Chapter 1 : Arjuna Vishada Yoga – अध्याय १: अर्जुनविषादयोग

Dhritarashtra said: dharmakshetre kurukshetre samaveta yuyutsavah. mamakah pandavaschaiva kimakurvata sanjaya ||

Dhritarashtra said - O Sanjay! What did my sons and the sons of Pandu do, having assembled in the sacred land of Kurukshetra, eager for battle? ||1||

Sanjaya said: drishtva tu pandavanikam vyudham duryodhanastada. acharyamupasangamya raja vachanamabravit ||

Sanjaya said - At that time, King Duryodhana, seeing the army of the Pandavas arranged in battle formation, approached Dronacharya and spoke these words. || 2 ||

pashyaitam panduputranamacharyam mahatim chamum. vyudham drupadaputrena tava shishyena dhimata ||

O teacher! Behold this vast army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed in battle formation by Drupada's son, your intelligent disciple. || 3 ||

atra shura maheshvasa bhimarjunasama yudhi. yuyudhano viratascha drupadashcha maharathah ||

dhrishtaketushchekitanah kashirajashcha viryavan. purujitkuntibhojashcha shaibyashcha narapungavah ||

yudhamanyushcha vikranta uttamaujashcha viryavan. saubhadro draupadeyashcha sarva eva maharathah ||

In this army are mighty heroes with great bows, equal to Bhima and Arjuna in battle: Yuyudhana, Virata, and the great chariot warrior Drupada, Dhrishtaketu and Chekitana, the valiant King of Kashi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Shaibya, the best among men, the valiant Yudhamanyu and the mighty Uttamauja, Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra, and the five sons of Draupadi - all of them are great chariot warriors. || 4-6 ||

asmakam tu vishishta ye tannibodha dvijottama. nayaka mama sainyasya sanjnartham tan bravimi te ||

O best of Brahmins! Now, hear also about the distinguished warriors on our side. I will tell you for your information about the commanders of my army. || 7 ||

bhavan bhishmashcha karnashcha kripashcha samitinjayah. ashvatthama vikarnashcha soumadattistathaiva cha ||

You - Dronacharya, and Grandfather Bhishma, as well as Karna, and Kripacharya, the victorious in battle, and also Ashvatthama, Vikarna, and Bhurishrava, the son of Somadatta. || 8 ||

anye cha bahavah shura madarthe tyaktajivitah. nanashastrapraharanah sarve yuddhavisharadah ||

And there are many other heroes who have risked their lives for my sake, armed with various weapons, and all skilled in warfare. || 9 ||

aparyaptam tadasmakam balam bhishmabhirakshitam. paryaptam tvidametesham balam bhimabhirakshitam ||

This army of ours, protected by Bhishma, is invincible in every way, while this army of theirs, protected by Bhima, is easy to conquer. || 10 ||

ayaneshu cha sarveshu yathabhagamavasthitah. bhishmamevabhirakshantu bhavantah sarva eva hi ||

Therefore, stationed in your respective positions on all fronts, all of you must protect Bhishma from all sides. || 11 ||

tasya sanjanayan harsha kuruvriddhah pitamahah. simhanadam vinadyochchaih shankha dadhmau pratapavan ||

The mighty Grandfather Bhishma, the eldest of the Kurus, roared like a lion and blew his conch shell loudly, filling Duryodhana's heart with joy. || 12 ||

tatah shankhashcha bheryashcha panavanakagomukhah. sahasaivabhyahanyanta sa shabdastumulo'bhavat ||

Thereafter, conches, kettledrums, tabors, drums, and horns suddenly blared forth together, and the sound was tumultuous. || 13 ||

tatah shvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau. madhavah pandavashchaiva divyau shankhau pradadhmatuh ||

Then, seated in a magnificent chariot drawn by white horses, Lord Krishna and Arjuna also blew their divine conch shells. || 14 ||

panchajanyam hrishikesho devadattam dhananjayah. paundram dadhmau mahashankham bhimakarma vrikodarah ||

Lord Krishna blew His conch shell named Panchajanya, Arjuna blew Devadatta, and Bhimasena, the doer of terrible deeds, blew his great conch shell named Paundra. || 15 ||

anantavijayam raja kuntiputro yudhishthirah. nakulah sahadevashcha sughoshamanipushpakau.

