arjunaviṣādayoga
atha prathamo'dhyāya
śloka 1
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |
dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ |
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kimakurvata sañjaya ||1-1||
Translation
Dhritarashtra said: O Sanjaya! What did my sons and the sons of Pandu do, desirous of battle (yuyutsavah), assembled on the sacred field of Kurukshetra?
śloka 2
sañjaya uvāca |
dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanastadā |
ācāryamupasaṃgamya rājā vacanamabravīt ||1-2||
Translation
Sanjaya said: Having seen the battle formation of the Pandava army, King Duryodhana went to Acharya Drona and spoke these words.
śloka 3
paśyaitāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṃ camūm |
vyūḍhāṃ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā ||1-3||
Translation
O Acharya! Behold this mighty army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed in battle formation by your wise disciple, the son of Drupada (Dhrishtadyumna).
śloka 4, 5 and 6
atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi |
yuyudhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ ||1-4||
dhṛṣṭaketuścekitānaḥ kāśirājaśca vīryavān |
purujitkuntibhojaśca śaibyaśca narapuṃgavaḥ ||1-5||
yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān |
saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ ||1-6||
Translation
In this army there are great bow-wielding warriors who are equal to Bhima and Arjuna in battle, such as Yuyudhana, Virata, and the great chariot-warrior King Drupada. Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana, the mighty King of Kashi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Shaibya who is foremost among men. The valiant Yudhamanyu, the mighty Uttamauja, the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu), and the sons of Draupadi—all these are great chariot-warriors.
śloka 7
asmākaṃ tu viśiṣṭā ye tānnibodha dvijottama |
nāyakā mama sainyasya saṃjñārthaṃ tānbravīmi te ||1-7||
Translation
O best of the twice-born! Know also those distinguished warriors who are on our side; for your information I will tell you the names of the leaders of our army.
śloka 8 and 9
bhavānbhīṣmaśca karṇaśca kṛpaśca samitiñjayaḥ |
aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca saumadattistathaiva ca ||1-8||
anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥ |
nānāśastrapraharaṇāḥ sarve yuddhaviśāradāḥ ||1-9||
Translation
There are yourself, Bhishma, Karna, and Kripa the Acharya who is victorious in battle, as well as Ashvatthama, Vikarna, and the son of Somadatta. There are many other brave heroes who are ready to lay down their lives for me, equipped with various weapons and missiles, and skilled in battle.
śloka 10
aparyāptaṃ tadasmākaṃ balaṃ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam |
paryāptaṃ tvidameteṣāṃ balaṃ bhīmābhirakṣitam ||1-10||
Translation
Our army protected by Bhishma is insufficient; but their army protected by Bhima is sufficient. Or, our army protected by Bhishma is unlimited, but their army protected by Bhima is limited.
śloka 11
ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathābhāgamavasthitāḥ |
bhīṣmamevābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi ||1-11||
Translation
Remaining stationed at your respective positions on the various fronts, all of you protect Grandfather Bhishma from all sides.
śloka 12
tasya sañjanayanharṣaṃ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ |
siṃhanādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān ||1-12||
Translation
At that time, the aged and mighty Grandfather Bhishma among the Kauravas, arousing joy in his (Duryodhana's) heart, roared with a loud voice and blew his conch.
śloka 13
tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānakagomukhāḥ |
sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdastumulo'bhavat ||1-13||
Translation
Thereafter, conches, drums, kettledrums and horns and other instruments sounded forth together, producing a great and terrible noise.
śloka 14
tataḥ śvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau |
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ ||1-14||
Translation
Thereafter, Madhava (Shri Krishna) and the son of Pandu, Arjuna, seated in a chariot yoked with white horses, also blew their divine conches.
śloka 15
pāñcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṃ dhanañjayaḥ |
pauṇḍraṃ dadhmau mahāśaṅkhaṃ bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ ||1-15||
Translation
Bhagavan Hrishikesha blew his conch Panchajanya, Dhananjaya (Arjuna) blew Devadatta, and Bhima of terrible deeds blew his great conch named Paundra.
śloka 16
anantavijayaṃ rājā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
nakulaḥ sahadevaśca sughoṣamaṇipuṣpakau ||1-16||
Translation
King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew his conch named Anantavijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew their conches named Sughosha and Manipushpaka respectively.
śloka 17 and 18
kāśyaśca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ |
dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiścāparājitaḥ ||1-17||
drupado draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivīpate |
saubhadraśca mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhāndadhmuḥ pṛthakpṛthak ||1-18||
Translation
The King of Kashi with the excellent bow, the great chariot-warrior Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, King Virata, and the invincible Satyaki. O King! King Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and the mighty-armed Saubhadra (Abhimanyu)—all these blew their respective conches.
