^6:10 In ancient Indian warfare, one commanding a force had for his main-stay a defender about him, whose position was no less important. Here are given the names of the chief defenders, and not of the chief commanders.

The verse is often interpreted to mean that Duryodhana considers his army inefficient and that of the enemy efficient. But this view seems inapposite to the context.

^7:11 Since I cannot expect from you any initiative, do what you are told to do,--seems to be Duryodhana's intention.

^8:12 All eyes were turned upon Duryodhana and the penetrating intelligence of Bhishma detected his fear; and since Drona took no notice of Duryodhana's words, knowing his grandson as he did, he had no difficulty in understanding that the latter had spoken to his teacher in a way which called forth Drona's coldness instead of his enthusiasm. The grandsire's heart was moved with pity and hence the action on his part described in the above verse. It should here be noted that this action, amounting to a challenge, really began the fight. It was the Kaurava side again which took the aggressor's part.

^11:19 Verses 14-19 are full of hints about the superiority of the Pandava party and the consequent sure defeat of Dhritarashtra. The figure to which Sanjaya draws the old king's attention as first taking up Bhishma's challenge, is described by him as the Lord of Fortune and the Pandava--the best of the Pandu princes. Note also the details in which the chariot, horses and conches of the Pandava party are described, and finally though the army of the Kauravas was more than a third as much again as that of the Pandavas, the noise made by the former was only tremendous, whereas that of the latter was not only tremendous but filled the earth and sky with reverberations and rent the hearts of the former.

^13:20 In view of the sudden change of feeling that is to come over Arjuna it should be noted how full of the war-spirit we find him in this verse.

^14:23 Arjuna is impatient to see who dared face him in fight!

^17:29 Compassion overpowered him. Not that it was due to discrimination, but rather to the lack of this. He lost self-control--the first step into the abyss of ignorance.

^20:36 Felons: Atatayi, one who sets fire to the house of, administers poison to, falls upon with a sword on, steals the wealth, land and wife of, another person. Duryodhana did all these to the Pandava brothers. According to the Artha Shastras, no sin is incurred by killing an Atatayin, even if he be thoroughly versed in Vedanta. But Arjuna seems to argue, "True, there may not be incurred the particular sin of slaying one's own kith and kin by killing the sons of Dhritarashtra inasmuch as they are Atatayins, but then the general sin of killing is sure to take hold of us, for Dharma Shastra which is more authoritative than Artha Shastra enjoins non-killing."