King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew Anantavijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew Sughosha and Manipushpaka. || 16 ||

kashyashcha parameshvasah shikhandi cha maharathah. dhrishtadyumno viratashcha satyakishchaparajitah ||

drupadho draupadeyashcha sarvashah prithivipate. saubhadrashcha mahabahuh shankhandadhmuh prithak prithak ||

The excellent archer, the King of Kashi, the great chariot warrior Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, the invincible Satyaki, King Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and the mighty-armed Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra - all of them, O King, blew their respective conch shells from all sides. || 17-18 ||

sa ghosho dhartarashtranam hridayani vyadarayat. nabhshcha prithivim chaiva tumulo vyanunadayan ||

And that tumultuous sound, resounding through the sky and the earth, shattered the hearts of the followers of Dhritarashtra, that is, those on your side. || 19 ||

atha vyavasthitandrishtva dhartarashtran kapidhvajah. pravritte shastrasampate dhanurudyamya pandavah ||

hrishikesham tada vakyamidamaha mahipate. arjuna uvacha senayorubhayormadhye ratham sthapaya me'chyuta ||

O King! Then, seeing the sons of Dhritarashtra arrayed for battle, Arjuna, whose banner bore the emblem of Hanuman, raised his bow as the clash of weapons was about to begin, and spoke these words to Lord Krishna: O Achyuta! Place my chariot between the two armies. || 20-21 ||

yavadetannirikshe'ham yoddhakamanaavasthitan. kairmaya saha yoddhavyamasminranasamudyame ||

So that I may observe those who stand here eager for battle, and know with whom I must fight in this great enterprise of war. || 22 ||

yotsyamananavekshe'ham ya ete'tra samagatah. dhartarashtrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyachikirsavah ||

I wish to see those who have come here to fight, desiring to please the evil-minded Duryodhana in this war. || 23 ||

Sanjaya said evamukto hrishikesho gudakeshena bharata. senayorubhayormadhye sthapayitva rathottamam ||

bhishmadronapramukhatah sarvesham cha mahikshitam. uvacha partha pashyaitansamavetankuruniti ||

Sanjaya said - O Dhritarashtra! Having been thus addressed by Arjuna, Lord Krishna placed the excellent chariot between the two armies, in front of Bhishma and Dronacharya and all the kings, and said, "O Partha! Behold these Kurus assembled for battle." || 24-25 ||

tatrapashyatsthitann parthah pitrinatha pitamahan. acharyanmatulanbhratrinputranyautransakhimstatha || shvashuransuhridashchaiva senayorubhayorapi.

There Arjuna saw, standing in both armies, fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, fathers-in-law, and well-wishers. || 26 and first half of 27 ||

tansamikshya sa kaunteyah sarvanbandhunavasthitan || kripaya parayavishto vishidannidamabravit.

Seeing all these kinsmen standing there, Arjuna, filled with deep compassion, spoke these words in sorrow. || Second half of 27 and first half of 28 ||

Arjuna said drishtvem svajanam krishna yuyutsum samupasthitam || sidanti mama gatrani mukham cha parishushyati. vepathushcha sharire me romaharshashcha jayate ||

Arjuna said - O Krishna! Seeing these kinsmen standing here eager to fight, my limbs fail, my mouth is parched, my body trembles, and my hair stands on end. || Second half of 28 and 29 ||

gandivam sramsate hastattvakchaiva paridahyate. na cha shaknomyavasthatum bhramativa cha me manah ||

The bow Gandiva slips from my hand, my skin burns, I am unable to stand, and my mind seems to be reeling. || 30 ||

nimittani cha pashyami viparitani keshava. na cha shreyo'nupashyami hatva svajanamahave ||

And I see inauspicious omens, O Keshava. I do not foresee any good coming from killing my own kinsmen in battle. || 31 ||

na kankshe vijayam krishna na cha rajyam sukhani cha. kim no rajyena govinda kim bhogairjivitena va ||

