Chapter 1 · 47 verses

Arjuna Vishada Yoga: Arjuna’s Despair

अध्याय 1 — अर्जुनविषादयोग

On the battlefield of Kurukshetra the two armies face each other. Seeing his own family and teachers on the other side, Arjuna is overwhelmed by grief and refuses to fight.

कुरुक्षेत्र के युद्धक्षेत्र में दोनों सेनाएँ आमने-सामने हैं। सामने अपने ही परिवार और गुरुजनों को देखकर अर्जुन शोक से भर जाते हैं और युद्ध करने से मना कर देते हैं।

Verse 1.1धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः …The blind king Dhritarashtra asks his minister Sanjaya what happened when his own sons and the sons of Pandu gathered, eager to fight, on the sacred field of Kurukshetra.
Verse 1.2दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा …Sanjaya begins his account: after seeing the Pandava army arranged for battle, Prince Duryodhana went up to his teacher Drona and spoke to him.
Verse 1.3पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम् …Duryodhana tells Drona to look at the huge Pandava army, set in formation by Drupada's son, who was once Drona's own clever student — a pointed reminder meant to stir his teacher.
Verse 1.4अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि …Duryodhana lists the heroes on the Pandava side: great archers equal to Bhima and Arjuna in battle, such as Yuyudhana, Virata and the mighty chariot-warrior Drupada.
Verse 1.5धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान् …He continues naming Pandava allies: Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana, the brave king of Kashi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Shaibya, an outstanding leader of men.
Verse 1.6युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान् …Also there are the bold Yudhamanyu, the strong Uttamauja, Abhimanyu the son of Subhadra, and the sons of Draupadi — all of them great chariot-warriors.
Verse 1.7अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम …Duryodhana then tells Drona that he will also name the finest leaders of his own army, so his teacher knows who they are.
Verse 1.8भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः …He names the leaders on his side: Drona himself, Bhishma, Karna, Kripa who always wins, Ashvatthama, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta.
Verse 1.9अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः …Duryodhana adds that many other brave warriors, skilled with many kinds of weapons and expert in war, are ready to give their lives for his sake.
Verse 1.10अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम् …Duryodhana compares the two armies: his own, guarded by Bhishma, and the Pandavas', guarded by Bhima. His words reveal both pride and a hidden worry about whether his strength is truly enough.
Verse 1.11अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः …He orders all his commanders to hold their assigned positions at every entry point of the formation and, above all, to protect Bhishma.
Verse 1.12तस्य संजनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः …To cheer Duryodhana up, the grand elder Bhishma, the oldest of the Kuru family, roared like a lion and blew his conch shell loudly.
Verse 1.13ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः …Then, all at once, conches, kettledrums, tabors, drums and horns sounded together, and the noise was tremendous.
Verse 1.14ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ …Then Krishna and Arjuna, standing in a great chariot pulled by white horses, blew their divine conch shells.
Verse 1.15पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनंजयः …Krishna blew his conch called Panchajanya, Arjuna blew Devadatta, and Bhima, known for mighty deeds, blew his huge conch Paundra.
Verse 1.16अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः …King Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, blew his conch Anantavijaya, while Nakula and Sahadeva blew theirs, named Sughosha and Manipushpaka.
Verse 1.17काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः …The great archer king of Kashi, the mighty warrior Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata and the unbeaten Satyaki also joined in.
Verse 1.18द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते …Sanjaya tells the king that Drupada, the sons of Draupadi and the strong-armed Abhimanyu all blew their own conches, one after another.
Verse 1.19स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत् …That thunderous sound, echoing through sky and earth, shook the hearts of Dhritarashtra's sons.
Verse 1.20अथ व्यवस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः …As the weapons were about to clash, Arjuna, whose banner bore the image of Hanuman, looked at the Kaurava army lined up before him and raised his bow.
Verse 1.21हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते …Arjuna then speaks to Krishna, his charioteer, asking him to drive the chariot into the space between the two armies.
Verse 1.22यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान् …Arjuna explains he wants to see clearly who has come here eager for war, and whom he must fight in this battle.
Verse 1.23योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः …He wants to look at those who have gathered to fight in order to please Duryodhana, the wrong-minded son of Dhritarashtra.
Verse 1.24संजय उवाच …Sanjaya says that when Arjuna asked this, Krishna drove that fine chariot and placed it between the two armies.
Verse 1.25भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् …Facing Bhishma, Drona and all the kings, Krishna said: "Arjuna, look at all these Kurus gathered here."
Verse 1.26तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितृ़नथ पितामहान् …There Arjuna saw, standing in both armies, fathers and grandfathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends.
Verse 1.27श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि …He also saw fathers-in-law and well-wishers on both sides. Seeing all his own relatives standing ready for battle, Arjuna was overcome.
Verse 1.28कृपया परयाऽऽविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत् …Filled with deep pity and sorrow, Arjuna says: "Krishna, seeing my own people gathered here eager to fight..."
Verse 1.29सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति …Arjuna describes his body giving way: his limbs feel weak, his mouth is dry, he is trembling and his hair stands on end.
Verse 1.30गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते …His bow Gandiva is slipping from his hand, his skin is burning, he cannot stand steady, and his mind seems to be spinning.
Verse 1.31निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव …Arjuna says he sees only bad omens, and he can see no good at all in killing his own family in battle.
Verse 1.32न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च …Arjuna tells Krishna he does not want victory, a kingdom or pleasures. What use are kingdom, enjoyment, or even life itself, he asks.
Verse 1.33येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च …The very people for whose sake we wanted a kingdom, comforts and pleasures are standing here in battle, ready to give up their lives and wealth.
Verse 1.34आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः …Arjuna lists them: teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives.
Verse 1.35एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन …Arjuna says he does not want to kill them even if they kill him — not even to rule the three worlds, let alone for this earth.
Verse 1.36निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन …What happiness could come from killing Dhritarashtra's sons? Even though they have done great wrong, Arjuna fears that only sin will come to them by killing them.
Verse 1.37तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान् …So, Arjuna argues, it is not right for them to kill their own relatives. How could anyone be happy after killing their own people?
Verse 1.38यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः …Arjuna says that even if the other side, blinded by greed, cannot see the harm in destroying a family and betraying friends...
Verse 1.39कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम् …...why shouldn't we, who clearly see the evil of destroying a family, have the sense to turn away from this wrong?
Verse 1.40कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः …Arjuna argues that when a family is destroyed, its long-standing traditions are lost, and when those values disappear, wrongdoing takes over the whole family.
Verse 1.41अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः …He continues that when wrongdoing spreads, the women of the family suffer and are led astray, and social order breaks down into confusion.
Verse 1.42सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च …Arjuna says such disorder brings suffering to the family and to those who destroyed it, and the ancestors lose the remembrance rites that honoured them.
Verse 1.43दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः …Through these wrongs of those who destroy families, the lasting duties of community and family are uprooted, Arjuna says.
Verse 1.44उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन …Arjuna says he has heard that people whose family values have been destroyed end up living in suffering for a long, uncertain time.
Verse 1.45अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम् …Arjuna cries out in regret: how strange and sad that we are ready to commit such a great wrong, prepared to kill our own people out of greed for a kingdom's pleasures.
Verse 1.46यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः …Arjuna says it would be better for him if the armed Kauravas killed him in battle while he stood unarmed and did not fight back.
Verse 1.47एवमुक्त्वाऽर्जुनः संख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत् …Sanjaya says that after speaking this way on the battlefield, Arjuna threw down his bow and arrows and sank onto the seat of his chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.