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Bhagavad Geeta · Krishna

Chapter 1

अर्जुनविषादयोग

Arjuna's Dilemma

Verses

  1. Verse 1

    dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ| māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kimakurvata sañjaya||1.1||

    Meaning

    The King Dhritarashtra asked, "O Sanjaya! What happened on the sacred battlefield of Kurukshetra when my people and the Pandavas gathered?"

  2. Verse 2

    sañjaya uvāca dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanastadā| ācāryamupasaṅgamya rājā vacanamabravīt||1.2||

    Meaning

    Sanjaya replied: "When Prince Duryodhana saw the Pandavas' army paraded, he approached his preceptor Guru Drona and spoke these words:

  3. Verse 3

    paśyaitāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṃ camūm| vyūḍhāṃ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā||1.3||

    Meaning

    Revered Father! Behold this mighty host of the Pandavas, paraded by the son of King Drupada, your wise disciple.

  4. Verse 4

    atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi| yuyudhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ||1.4||

    Meaning

    In it are heroes and great bowmen; the equals in battle of Arjuna, Bheema, Yuyudhana, Virata, and Drupada—all great soldiers.

  5. Verse 5

    dhṛṣṭaketuścekitānaḥ kāśirājaśca vīryavān| purujitkuntibhojaśca śaibyaśca narapuṅgavaḥ||1.5||

    Meaning

    Dhrishtaketu, Chekitan, the valiant king of Benares, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Shaibya—a master of many.

  6. Verse 6

    yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān| saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ||1.6||

    Meaning

    Yudhamanyu, Uttamouja, Soubhadra, and the sons of Droupadi—all famous men.

  7. Verse 7

    asmākaṃ tu viśiṣṭā ye tānnibodha dvijottama| nāyakā mama sainyasya saṃjñārthaṃ tānbravīmi te||1.7||

    Meaning

    No changes needed.

  8. Verse 8

    bhavānbhīṣmaśca karṇaśca kṛpaśca samitiñjayaḥ| aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca saumadattistathaiva ca||1.8||

    Meaning

    You come first; then Bheeshma, Karna, Kripa, great warriors; Ashwaththama, Vikarna, and the son of Somadhatta;

  9. Verse 9

    anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥ| nānāśastrapraharaṇāḥ sarve yuddhaviśāradāḥ||1.9||

    Meaning

    And many others, all ready to die for My sake; all armed, all skilled in warfare.

  10. Verse 10

    aparyāptaṃ tadasmākaṃ balaṃ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam| paryāptaṃ tvidameteṣāṃ balaṃ bhīmābhirakṣitam||1.10||

    Meaning

    Yet our army seems weaker, though commanded by Bhishma; their army seems stronger, though commanded by Bhima.

  11. Verse 11

    ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathābhāgamavasthitāḥ| bhīṣmamevābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi||1.11||

    Meaning

    Therefore, let the rank and file stand firm in their posts according to battalions, and all you generals around Bheeshma.

  12. Verse 12

    tasya saṃjanayanharṣaṃ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ| siṃhanādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān||1.12||

    Meaning

    Then, to enliven his spirits, the brave Grandfather Bheeshma, the eldest of the Kuru clan, blew his conch, its sound resembling that of a lion's roar.

  13. Verse 13

    tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānakagomukhāḥ| sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdastumulo'bhavat||1.13||

    Meaning

    And immediately, all the conches, drums, trumpets, and horns blared forth in a tumultuous uproar.

  14. Verse 14

    tataḥ śvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau| mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ||1.14||

    Meaning

    Then, seated in their spacious war chariot, yoked with white horses, Lord Shri Krishna and Arjuna sounded their divine conch shells.

  15. Verse 15

    pāñcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ| pauṇḍraṃ dadhmau mahāśaṅkhaṃ bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ||1.15||

    Meaning

    Lord Shri Krishna blew his Panchajanya, and Arjuna blew his Devadatta; brave Bheema blew his renowned shell, Poundra.

  16. Verse 16

    anantavijayaṃ rājā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ| nakulaḥ sahadevaśca sughoṣamaṇipuṣpakau||1.16||

    Meaning

    The King Dharmaraja, the son of Kunti, blew the Anantavijaya, Nakula, and Sahadeva, the Sughosa and Manipushpaka, respectively.

