Sārathi

Chapter 1 of 18

अर्जुनविषादयोग Arjuna Visada Yoga

Arjuna's Dilemma. 47 verses.

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About this chapter

The first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita - "Arjuna Vishada Yoga" introduces the setup, the setting, the characters and the circumstances that led to the epic battle of Mahabharata, fought between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. It outlines the reasons that led to the revelation of the of Bhagavad Gita.

As both armies stand ready for the battle, the mighty warrior Arjuna, on observing the warriors on both sides becomes increasingly sad and depressed due to the fear of losing his relatives and friends and the consequent sins attributed to killing his own relatives. So, he surrenders to Lord Krishna, seeking a solution. Thus, follows the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita.

  1. 1.1धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः।dharma-kṣhetre kuru-kṣhetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥDhritarashtra said, "What did my people and the sons of Pandu do when they had assembled together, eager for battle, on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya?"
  2. 1.2दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा।dṛiṣhṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ vyūḍhaṁ duryodhanastadāSanjaya said: Having seen the army of the Pandavas drawn up in battle array, King Duryodhana approached his teacher, Drona, and spoke these words.
  3. 1.3पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्।paśhyaitāṁ pāṇḍu-putrāṇām āchārya mahatīṁ chamūmBehold, O Teacher! This mighty army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed by the son of Drupada, thy wise disciple.
  4. 1.4अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि।atra śhūrā maheṣhvāsā bhīmārjuna-samā yudhiHere are heroes, mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna, Yuyudhana (Satyaki), Virata, and Drupada—all mighty warriors.
  5. 1.5धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान्।dhṛiṣhṭaketuśhchekitānaḥ kāśhirājaśhcha vīryavānDhrishtaketu, Chekitana, the valiant king of Kasi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Saibya—the best of men.
  6. 1.6युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान्।saubhadro draupadeyāśhcha sarva eva mahā-rathāḥThe strong Yudhamanyu and the brave Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra and Arjuna), and the sons of Draupadi, all of them great charioteers…
  7. 1.7अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम।asmākaṁ tu viśhiṣhṭā ye tānnibodha dwijottamaKnow also, O best among the twice-born! the names of those who are the most distinguished amongst ourselves, the leaders of my army; these I name to you for your…
  8. 1.8भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः।bhavānbhīṣhmaśhcha karṇaśhcha kṛipaśhcha samitiñjayaḥ"Thou thyself, Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, the victorious in war, Asvatthama, Vikarna, and Bhurisrava, the son of Somadatta—all these are ready for battle."
  9. 1.9अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः।anye cha bahavaḥ śhūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥAnd also many other heroes, ready to give up their lives for my sake, armed with various weapons and missiles, all well-skilled in battle.
  10. 1.10अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्।aparyāptaṁ tadasmākaṁ balaṁ bhīṣhmābhirakṣhitamOur army, marshalled by Bhishma, is insufficient, whereas theirs, marshalled by Bhima, is sufficient.
  11. 1.11अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः।ayaneṣhu cha sarveṣhu yathā-bhāgamavasthitāḥTherefore, do all of you, stationed in your respective positions in the several divisions of the army, protect Bhishma alone.
  12. 1.12तस्य संजनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः।tasya sañjanayan harṣhaṁ kuru-vṛiddhaḥ pitāmahaḥHis glorious grandsire, the oldest of the Kauravas, roared like a lion to cheer Duryodhana and blew his conch.
  13. 1.13ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः।tataḥ śhaṅkhāśhcha bheryaśhcha paṇavānaka-gomukhāḥThen, suddenly, conches, kettledrums, tabors, drums, and cow horns blared forth from the Kaurava side, and the sound was tremendous.
  14. 1.14ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ।tataḥ śhvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitauThen, Madhava (Krishna) and the son of Pandu (Arjuna), seated in the magnificent chariot yoked with white horses, blew divine conches.
  15. 1.15पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनंजयः।pāñchajanyaṁ hṛiṣhīkeśho devadattaṁ dhanañjayaḥHrishikesha blew the Panchajanya, Arjuna blew the Devadatta, and Bhima, the wolf-bellied doer of terrible deeds, blew the great conch Paundra.
  16. 1.16अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः।anantavijayaṁ rājā kuntī-putro yudhiṣhṭhiraḥKing Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew the Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosha and the Manipushpaka.
  17. 1.17काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः।kāśhyaśhcha parameṣhvāsaḥ śhikhaṇḍī cha mahā-rathaḥThe king of Kasi, an excellent archer, Sikhandi, the mighty car-warrior, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, and Satyaki, the unconquered.
  18. 1.18द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते।drupado draupadeyāśhcha sarvaśhaḥ pṛithivī-pateDrupada and the sons of Draupadi, O Lord of the Earth, and the son of Subhadra, the mighty-armed, blew their conches each separately.
  19. 1.19स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत्।sa ghoṣho dhārtarāṣhṭrāṇāṁ hṛidayāni vyadārayatThe tumultuous sound rent the hearts of Dhritarashtra's party, reverberating through both heaven and earth.
  20. 1.20अथ व्यवस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः।atha vyavasthitān dṛiṣhṭvā dhārtarāṣhṭrān kapi-dhwajaḥThen, seeing the people of Dhritarashtra's party standing arrayed and the discharge of weapons about to begin, Arjuna, the son of Pandu whose ensign was a monkey, took…
  21. 1.21हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते।senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me ’chyutaArjuna said, "O Krishna, place my chariot in the middle between the two armies, so that I may behold those who stand here, desirous to fight, and know with whom I must…
  22. 1.22यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान्।yāvadetān nirīkṣhe ’haṁ yoddhu-kāmān avasthitānArjuna said, "O Krishna, place my chariot in the middle between the two armies, so that I may behold those who stand here, desirous to fight, and know with whom I must…
