सञ्जय उवाच ।
दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा ।
आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत् ।। 2।।
sañjaya uvācha
dṛiṣhṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ vyūḍhaṁ duryodhanastadā
āchāryamupasaṅgamya rājā vachanamabravīt
Sanjaya, the narrator of the Bhagavad Gita, starts by explaining how Duryodhana, upon seeing the Pandavas’ army in a strong formation, became concerned. He felt worried about the strength of their formation. Duryodhana decided to approach his teacher, Dronacharya, to discuss the situation.
Sanjaya calls Duryodhana “Raja,” or King, for several reasons. Duryodhana was not only a prominent leader and skilled statesman, but he was also in charge of the government. This made it appropriate to address him with respect. Additionally, Sanjaya, who had a respectful nature, showed respect to everyone, including Duryodhana. Calling Duryodhana “Raja” also likely made Dhritarashtra, Duryodhana’s father, feel some pride.
When Duryodhana saw the Pandavas’ well-organized army, he was startled and quickly went to Dronacharya. He hoped that Dronacharya, who was an expert in military strategy, would suggest a plan to Bhishma, the Kaurava army’s Chief Commander, to form a stronger and more secure battle formation.
Although Bhishma was the Chief Commander, Dronacharya had an important and influential role in the Kaurava army. It was important for Dronacharya to stay in his position within the army. Leaving his position could create confusion. Duryodhana, even though he had the authority as King, chose to go to Dronacharya instead of calling him. This was because Dronacharya was old, wise, and held a respected position as a teacher. Duryodhana also wanted to gain Dronacharya’s support for his own goals, so it was important to show him honor and respect. Showing respect is important in both spiritual and political matters. It was appropriate for Duryodhana to approach Dronacharya directly.
Sanjaya, who narrates the events of the war to the blind King Dhritarashtra, had a special ability to see and hear events happening far away on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. This ability, known as clairvoyance (seeing from a distance) or clairaudience (hearing from a distance), is not necessarily linked to spiritual enlightenment. It is a psychic ability that can sometimes develop naturally or through effort.
While Sanjaya’s ability might seem unusual, it is not unique. In modern times, some people have similar abilities. For example, Ted Serios, a man in America, could see and capture images from far away. There have also been cases where people, after accidents, developed abilities like hearing distant radio stations or seeing stars during the day.
These examples show that such psychic abilities exist and are not necessarily connected to spiritual greatness. Sanjaya was not an all-knowing being; he had a special power that allowed him to narrate the battle to Dhritarashtra. However, these powers can sometimes distract a person from the pursuit of true spiritual knowledge.
Psychic research in the West has explored these abilities, and there is scientific evidence to support their existence. In countries like Russia and America, there is growing interest in developing these abilities, especially in the context of space exploration.
In conclusion, Sanjaya’s role in the Bhagavad Gita is that of a narrator with special abilities. These abilities are impressive but do not necessarily indicate spiritual enlightenment. These are abilities that others can develop as well.