  17. Verse 17

    kāśyaśca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ| dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiścāparājitaḥ||1.17||

    Meaning

    And the Maharaja of Benares, the great archer, Shikhandi, the great soldier, Dhrishtayumna, Virata, and Satyaki, the invincible one,

  18. Verse 18

    drupado draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivīpate| saubhadraśca mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhāndadhmuḥ pṛthakpṛthak||1.18||

    Meaning

    And, O King! Drupada's sons, Droupadi's sons, and the great soldier Soubhadra blew their conches.

  19. Verse 19

    sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat| nabhaśca pṛthivīṃ caiva tumulo vyanunādayan||1.19||

    Meaning

    The tumult rent the hearts of the sons of Dhritarashtra, shaking heaven and earth with its echoing violence.

  20. Verse 20

    atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrānkapidhvajaḥ| pravṛtte śastrasaṃpāte dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ||1.20||

    Meaning

    Then, upon beholding the sons of Dhritarashtra, drawn up on the battlefield, ready to fight, Arjuna, whose flag bore the image of Hanuman,

  21. Verse 21

    arjuna uvāca hṛṣīkeśaṃ tadā vākyamidamāha mahīpate| senayorubhayormadhye rathaṃ sthāpaya me'cyuta||1.21||

    Meaning

    Raising his bow, he spoke this to the Lord Shri Krishna: O Infallible Lord of the earth! Please draw up my chariot between the two armies.

  22. Verse 22

    yāvadetānnirīkṣe'haṃ yoddhukāmānavasthitān| kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasminraṇasamudyame||1.22||

    Meaning

    So that I may observe those who must fight on my side and those who must fight against me.

  23. Verse 23

    yotsyamānānavekṣe'haṃ ya ete'tra samāgatāḥ| dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ||1.23||

    Meaning

    And gaze upon this array of soldiers, eager to please the sons of Dhritarashtra who are sinful.

  24. Verse 24

    saṃjaya uvāca evamukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata| senayorubhayormadhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam||1.24||

    Meaning

    Sanjaya said: "Having listened to Arjuna's request, Lord Shri Krishna drew up His bright chariot in the midst between the two armies.

  25. Verse 25

    bhīṣmadroṇapramukhataḥ sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām| uvāca pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti||1.25||

    Meaning

    Where Bheeshma and Drona had led all the rulers of the earth, they spoke thus: O Arjuna! Behold, these members of the family of Kuru are assembled.

  26. Verse 26

    tatrāpaśyatsthitānpārthaḥ pitṝnatha pitāmahān| ācāryānmātulānbhrātṝnputrānpautrānsakhīṃstathā||1.26||

    Meaning

    There, Arjuna noticed fathers, grandfathers, uncles, cousins, sons, grandsons, teachers, and friends.

  27. Verse 27

    śvaśurānsuhṛdaścaiva senayorubhayorapi| tānsamīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvānbandhūnavasthitān||1.27||

    Meaning

    Fathers-in-law and benefactors were arrayed on both sides, and Arjuna then gazed at all those kinsmen before him.

  28. Verse 28

    arjuna uvāca kṛpayā parayā''viṣṭo viṣīdannidamabravīt| dṛṣṭvemaṃ svajanaṃ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṃ samupasthitam||1.28||

    Meaning

    And his heart melted with pity, and sadly he spoke: "O my Lord! When I see all these, my own people, thirsting for battle,

  29. Verse 29

    sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṃ ca pariśuṣyati| vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate||1.29||

    Meaning

    My limbs are failing me, my throat is parched, my body is trembling, and my hair is standing on end.

  30. Verse 30

    gāṇḍīvaṃ sraṃsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate| na ca śaknomyavasthātuṃ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ||1.30||

    Meaning

    The bow Gandiva slips from my hand, and my skin burns. I cannot remain still, for my mind is in tumult.

  31. Verse 31

    nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava| na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave||1.31||

    Meaning

    The omens are unfavorable; what good can come from the slaughter of my people on this battlefield?

