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VERSE 1: DHṚTARĀṢṬRA’S ENQUIRY
1.1
Dhṛtarāṣṭra says:
O Sañjaya, after they gathered on the holy field of Kurukṣetra, being
eager for battle, what did my sons and the Pāṇḍavas do?
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ |
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kim akurvata sañjaya || 1 ||
VERSES 2-13: THE WARRIORS ARE INTRODUCED
1.2
Sañjaya says:
O king! Duryodhana, seeing the Pāṇḍavas’ army in military formation,
approached his teacher, Droṇa, and said these words:
sañjaya uvāca
dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ vyūḍhaṁ duryodhanas tadā |
ācāryam upasaṅgamya rājā vacanam abravīt || 2 ||
1.3
Duryodhana says:
O Master, behold this mighty army of the Pāṇḍavas, led by the son of
Drupada, who is your intelligent disciple.
paśyaitām pāṇḍu-putrāṇām ācārya mahatīṁ camūm |
vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā || 3 ||
1.4
In that army are heroes and great archers like Bhīma and Arjuna; there
are mighty warriors like Yuyudhāna, Virāṭa and Drupada.
atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjuna samā yudhi |
yuyudhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ || 4 ||
1.5
There is Dhṛṣṭaketu, Cekitāna, and the valiant king of Kāśī, Purujit,
Kuntibhoja, and Śaibyā, all of whom are the best among men.
dhṛṣṭaketuś-cekitānaḥ kāśi-rājaśca vīryavān |
purujit-kunti-bhojaśca śaibyaśca nara-puṅgavaḥ || 5 ||
1.6
There is the valiant Yudhāmanyu and the strong Uttamaujas. There is also
the son of Subhadrā, as well as the sons of Draupadī. All of them are
mighty chariot-warriors.
yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān |
saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ || 6 ||
1.7
O best of brahmanas, let me now familiarise you with our principle
warriors who are the commanders of my army. I shall name them to refresh
your memory.
asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye tān-nibodha dvijottama |
nāyakāḥ mama sainyasya saṁjñārthaṁ tān bravīmi te || 7 ||
1.8
There is yourself, Bhīṣma and Karṇa, the victorious Kṛpā, Aśvatthāmā,
Vikarṇa and Jayadratha, the son of Somadatta.
bhavān bhīṣmaśca karṇaśca kṛpaśca samitiñjayaḥ |
aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca saumadattis tathaiva ca || 8 ||
1.9
And there are many other heroes who are determined to give up their
lives for my sake. They are all experts in weaponry and experienced in
the art of warfare.
anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madārthe tyakta-jīvitāḥ |
nānā-śāstra praharaṇāḥ sarve yuddha-viśāradāḥ || 9 ||
1.10
This force of ours marshalled by Bhīṣma is immeasurable, while their
strength controlled by Bhīma is limited.
aparyāptaṁ tad asmakaṁ balaṁ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam |
paryāptaṁ tvidam eteṣāṁ balaṁ bhīmābhirakṣitam || 10 ||
1.11
All of you therefore should make every effort to guard Bhīṣma, whilst
stationed at your respective positions in the army.
ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathā-bhāgam avasthitāḥ |
bhīṣmam evābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi || 11 ||
1.12
Sañjaya says:
Then, the valiant grandsire Bhīṣma, the most senior of the Kuru clan,
roaring like a lion, blew his conch to encourage Duryodhana.
tasya sañjanayan harṣaṁ kuru-vṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ |
siṁhanādaṁ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṁ dadhmau pratāpavān || 12 ||
1.13
Suddenly, conches and kettle drums, trumpets, tabors and horns erupted
forth and the sound was terrific.
tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānaka-gomukhāḥ |
sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdas-tumulo’bhavat || 13 ||
VERSES 14-20: KṚṢṆA IS INTRODUCED; THE CONCHES ARE BLOWING
1.14
Then Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, stationed in their great chariot drawn by
white horses, blew their divine conches.
tataḥ śvetair-hayair-yukte mahati syandane sthitau |
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ || 14 ||
1.15
Śrī Kṛṣṇa blew His conch, Pāñcajanya, Arjuna blew his, named Devadatta,
and Bhīma, the performer of terrible deeds, blew the great conch
Pauṇḍra.
