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Chapter 1

अर्जुनविषादयोग

Arjuna's Despair (Arjunaviṣādayoga)

The two armies stand ready at Kurukshetra, and Arjuna asks Krishna to place his chariot between them. Seeing teachers, cousins and elders on the other side, he is overwhelmed by sorrow and doubt, lays down his bow and refuses to fight.

Admitting that you are stuck is the first honest step towards clarity.

  1. 1.1धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः।Dhritarashtra asks Sanjaya: “On the sacred field of dharma (righteous duty), at Kurukshetra, my sons and the sons of Pandu have gathered, eager to fight. What did they do?”
  2. 1.2दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा।Sanjaya replies that King Duryodhana, seeing the Pandava army drawn up in battle formation, went to his teacher Drona and spoke to him.
  3. 1.3पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्।Duryodhana says to Drona: “Teacher, look at this huge army of Pandu’s sons, arranged for battle by your own clever student, the son of Drupada (Dhrishtadyumna).”
  4. 1.4अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि।Duryodhana continues: “Here are heroes and mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna: Yuyudhana (Satyaki), Virata, and Drupada, a great chariot-warrior.”
  5. 1.5धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान्।“There are also Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana, the brave king of Kashi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Shaibya, the finest of men.”
  6. 1.6युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान्।“Brave Yudhamanyu, mighty Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu), and the sons of Draupadi — every one of them is a great chariot-warrior.”
  7. 1.7अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम।“And now, best of the twice-born (a respectful title for Drona as a learned Brahmin), know the finest leaders on our own side. I name them so you know who commands my army.”
  8. 1.8भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः।“There is you yourself, Bhishma, Karna, Kripa who is victorious in battle, Ashvatthama, Vikarna, and the son of Somadatta (Bhurishravas).”
  9. 1.9अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः।“And there are many other heroes, ready to lay down their lives for my sake, armed with many kinds of weapons and all skilled in war.”
  10. 1.10अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्।Duryodhana compares the armies: “Our force, guarded by Bhishma, is aparyāpta; theirs, guarded by Bhima, is paryāpta.” These words can mean “boundless” and “limited”, or “inadequate” and “adequate”, so his words show either boasting or hidden worry.
  11. 1.11अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः।“So all of you, holding firm in your assigned places at every point of the formation, must above all protect Bhishma.”
  12. 1.12तस्य संजनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः।Then, to cheer Duryodhana, the mighty Bhishma, eldest of the Kurus and grandsire of the family, roared loudly like a lion and blew his conch.
  13. 1.13ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः।Then conches, kettledrums, tabors, drums and horns all sounded at once, and the noise was tremendous.
  14. 1.14ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ।Then Krishna (Madhava) and Arjuna (son of Pandu), standing in their great chariot yoked to white horses, blew their divine conches.
  15. 1.15पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनंजयः।Krishna (Hrishikesha, master of the senses) blew the conch Panchajanya, Arjuna (Dhananjaya) blew Devadatta, and Bhima (Vrikodara), known for mighty deeds, blew the great conch Paundra.
  16. 1.16अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः।King Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, blew Anantavijaya, while Nakula and Sahadeva blew Sughosha and Manipushpaka.
  17. 1.17काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः।Sanjaya continues: the king of Kashi, a superb archer, the great chariot-warrior Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata and the unconquered Satyaki...
  18. 1.18द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते।...Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and strong-armed Abhimanyu, son of Subhadra — all of them, O king, blew their own conches, one by one, on every side.
  19. 1.19स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत्।That tremendous sound, echoing across sky and earth, tore through the hearts of Dhritarashtra’s sons.
  20. 1.20अथ व्यवस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः।Then Arjuna, son of Pandu, whose banner bears the monkey emblem (Hanuman), saw Dhritarashtra’s sons standing in position. As the weapons were about to clash, he raised his bow...
  21. 1.21हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते।Sanjaya tells the king that Arjuna then said to Krishna: “Achyuta (the unshakeable one), place my chariot between the two armies.”
  22. 1.22यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान्।Arjuna continues: “...so that I can look at those standing here eager for battle, and see whom I must fight in this war.”
