Bhagavad-gita, chapter one: Arjuna's Crisis of Conscience

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता

Śrīmad Bhagavadgītā

॥ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ॥

॥ ॐ श्री परमात्मने नमः ॥

॥ अथ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ॥

अथ प्रथमोऽध्यायः ।   अर्जुनविषादयोगः

|| śrīmad bhagavad-gītā ||

|| ॐ śrī paramātmane namaḥ ||

|| atha śrīmadbhagavadgītā ||

atha prathamo'dhyāyaḥ |   arjunaviṣādayogaḥ

Om, all glories to the Supreme Soul. And now: the first chapter of Bhagavad-gita:

Arjuna’s Crisis of Conscience.

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच ।

धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः ।

मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय ॥ १-१॥

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |

dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ |

māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kimakurvata sañjaya || 1-1||

Dhrtarastra said: "O Sanjaya: At the holy place known as Kurukshetra, having met for battle, what did my sons and the Pandavas do?"

सञ्जय उवाच ।

दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा ।

आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ १-२॥

sañjaya uvāca |

dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ vyūḍhaṁ duryodhanastadā |

ācāryamupasaṅgamya rājā vacanamabravīt || 1-2||

पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम् ।

व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता ॥ १-३॥

paśyaitāṁ pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṁ camūm |

vyūḍhāṁ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā || 1-3||

अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि ।

युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः ॥ १-४॥

atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi |

yuyudhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ || 1-4||

Sanjaya said: "O King, beholding the arrayed armies of the Pandavas, Duryodhana approached  Dronacharya and said, ‘O my teacher, just see the mighty army of the sons of Pandu, arranged by your intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada.  There in that army are many brave and mighty bowmen equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna:  Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada, the great car warrior.’”

धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान् ।

पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुङ्गवः ॥ १-५॥

dhṛṣṭaketuścekitānaḥ kāśirājaśca vīryavān |

purujitkuntibhojaśca śaibyaśca narapuṅgavaḥ || 1-5||

युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान् ।

सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः ॥ १-६॥

yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān |

saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ || 1-6||

अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम ।

नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान्ब्रवीमि ते ॥ १-७॥

asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye tānnibodha dvijottama |

nāyakā mama sainyasya saṁjñārthaṁ tānbravīmi te || 1-7||

भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः ।

अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च ॥ १-८॥

bhavānbhīṣmaśca karṇaśca kṛpaśca samitiñjayaḥ |

aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca saumadattistathaiva ca || 1-8||

अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः ।

नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः ॥ १-९॥

anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥ |

nānāśastrapraharaṇāḥ sarve yuddhaviśāradāḥ || 1-9||

“There with the Paṇḍavas are Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana, the king of Kashi of great energy;  Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Shaibya, that bull among men. There is the mighty Yudhamanyu, the very powerful Uttamauja, the son of Subhadra as well as the sons of Draupadi, all of whom are great chariot warriors.

“For your information, O best of the twice-born, let me tell you of the distinguished leaders of our own armies. Besides your great self, there is Bhisma, as well as Karna, and Krpa who is ever victorious. Asvatthama, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta. There are many other heroic warriors who are prepared to lay down their lives for my sake. All of them are well-armed with diverse weapons, and accomplished in the art of war.

अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम् ।

पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम् ॥ १-१०॥

aparyāptaṁ tadasmākaṁ balaṁ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam |

paryāptaṁ tvidameteṣāṁ balaṁ bhīmābhirakṣitam || 1-10||

अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः ।

भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि ॥ १-११॥

ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathābhāgamavasthitāḥ |

bhīṣmamevābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi || 1-11||

“Our unlimited strength may be insufficient to win the day, even while we are protected by Grandfather Bhisma; and yet the limited strength of the Pandavas, carefully protected by Bhima may just be sufficient for their triumph. Stand firm in the rank and file and back our General Bhisma, in the entrances of the divisions assigned to you.”

तस्य सञ्जनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः ।

सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान् ॥ १-१२॥

tasya sañjanayanharṣaṁ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ |

siṁhanādaṁ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṁ dadhmau pratāpavān || 1-12||

ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः ।

सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत् ॥ १-१३॥

tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānakagomukhāḥ |

sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdastumulo'bhavat || 1-13||

“With this, the valiant and venerable grandsire of the Kurus, Bhishma himself, blew his conchshell with a leonine roar, affording great joy to Duryodhana.  At that time, conchshells, drums, cymbals, and horns were sounded at once, and the combined sound was tumultuous.

ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ ।

माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः ॥ १-१४॥

tataḥ śvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau |

mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ || 1-14||

पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनञ्जयः ।

पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः ॥ १-१५॥

pāñcajanyaṁ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṁ dhanañjayaḥ |

pauṇḍraṁ dadhmau mahāśaṅkhaṁ bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ || 1-15||

अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः ।

नकुलः सहदेवश्च सुघोषमणिपुष्पकौ ॥ १-१६॥

anantavijayaṁ rājā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |

nakulaḥ sahadevaśca sughoṣamaṇipuṣpakau || 1-16||

“Then, stationed in their war chariot drawn by white horses Madhava Krishna and Arjuna, the son of sounded their celestial conchshells. Lord Krishna who is known as Hrishikesh,  blew His conchshell, the  Pancajanya; while the son of Pandu, Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta. Bhima, who is known as the wolf-belly, Vrikodara of herculean deeds  blew his great conchshell, the Paundra. And “Kunti’s son,  King Yudhisthira, the son of Kunti, blew his conchs, the Ananta-vijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew their own battle-conches called Sughosa and Manipuspaka.

काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः ।

धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः ॥ १-१७॥

kāśyaśca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ |

dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiścāparājitaḥ || 1-17||

द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते ।

सौभद्रश्च महाबाहुः शङ्खान्दध्मुः पृथक्पृथक् ॥ १-१८॥

drupado draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivīpate |

saubhadraśca mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhāndadhmuḥ pṛthakpṛthak || 1-18||

स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत् ।

नभश्च पृथिवीं चैव तुमुलोऽभ्यनुनादयन् ॥ १-१९॥

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ hṛdayāni vyadārayat |

nabhaśca pṛthivīṁ caiva tumulo'bhyanunādayan || 1-19||

“That splendid bowman the Ruler of Kasi, the mighty car warrior,  Shikhandi, Dhrstadyumna, Virata, the invincible Satyaki, Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and the others, O King, such as the mighty-armed son of Subhadra, all blew their conchshells. The blowing of these different conchshells became uproarious. Filling both earth and sky with a tumultuous sound that split the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarastra.”

      

अथ व्यवस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान् कपिध्वजः ।

प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसम्पाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः ॥ १-२०॥

atha vyavasthitāndṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrān kapidhvajaḥ |

pravṛtte śastrasampāte dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ || 1-20||

 At that time, seeing the sons of Dhṛtaraṣtra arrayed for battle, the son of Paṇḍu, whose banner was that of Hanumāna took up his bow just as darts began to fly.

हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते ।

        अर्जुन उवाच ।

सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत ॥ १-२१॥

hṛṣīkeśaṁ tadā vākyamidamāha mahīpate |

       arjuna uvāca |

senayorubhayormadhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me'cyuta || 1-21||

यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान् ।

कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन् रणसमुद्यमे ॥ १-२२॥

yāvadetānnirīkṣe'haṁ yoddhukāmānavasthitān |

kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasmin raṇasamudyame || 1-22||

योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः ।

धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः ॥ १-२३॥

yotsyamānānavekṣe'haṁ ya ete'tra samāgatāḥ |

dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ || 1-23||

Arjuna said: “O infallible one, please draw my chariot between the two armies so that I may see those who long for war and with whom I shall have to content at the outset of this battle. Let me see those who have come prepared to fight, wishing to please the evil-minded son of Dhrtarastra.”

        सञ्जय उवाच ।

एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत ।

सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम् ॥ १-२४॥

sañjaya uvāca |

evamukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata |

senayorubhayormadhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam || 1-24||

भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् ।

उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति ॥ १-२५॥

bhīṣmadroṇapramukhataḥ sarveṣāṁ ca mahīkṣitām |

uvāca pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti || 1-25||

तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितॄनथ पितामहान् ।

आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातॄन्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा ॥ १-२६॥

tatrāpaśyatsthitānpārthaḥ pitṝnatha pitāmahān |

ācāryānmātulānbhrātṝnputrānpautrānsakhīṁstathā || 1-26||

श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि ।

तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान् ॥ १-२७॥

śvaśurānsuhṛdaścaiva senayorubhayorapi |

tānsamīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvānbandhūnavasthitān || 1-27||

Sanjaya said: “O Bharata, having thus been addressed by Gudakeśa, the sleepless Arjuna, Śrī Krishna drove that excellent chariot between the two armies. In the presence of Bhisma, Drona and all the other chieftains of the world, the Lord said, Just behold, Partha, all the Kurus assembled here. There Arjuna could see, within the midst of the armies of both parties, his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, and also his fathers-in-law and well-wishers.

कृपया परयाविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत् ।

kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo viṣīdannidamabravīt |

And seeing these,  Arjuna was overcome with compassion and great sadness.

        अर्जुन उवाच ।

दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम् ॥ १-२८॥

       arjuna uvāca | dṛṣṭvemaṁ svajanaṁ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṁ samupasthitam || 1-28||

सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति ।

वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते ॥ १-२९॥

sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṁ ca pariśuṣyati |

vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate || 1-29||

Arjuna said: My dear Krishna, seeing my friends and relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up.

गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते ।

न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः ॥ १-३०॥

gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate |

na ca śaknomyavasthātuṁ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ || 1-30||

निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव ।

न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे ॥ १-३१॥

nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava |

na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave || 1-31||

My body trembles, my hair stands on end, my bow Gandiva slips my hand. My skin burns. I cannot stand here.  I am am lost. I forget myself. My mind is weak. I see bad omens and signs of misfortune, O Krishna, killer of Keśi.

न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च ।

किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा ॥ १-३२॥

na kāṅkṣe vijayaṁ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṁ sukhāni ca |

kiṁ no rājyena govinda kiṁ bhogairjīvitena vā || 1-32||

"I see no good in killing family and dynasty in this war. And even in I see no triumph or happiness in kingdom, O Kṛṣṇa.

येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च ।

त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च ॥ १-३३॥

yeṣāmarthe kāṅkṣitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca |

ta ime'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁstyaktvā dhanāni ca || 1-33||

आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः ।

मातुलाः श्वशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा ॥ १-३४॥

ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ |

mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinastathā || 1-34||

"O Govinda, of what use to us are a kingdom, happiness or even life, when all those with whom we might enjoy them them are now aligned before us on the field of battle? O Madhusudana, when gurus, fathers, sons, grandfathers, uncles, cousins, grandsons, brothers-in-law and others stand before us armed, ready to give up everything to kill us, why should I wish to kill them, even if they kill me?

एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन ।

अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते ॥ १-३५॥

etānna hantumicchāmi ghnato'pi madhusūdana |

api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahīkṛte || 1-35||

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन ।

पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः ॥ १-३६॥

nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana |

pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ || 1-36||

O maintainer of all living entities, I am not prepared to fight with them even in exchange for the three worlds, let alone this earth. What pleasure will we derive from killing the sons of Dhrtarastra?"