  23. 1.23योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः।yotsyamānān avekṣhe ’haṁ ya ete ’tra samāgatāḥFor I desire to observe those who are assembled here to fight, wishing to please in battle the evil-minded Duryodhana—the son of Dhritarashtra.
  24. 1.24एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत।evam ukto hṛiṣhīkeśho guḍākeśhena bhārataSanjaya said, Thus addressed by Arjuna, Krishna stationed the best of chariots, O Dhritarashtra, in the midst of the two armies.
  25. 1.25भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम्।bhīṣhma-droṇa-pramukhataḥ sarveṣhāṁ cha mahī-kṣhitāmIn front of Bhishma and Drona, and all the rulers of the earth, he said: "O Arjuna, son of Pritha, behold these Kurus gathered together."
  26. 1.26तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितृ़नथ पितामहान्।tatrāpaśhyat sthitān pārthaḥ pitṝīn atha pitāmahānThen, Arjuna (son of Pritha) saw there (in the armies) stationed fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, and friends.
  27. 1.27श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि।tān samīkṣhya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvān bandhūn avasthitānHe saw fathers-in-law and friends in both the armies. The son of Kunti, Arjuna, seeing all those kinsmen thus standing arrayed, spoke sorrowfully, deeply filled with…
  28. 1.28कृपया परयाऽऽविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत्।dṛiṣhṭvemaṁ sva-janaṁ kṛiṣhṇa yuyutsuṁ samupasthitamArjuna said, "O Krishna, seeing my kinsmen arrayed here, eager to fight,
  29. 1.29सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति।sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṁ cha pariśhuṣhyatiMy limbs fail, my mouth is parched, my body quivers, and my hair stands on end.
  30. 1.30गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते।gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāt tvak chaiva paridahyateThe Gandiva slips from my hand, and my skin burns all over; I am unable to stand, and my mind is reeling, as it were.
  31. 1.31निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव।nimittāni cha paśhyāmi viparītāni keśhavaAnd I see ill omens, O Kesava. I do not see any good in slaying my kinsmen in battle.
  32. 1.32न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च।na kāṅkṣhe vijayaṁ kṛiṣhṇa na cha rājyaṁ sukhāni chaI desire not victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures. What use is dominion to us, O Krishna, or pleasures or even life?
  33. 1.33येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च।yeṣhām arthe kāṅkṣhitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni chaThose for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures stand here in battle, having renounced life and wealth.
  34. 1.34आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः।āchāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrās tathaiva cha pitāmahāḥTeachers, fathers, sons, and grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, and other relatives—
  35. 1.35एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन।etān na hantum ichchhāmi ghnato ’pi madhusūdanaThese I do not wish to kill, O Krishna, even though they kill me, for the sake of dominion over the three worlds; leave alone killing them for the sake of the earth."
  36. 1.36निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन।nihatya dhārtarāṣhṭrān naḥ kā prītiḥ syāj janārdanaBy killing these sons of Dhritarashtra, what pleasure could be ours, O Janardana? Only sin would accrue to us from killing these felons.
  37. 1.37तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान्।tasmān nārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ dhārtarāṣhṭrān sa-bāndhavānTherefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our relatives; for how can we be happy by killing our own kin, O Madhava (Krishna)?
  38. 1.38यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः।yady apy ete na paśhyanti lobhopahata-chetasaḥThough they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of families and no sin in hostility to friends,
  39. 1.39कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्।kathaṁ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ pāpād asmān nivartitumWhy should we not, who clearly see the evil in the destruction of families, learn to turn away from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?
  40. 1.40कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः।kula-kṣhaye praṇaśhyanti kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥIn the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious rites of that family perish; on the destruction of spirituality, impiety indeed, overwhelms the whole family.
  41. 1.41अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः।adharmābhibhavāt kṛiṣhṇa praduṣhyanti kula-striyaḥO Krishna, by the prevalence of impiety, the women of the family become corrupt; and, when women are corrupted, O Varshenya (descendant of Vrishni), intermingling of…
  42. 1.42सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च।saṅkaro narakāyaiva kula-ghnānāṁ kulasya chaConfusion of castes leads to hell for the slayers of the family, for their forebears fall, deprived of the offerings of rice-balls and libations of water.
  43. 1.43दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः।doṣhair etaiḥ kula-ghnānāṁ varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥBy these evil deeds of the destroyers of the family, which cause confusion of castes, the eternal religious rites of the caste and the family are destroyed.
  44. 1.44उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन।utsanna-kula-dharmāṇāṁ manuṣhyāṇāṁ janārdanaWe have heard, O Janardana, that those men in whose families the religious practices have been destroyed are inevitably destined to dwell in hell for an unknown period.
  45. 1.45अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्।aho bata mahat pāpaṁ kartuṁ vyavasitā vayamAlas! We are involved in a great sin, for we are prepared to kill our kinsmen, out of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.
  46. 1.46यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः।yadi mām apratīkāram aśhastraṁ śhastra-pāṇayaḥIf the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.
  47. 1.47एवमुक्त्वाऽर्जुनः संख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्।evam uktvārjunaḥ saṅkhye rathopastha upāviśhatSanjaya said, Having thus spoken in the midst of the battlefield, Arjuna cast away his bow and arrow and, his mind overwhelmed with sorrow, sat down on the seat of the…