Chapter 1
47 verses
1धृतराष्ट्र उवाचDhritarashtra 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.
2सञ्जय उवाचSanjaya said Having seen the army of the Pandavas drawn up in battle-array, King Duryodhana then approached his teacher (Drona) and spoke these words.
3पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्।Behold, O Teacher! this mighty army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed by the son of Drupada, thy wise disciple.
4अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि।Here are heroes, mighty archers, eal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna, Yoyudhana (Satyaki), Virata and Drupada, of the great car (mighty warriors).
5धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान्।Dhrishtaketu, chekitana and the valiant king of Kasi, Purujit and Kuntibhoja and Saibya, the best men.
6युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान्।The strong Yodhamanyu and the brave Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra and Arjuna), and the sons of Draupadi, all of great chariots (great heroes).
7अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम।Know 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 thee for thy information.
8भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः।Thyself and Bhishma, and Karna and also Kripa, the victorious in war, Asvatthama, Vikarna, and also Bhurisrava, the son of Somadatta.
9अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः।And also many other heroes who are ready to give up their lives for my sake, armed with various weapons and missiles, all well-skilled in battle.
10अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्।This army of ours marshalled by Bhishma is insufficient, whereas that army of theirs marshelled by Bhima is sufficient.
11अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः।Therefore do ye all, stationed in your respective positions, in the several divisions of the army, protect Bhishma alone.
12तस्य संजनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः।His glorious grandsire (Bhishma), the oldest of the Kauravas, in order to cheer Duryodhana, now roared like a lion, and blew his conch.
13ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः।Then (following Bhishma), conches and kettledrums, tabors, drums and cow horns blared forth ite suddenly (from the Kaurava side) and the sound was tremendous.
14ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ।Then, also, Madhava (Krishna) and the son of Pandu (Arjuna), seated in the magnificent chariot, yoked with white horses, blew divine conches.
15पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनंजयः।Hrishikesha blew the Panchajanya and Arjuna blew the Devadatta and Bhima (the wolf-bellied), the doer of terrible deeds, blew the great conch Paundra.
16अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः।The king Yodhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew the Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosha and the Manipushpaka.
17काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः।The king of Kasi, an exellent archer, Sikhandi, the mighty car-warrior, Dhrishtadyumna and Virata and Satyaki, the unconered.
18द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते।Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, O Lord of the earth, and the son of Subhadra, the mighty-armed, blew their conches separately.
19स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत्।That tumultuous sound rent the hearts of (the members of) Dhritarashtra's party, making both the heaven and the earth resound.
20अथ व्यवस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः।Then, 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 up his bow and said the following to Krishna, O Lord of the earth.
21अर्जुन उवाचArjuna said In the middle between the two armies, place my chariot, O krishna, so that I may behold those who stand here desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight, when the battle is about to commence.
22यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान्।Arjuna said In the middle between the two armies, place my chariot, O krishna, so that I may behold those who stand here desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight, when the battle is about to commence.
23योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः।For I desire to observe those who are assembled here to fight, wishing to please in battle the evil-minded Duryodhana (the son of Dhritarashtra).
24संजय उवाचSanjaya said Thus addressed by Arjuna, Krishna, having stationed that best of chariots, O Dhritarashtra, in the midst of the two armies.
25भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम्।In front of Bhishma and Drona, and all the rulers of the earth, said: O Arjuna (son of Pritha), behold these Kurus gathered together.
26तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितृ़नथ पितामहान्।Then, Arjuna (son of Pritha) saw there (in the armies) stationed, fathers and grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends too.
27श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि।(He saw) fathers-in-law and friends also in both the armies. The son of Kunti, Arjuna, seeing all those kinsmen thus standing arrayed, spoke this, sorrowfully filled with deep pity.
28अर्जुन उवाचArjuna said Seeing these, my kinsmen, O krishna, arrayed, eager to fight.
29सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति।My limbs fail and my mouth is parched, my body ivers and my hair stands on end.
30गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते।The (bow) Gandiva slips from my hand, and also my skins burns all over; I am unable even to stand and my mind is reeling, as it were.
31निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव।And I see adverse omens, O Kesava. I do not see any good in killing my kinsmen in battle.
32न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च।I desire not victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures. Of what avail is dominion to us, O Krishna, or pleasures or even life?
33येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च।Those for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyments and pleasures, stand here in battle, having renounced life and wealth.
34आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः।Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives,-
35एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन।These I do not wish to kill, though they kill me, O Krishna, even for the sake of dominion over the three worlds; leave alone killing them for the sake of the earth.
36निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन।By killing these sons of Dhritarashtra, what pleasure can be ours, O Janardana, Only sin will accrue to us from killing these felons.
37तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान्।Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our relatives; for how can we be happy by killing our own people, O Madhava (Krishna)?
38यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः।Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of families, and no sin in hostility to friends,
39कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्।Why should not we who clearly see evil in the destruction of families, learn to turn away from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?
40कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः।In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious rites of that family perish; on the destruction of spirituality, impiety, indeed, overcomes the whole family.
41अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः।By the prevalence of impiety, O Krishna, the women of the family become corrupt; and, women being corrupted, O Varshenya (descendant of Vrishni), there arises intermingling of castes.
42सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च।Confusion of castes leads to hell the slayers of the family, for their forefathers fall, deprived of the offerings of rice-ball and water (libations).
43दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः।By 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.
44उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन।We have heard, O Janardana, that inevitable is the dwelling for an unknown period in hell for those men in whose families the religious practices have been destroyed.
45अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्।Alas! We are involved in a great sin, in that we are prepared to kill our kinsmen, through greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.
46यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः।If the sons of Dhritarashtra with weapons in hand should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.
47सञ्जय उवाचSanjaya said Having thus spoken in the midst of the battlefield, Arjuna, casting away his bow and arrow, sat down on the seat of the chariot with his mind overwhelmed with sorrow.