, and their allies one by one — as if saying the names out loud could shrink them. As Krishna puts it: "The mind that keeps measuring itself against others never measures itself."
Which verses of the Gita are about self-doubt?
Verse 1.4, Verse 1.6, Verse 1.7, Verse 1.10 in Chapter 1 (Arjun Vishad Yoga) all engage with self-doubt. Each is presented in Sanskrit, Hindi, and English at thegitauniverse.com.
Who speaks about self-doubt in the Bhagavad Gita?
1 different speakers in Chapter 1 invoke self-doubt: Duryodhan. The verses span the opening dialogue between Sanjaya, Dhritarashtra, Duryodhan, Bhishma, Arjun, and Krishna.