  32. Verse 32

    na kāṅkṣe vijayaṃ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṃ sukhāni ca| kiṃ no rājyena govinda kiṃ bhogairjīvitena vā||1.32||

    Meaning

    Ah, my Lord! I do not crave victory, nor a kingdom, nor any pleasure. What would a kingdom, happiness, or life be to me?

  33. Verse 33

    yeṣāmarthe kāṅkṣitaṃ no rājyaṃ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca| ta ime'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṃstyaktvā dhanāni ca||1.33||

    Meaning

    When those for whose sake I desire these things stand here, about to sacrifice their property and lives:

  34. Verse 34

    ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ| mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinastathā||1.34||

    Meaning

    Teachers, fathers, grandfathers, sons, grandsons, uncles, fathers-in-law, brothers-in-law, and other relatives.

  35. Verse 35

    etānna hantumicchāmi ghnato'pi madhusūdana| api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kiṃ nu mahīkṛte||1.35||

    Meaning

    I would not kill them, even for three worlds; why then for this earth alone? It matters not if I myself am killed.

  36. Verse 36

    nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana| pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ||1.36||

    Meaning

    My Lord! What happiness can come from the death of these sons of Dhritarashtra? We shall be committing a sin if we kill these desperate men.

  37. Verse 37

    tasmānnārhā vayaṃ hantuṃ dhārtarāṣṭrānsvabāndhavān| svajanaṃ hi kathaṃ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava||1.37||

    Meaning

    We are worthy of a nobler feat than slaughtering our relatives—the sons of Dhritarashtra; for, my Lord, how can we be happy if we kill our kinsmen?

  38. Verse 38

    yadyapyete na paśyanti lobhopahatacetasaḥ| kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ mitradrohe ca pātakam||1.38||

    Meaning

    Although these men, blinded by greed, see no guilt in destroying their kin or fighting against their friends,

  39. Verse 39

    kathaṃ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum| kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana||1.39||

    Meaning

    Should we not, whose eyes are open and who consider it wrong to annihilate our family, turn away from such a great crime?

  40. Verse 40

    kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ| dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta||1.40||

    Meaning

    The destruction of our kindred means the destruction of the traditions of our ancient lineage, and when these are lost, irreligion will overrun our homes.

  41. Verse 41

    adharmābhibhavātkṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kulastriyaḥ| strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇasaṅkaraḥ||1.41||

    Meaning

    When irreligion spreads, the women of the house start to stray; when they lose their purity, adulteration of the lineage follows.

  42. Verse 42

    saṅkaro narakāyaiva kulaghnānāṃ kulasya ca| patanti pitaro hyeṣāṃ luptapiṇḍodakakriyāḥ||1.42||

    Meaning

    Promiscuity ruins both the family and those who defile it; while the souls of our ancestors droop, due to the lack of funeral cakes and ablutions.

  43. Verse 43

    doṣairetaiḥ kulaghnānāṃ varṇasaṅkarakārakaiḥ| utsādyante jātidharmāḥ kuladharmāśca śāśvatāḥ||1.43||

    Meaning

    By the destruction of our lineage and the pollution of our blood, ancient class traditions and family purity alike perish.

  44. Verse 44

    utsannakuladharmāṇāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ janārdana| narake'niyataṃ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma||1.44||

    Meaning

    The wise say, my Lord, that they are forever lost whose ancient traditions have been lost.

  45. Verse 45

    aho bata mahatpāpaṃ kartuṃ vyavasitā vayam| yadrājyasukhalobhena hantuṃ svajanamudyatāḥ||1.45||

    Meaning

    Alas, it is strange that we should be willing to kill our own countrymen and commit a great sin, in order to enjoy the pleasures of kingdom.

  46. Verse 46

    yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṃ śastrapāṇayaḥ| dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṃ bhavet||1.46||

    Meaning

    If, on the contrary, the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, should slay me, unarmed and unresisting, surely that would be better for my welfare!

  47. Verse 47

    sañjaya uvāca evamuktvā'rjunaḥ saṃkhye rathopastha upāviśat| visṛjya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ śokasaṃvignamānasaḥ||1.47||

    Meaning

    Sanjaya said: "Having spoken thus, Arjuna sank into the seat of his chariot, discarding his bow and arrow, overwhelmed with grief in the midst of the armies."

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