pāñcajanyaṁ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṁ dhanañjayaḥ |
pauṇḍraṁ dadhmau mahā-śaṅkhaṁ bhīma-karmā vṛkodaraḥ || 15 ||
1.16
King Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Kuntī, blew his conch Ananta-vijaya, and
Nakula and Sahadeva blew their conches Sughoṣa and Mani-puṣpaka.
ananta-vijayaṁ rājā kuntī-putro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
nakulaḥ sahaDevaśca sughoṣa maṇi-puṣpakau || 16 ||
1.17
Then the supreme archer, king of Kāśī, and the mighty warrior Śikhaṇḍī,
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Virāṭa; and the invincible Sātyaki, all blew their
respective conches.
kāśyaśca parameṣ-vasaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ |
dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiś-cāparājitaḥ || 17 ||
1.18
King Drupada, the sons of Draupadī, and the strong- armed son of
Subhadrā, all blew their various conches again and again.
drupado draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivī-pate |
saubhadraśca mahā-bāhuḥ śaṅkhān dadhmuḥ pṛthak pṛthak || 18 ||
1.19
That tumultuous uproar, resounding through heaven and Earth, tore the
hearts of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons.
sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ hṛdayāni vyadārayat |
nabhaśca pṛthivīṁ caiva tumulo’bhyanunādayan || 19 ||
1.20
After seeing the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra arranged in their formation,
Arjuna, who had Hanumān as his banner crest, took up his bow in
preparation for war.
atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā dhārtarāsṭrān kapi-dhvajaḥ |
pravṛtte śastra-sampāte dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ || 20 ||
VERSES 21-24: BETWEEN THE TWO ARMIES
1.21-22
And he spoke, O king, these words to Śrī Kṛṣṇa…
Arjuna says:
O Kṛṣṇa, station my chariot between the two armies.
I wish to look at those who are present here and know exactly who I have
to fight in this great battle.
hṛṣīkeśaṁ tadā vākyam idam āha mahī-pate |
arjuna uvāca
senayor-ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me’cyuta || 21 ||
yāvad etān nirīkṣe’haṁ yoddhu-kāmān avasthitān |
kair-mayā saha yoddhavyam asmin raṇa-samudyame || 22 ||
1.23
I am eager to see those who have gathered here to please the evil-minded
son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana).
yotsyamānān avekṣe‘haṁ ya ete’tra samāgatāḥ |
dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddher yuddhe priya cikīrṣavaḥ || 23 ||
1.24
Sañjaya says:
O Dhṛtarāṣṭra, having been addressed by Arjuna, Śrī Kṛṣṇa stationed that
best of chariots between the two armies.
sañjaya uvāca
evam ukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata |
senayor-ubhayor madhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam || 24 ||
VERSES 25–47: ARJUNA REFUSES TO FIGHT
1.25
In front of Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and all the other kings, Kṛṣṇa says: ‘O
Arjuna, behold all the Kurus who have assembled here.’
bhiṣma droṇa pramukhataḥ sarveṣāṁ ca mahīkṣitām |
uvāca pārtha paśyaitān samavetān kurūn iti || 25 ||
1.26-29
Then Arjuna saw standing there, fathers and grand- fathers, teachers,
uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends.
Having seen all his friends and different relatives there, Arjuna was
filled with deep compassion and said these words in despair:
After seeing my own family and friends ready to do battle and kill one
another, my limbs have become weak and my mouth is drying up.
My body is trembling, and my hair is standing on end.
tatrāpaśyat sthitān pārthaḥ pitṝn atha pitā-mahān |
ācāryān mātulān bhrātṝn putrān pautrān sakhīṁs tathā || 26 ||
śvaśurān suhṛdaścaiva senayor-ubhayor api |
tān samīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvān bandhūn avasthitān || 27 ||
kṛpayā parayā‘’viṣṭo viṣīdann idam abravīt |
arjuna uvāca dṛṣṭvemaṁ svajanaṁ kṛṣṇa yuyutsaṁ samupasthitam || 28 ||
sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṁ ca pariśuṣyati |
vepathuśca śarīre me roma harṣaśca jāyate || 29 ||
1.30
My bow, the Gāṇḍīva, is slipping from my hands and my skin is burning. I
am unable to hold myself together, I am confused, and my mind is
reeling.
gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāt tvak caiva pari-dahyate |
na ca śaknomy-avasthātuṁ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ || 30 ||
1.31
O Kṛṣṇa, I see only calamity for the future. I cannot see any good in
killing my own family in battle.
nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava |
na ca śreyo’nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanam āhave || 31 ||
1.32
Nor do I desire victory, a kingdom or happiness. Of what use to us is a
kingdom, enjoyment or even life itself?
na kāṅkṣe vijayaṁ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṁ sukhāni ca |
kiṁ no rājyena govinda kiṁ bhogair jīvitena vā || 32 ||
1.33
The people for whose sake we desire those things stand ready to fight
and give up their lives, and their wealth, for this war.
yeṣām arthe kāṅkṣitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca |
ta ime’ vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁs tyaktvā dhanāni ca || 33 ||
1.34
Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers, uncles, fathers-in-law
and grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives stand before me.
ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrās tathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ |
mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinas tathā || 34 ||
1.35
O Kṛṣṇa, they may wish to slay me, but I have no desire to kill them,
even if it were to rule the three worlds, much less for this Earth.
etān na hantum icchāmi ghnato’pi madhusūdana |
api trailokya rājyasya hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahīkṛte || 35 ||
1.36
If we kill the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, what joy will be ours, O Kṛṣṇa? Sin
alone will stain us if we kill these aggressors.
nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrān naḥ kā̇ prītiḥ syāj-janārdana |
pāpam evāśrayed asmān hatvaitān ātatāyinaḥ || 36 ||
1.37
Therefore, it is not right that we slay the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. How can
we rejoice, O Kṛṣṇa, if we kill our own relatives?
tasmān nārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ dhārtarāṣṭrān svabandhavān |
svajanaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava || 37 ||
1.38-39
Even though these people, whose minds are overpowered by greed, see no
evil in destroying their family and betraying their friends, why should
we, O Kṛṣṇa, who do recognise this evil, engage in such sinful deeds?
yady-apyete na paśyanti lobhopahata cetasaḥ |
kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣaṁ mitra-drohe ca pātakam || 38 ||
kathaṁ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ pāpād asmān nivartitum |
kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣaṁ prapaśyadbhir janārdana || 39 ||
1.40
If the family is destroyed, its ancient traditions perish, and when
traditions perish, unrighteousness overtakes the whole clan.
kula-kṣaye praṇaśyanti kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ |
dharme naṣṭe kulaṁ kṛtsnam adharmo’bhibhavaty-uta || 40 ||
1.41
When unrighteousness prevails, O Kṛṣṇa, the women of the clan become
corrupt; when women become corrupt, future generations will follow.
adharmābhi-bhavāt kṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kula-striyaḥ |
strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇa-saṅkaraḥ || 41 ||
1.42
The mixing of social classes creates a living hell both for the family
and for those who destroy it. Consequently, the ancestors of such a
family will certainly fall because they will be deprived of their ritual
offerings.
saṅkaro narakāyaiva kula-ghnānāṁ kulasya ca |
patanti pitaro hyeṣāṁ lupta-piṇḍodaka-kriyāḥ || 42 ||
1.43
The sinful deeds of those who destroy their family and mix social classes
ruin the ancient traditions of our clan.
doṣair etaiḥ kula-ghnānāṁ varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ |
utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāśca śāśvatāḥ || 43 ||
1.44
We have heard, O Kṛṣṇa, that there is certainly a place in hell for
those who destroy such family practices.
utsanna-kula-dharmāṇāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ janārdana |
narake’niyataṁ vāso bhavatīty-anuśuśruma || 44 ||
1.45
Alas! We have resolved to commit a great crime, in that we are ready to
slay our own family, just to rule and enjoy the pleasures of a kingdom.
aho bata mahat pāpaṁ kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam |
yad rājya sukha lobhena hantuṁ sva-janam udyatāḥ || 45 ||
1.46
Even if the fully-armed sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra were to slay me in battle,
unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.
yadi mām apratīkāram aśastraṁ śastra-pāṇayaḥ |
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyus tan-me kṣemataraṁ bhavet || 46 ||
1.47
Sañjaya says:
Having spoken these words on the battlefield, Arjuna threw aside his bow
and arrows, and sat down on the seat of his chariot, his heart
overwhelmed with grief.
sañjaya uvāca
evam uktvā’rjunaḥ saṅkhye rathopastha upāviśat |
visṛjya saśaraṁ cāpaṁ śoka saṁvigna mānasaḥ || 47
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