sapadi sakhi-vaco niśamya madhye nija-parayor balayo rathaṁ niveśya sthitavati para-sainikāyur akṣṇā hṛtavati pārtha-sakhe ratir mamāstu
Synonyms
sapadi—on the battlefield; sakhi-vacaḥ—command of the friend Nisamya—after hearing; niśamya—in the midst of; madhye—own; nija—the opposite party; parayoḥ—strength; balayoḥ—chariot; ratham—having entered; niveśya—while staying there; sthitavati—soldiers on the opposite side. Ayur—duration of life; para-sainika—by looking over; āyuḥ—act of diminishing; akṣṇā—Arjuna son of Pritha (Kunti); hṛtavati—unto the friend of; pārtha—intimate relation; sakhe—mine; ratiḥ—let there be.
Translation
In obedience to the command of his friend, Lord Shri Krishna entered the arena of the battlefield of Kurukshetra between the soldiers of Arjun's and Duryodhana's party and while staying there He diminished the duration of life of the opposite party by His merciful glance. He did it by pointing out the enemies. Let my mind be fixed up unto that Krishna.
Purport
In the Bhagwat Geeta (B.G. 1/21—25) Arjuna ordered the infallible Lord Sri Krishna to place his chariot between the phlanx of the soldiers. He asked Him to stay there till he had finished the observation on his enemies as to who and who are there to face the battle. When the Lord was so asked, the Lord at once did so just like an order carrier. And the Lord pointed out to him all important men on the opposite side saying, here is Bhisma, here is Drona and like that. The Lord being the Supreme of all living Being He is never the order supplier or order carrier of any body whoever may he be. But out of His causeless mercy and affection for His pure devotees, some time He carries out the order of the devotee like an waiting servant. By such execution of the order of a devotee the lord becomes pleased as much as the father is pleased to carry out the order of his small child. These are possible only out of pure transcendental love between the Lord and His devotees and Bhismadeva is quite aware of this fact. He, therefore, addressed the Lord as the Friend of Arjuna.
The Lord diminished the duration of life of the opposite party by His merciful glance. It is said that all fighters who assembled in the battlefield of Kurukshetra attained salvation by personally seeing the Lord at the time of death. Therefore, diminishing the duration of life of the opposite pary of Arjuna does not mean that He was partial to the cause of Arjuna. But factually He was merciful to the opposite party. Because the opposite party would not have attained salvation by dying at home in the ordinary course of life. Here was a chance to see the Lord at the time of death and thus attain success in the matter of salvation from material life. Therefore, the Lord was all Good and whatever He does it is for every one's good. Apparently it was for the victory of Arjuna His intimate friend but factually it was for the good of Arjuna's enemies. That is the transcendental activities of the Lord and whoever understands this, also gets salvation after quitting this material body. The Lord does no wrong at all circumstances because He is Aboslute all good at all times.