  23. 1.23योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः।“I want to see those who have gathered here to fight, wishing to please the wicked-minded son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana) in this war.”
  24. 1.24एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत।Sanjaya says: O king, when Arjuna (Gudakesha, conqueror of sleep) spoke this way, Krishna (Hrishikesha) drove that finest of chariots and placed it between the two armies...
  25. 1.25भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम्।...in front of Bhishma, Drona and all the rulers of the earth, and said: “Partha (Arjuna), look at all these Kurus gathered here.”
  26. 1.26तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितृ़नथ पितामहान्।There Arjuna saw standing before him fathers and grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends...
  27. 1.27श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि।...as well as fathers-in-law and well-wishers in both armies. Seeing all these relatives standing there, Arjuna, son of Kunti...
  28. 1.28कृपया परयाऽऽविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत्।...was overcome with deep pity and, sinking in sorrow, said: “Krishna, seeing my own people standing here, eager to fight...”
  29. 1.29सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति।“...my limbs go weak, my mouth is drying up, my body trembles, and my hair stands on end.”
  30. 1.30गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते।“My bow Gandiva is slipping from my hand, my skin is burning, I cannot stand steady, and my mind seems to be spinning.”
  31. 1.31निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव।“Keshava (Krishna), I see bad omens, and I see no good in killing my own family in battle.”
  32. 1.32न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च।“I do not want victory, Krishna, nor a kingdom, nor pleasures. Govinda, what use to us is a kingdom, or enjoyment, or even life itself?”
  33. 1.33येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च।“The very people for whose sake we wanted kingdom, enjoyment and happiness stand here in battle, ready to give up their lives and wealth.”
  34. 1.34आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः।“Teachers, fathers, sons and grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives.”
  35. 1.35एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन।“Madhusudana (Krishna), I do not want to kill them, even if they kill me — not even to rule the three worlds, let alone this earth.”
  36. 1.36निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन।“Janardana (Krishna), what joy would we get from killing Dhritarashtra’s sons? Only sin would cling to us for killing these aggressors (those who attack unjustly).”
  37. 1.37तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान्।“So we should not kill Dhritarashtra’s sons, our own relatives. Madhava, how could we ever be happy after killing our own people?”
  38. 1.38यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः।“Even if they, their minds overpowered by greed, cannot see the wrong in destroying a family or the sin of betraying friends...”
  39. 1.39कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्।“...why should we, who clearly see the harm in destroying a family, not know to turn away from this sin, Janardana?”
  40. 1.40कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः।“When a family is destroyed, its age-old traditions (kula-dharma, the family’s duties) are lost; and when these are lost, lawlessness overtakes the whole family.”
  41. 1.41अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः।Arjuna argues further: “Krishna, when lawlessness spreads, the women of the family are led astray, and from this arises varna-sankara (a breakdown of social order).”
  42. 1.42सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च।“This disorder drags both the family and its destroyers to hell, and their ancestors fall too, deprived of the offerings of rice-balls and water (pinda and tarpana, rites for ancestors).”
  43. 1.43दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः।“Through these wrongs of the family-destroyers, which cause social disorder, the lasting duties of community and family are wiped out.”
  44. 1.44उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन।“Janardana, we have heard that people whose family duties are destroyed must live in hell for a long, uncertain time.”
  45. 1.45अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्।“Alas, how sad that we have resolved to commit a great sin, ready to kill our own people out of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.”
  46. 1.46यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः।“It would be better for me if Dhritarashtra’s armed sons killed me in battle while I stand unarmed and do not resist.”
  47. 1.47एवमुक्त्वाऽर्जुनः संख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्।Sanjaya says: Having spoken this way on the battlefield, Arjuna threw aside his bow and arrows and sank down on the seat of his chariot, his mind overwhelmed by grief.