I do not desire victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures. What is the use of kingdom, O Govinda, or of enjoyments, or even of life itself? || 32 ||

yeshamarthe kankshitam no rajyam bhogah sukhani cha. ta ime'vasthita yuddhe prananstyaktva dhanani cha ||

Those for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures are standing here in battle, having renounced their wealth and their lives. || 33 ||

acharyah pitarah putrastathaiva cha pitamahah. matulah shvashurah pautrah shyalah sambandhinastatha ||

Teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, and other relatives are all here. || 34 ||

etanna hantumichchami ghnato'pi madhusudana. api trailokyarajyasya hetoh kim nu mahikrite ||

Even if they were to kill me, I would not wish to kill them, O Madhusudana, not even for the sake of sovereignty over the three worlds, let alone for the sake of this earth. || 35 ||

nihatya dhartarashtrann nah ka pritih syajjanardana. papamevashrayedasmanhatvaitanatatayinah ||

What pleasure would we derive from killing the sons of Dhritarashtra, O Janardana? Sin would surely overcome us if we killed these aggressors. || 36 ||

tasmannarha vayam hantum dhartarashtransvabandhavan. svajanam hi katham hatva sukhinah syama madhava ||

Therefore, we should not kill our kinsmen, the sons of Dhritarashtra. How can we be happy by killing our own people, O Madhava? || 37 ||

yadyapyete na pashyanti lobhopahatachetasah. kulakshayakritam dosham mitradrohe cha patakam ||

katham na jneyamasmaabhih papadasmannivartitum. kulakshayakritam dosham prapashyadbhirjanardana ||

Although these men, with their minds overcome by greed, see no evil in the destruction of a family or in treachery to friends, why should we, who see the evil in the destruction of a family, not turn away from this sin, O Janardana? || 38-39 ||

kulakshaye pranashyanti kuladharmah sanatanah. dharme nashte kulam kritsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta ||

With the destruction of a family, the eternal family traditions perish, and when tradition is lost, impiety overwhelms the entire family. || 40 ||

adharmabhibhavatkrishna pradushyanti kulastriyah. strishu dushtasu varshneya jayate varnasankarah ||

When impiety prevails, O Krishna, the women of the family become corrupt, and from the corruption of women, O Varshneya, arises unwanted progeny. || 41 ||

sankaro narakayaiva kulaghnanam kulasya cha. patanti pitaro hyeshaam luptapindodakakriyah ||

This unwanted progeny leads both the destroyers of the family and the family itself to hell; for their ancestors fall, deprived of the offerings of rice and water. || 42 ||

doshairetaih kulaghnanam varnasankarakarakaih. utsaadyante jatidharmah kuladharmashcha shashvatah ||

By these evil deeds of the destroyers of the family, which cause unwanted progeny, the eternal traditions of family and caste are destroyed. || 43 ||

utsannakuladharmanam manushyanam janardana. narake 'niyatam vaso bhavatityanushushruma ||

We have heard, O Janardana, that men whose family traditions are destroyed dwell for an indefinite period in hell. || 44 ||

aho bata mahatpapam kartum vyavasita vayam. yadrajyasukhalobhena hantum svajanamudyatah ||

Alas! We are resolved to commit a great sin, for we are prepared to kill our kinsmen out of greed for the pleasures of kingdom. || 45 ||

yadi mamapratikaramashastram shastrapanayah. dhartarashtra rane hanyustanme kshemataram bhavet ||

If the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, were to kill me, unarmed and unresisting, that would be better for me. || 46 ||

Sanjaya said: evamuktvarjunah sankhye rathopastha upavishat. visrijya sasharam chapam shokasamvignamanasah ||

Sanjaya said - Having spoken thus on the battlefield, Arjuna, his mind overwhelmed with sorrow, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down in the chariot. || 47 ||

Om Tat Sat, thus ends the first chapter, entitled "Arjuna's Despondency," in the Upanishad of the Bhagavad Gita, the science of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, in the discourse between Sri Krishna and Arjuna. || 1 ||