śloka 19
sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat |
nabhaśca pṛthivīṃ caiva tumulo'bhyanunādayan (or lovyanu) ||1-19||
Translation
That terrible sound reverberated through heaven and earth, and it tore the hearts of the sons of Dhritarashtra.
śloka 20
atha vyavasthitāndṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrān kapidhvajaḥ |
pravṛtte śastrasampāte dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ |
hṛṣīkeśaṃ tadā vākyamidamāha mahīpate ||1-20||
Translation
O Lord of the Earth! Thus, when the battle was about to begin, Arjuna of the monkey banner, having seen the sons of Dhritarashtra arrayed, raised his bow and spoke these words to Bhagavan Hrishikesha.
śloka 21, 22, 23
arjuna uvāca |
senayorubhayormadhye rathaṃ sthāpaya me'cyuta ||1-21||
yāvadetānnirīkṣe'haṃ yoddhukāmānavasthitān |
kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasmin raṇasamudyame ||1-22||
yotsyamānānavekṣe'haṃ ya ete'tra samāgatāḥ |
dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ ||1-23||
Translation
Arjuna said: O Achyuta! Place my chariot between the two armies. So that I may observe those who stand here desirous of battle, and with whom I must fight in this war. I will see those who have gathered here to fight, these kings who are eager for battle for the sake of the evil-minded Dhartarashtra (Duryodhana).
śloka 24 and 25
sañjaya uvāca |
evamukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata |
senayorubhayormadhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam ||1-24||
bhīṣmadroṇapramukhataḥ sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām |
uvāca pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti ||1-25||
Translation
Sanjaya said: O Bharata (Dhritarashtra)! When Arjuna spoke thus, Bhagavan Hrishikesha placed the excellent chariot between the two armies. In the presence of Bhishma, Drona and all the rulers of the earth, He said, "O Partha, behold the Kauravas assembled here."
śloka 26
tatrāpaśyatsthitānpārthaḥ pitṝnatha pitāmahān |
ācāryānmātulānbhrātṝnputrānpautrānsakhīṃstathā ||1-26||
Translation
There Arjuna beheld those who stood in both armies: fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, fathers-in-law, and well-wishers.
śloka 27
śvaśurānsuhṛdaścaiva senayorubhayorapi |
tānsamīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvānbandhūnavasthitān ||1-27||
Translation
Thus, seeing all those kinsmen standing arrayed, the mind of Arjuna, the son of Kunti, was filled with compassion, and overcome with sorrow he spoke thus.
śloka 28, 29, 30, 31
kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo viṣīdannidamabravīt |
arjuna uvāca |
dṛṣṭvemaṃ svajanaṃ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṃ samupasthitam ||1-28||
sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṃ ca pariśuṣyati |
vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate ||1-29||
gāṇḍīvaṃ sraṃsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate |
na ca śaknomyavasthātuṃ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ ||1-30||
nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava |
na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave ||1-31||
Translation
।।1.28 1.29।।Arjuna said: O Krishna! Seeing these kinsmen assembled here desirous of battle, my limbs grow weak, my mouth is drying up, and there is trembling and horripilation in my body. The Gandiva (bow) is slipping from my hand and my skin is burning. My mind seems bewildered, and I am unable to stand. O Keshava! I see only adverse omens, and I foresee no good in slaying my own kinsmen in battle.
śloka 32
na kāṅkṣe vijayaṃ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṃ sukhāni ca |
kiṃ no rājyena govinda kiṃ bhogairjīvitena vā ||1-32||
Translation
O Krishna! I desire neither victory nor kingdom nor pleasures. O Govinda! What use is kingdom or enjoyments or even life to us?
śloka 33 and 34
yeṣāmarthe kāṅkṣitaṃ no rājyaṃ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca |
ta ime'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṃstyaktvā dhanāni ca ||1-33||
ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ |
mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinastathā ||1-34||
Translation
Those very people for whom we desire kingdom, enjoyments and pleasures are standing in battle, having abandoned hope of wealth and life. They are teachers, uncles, cousins, sons, grandfathers, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives.
śloka 35
etānna hantumicchāmi ghnato'pi madhusūdana |
api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kiṃ nu mahīkṛte ||1-35||
Translation
O Madhusudana! Even if they slay me, or even for the kingdom of the three worlds, I do not wish to slay them—what to speak of for the earth alone.
śloka 36
nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana |
pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ ||1-36||
Translation
O Janardana! What joy shall we have from slaying the sons of Dhritarashtra? By killing these aggressors we would only incur sin.
śloka 37
tasmānnārhā vayaṃ hantuṃ dhārtarāṣṭrānsvabāndhavān |
svajanaṃ hi kathaṃ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava ||1-37||
Translation
O Madhava! Therefore it is not fitting for us to slay our kinsmen, the sons of Dhritarashtra, for how shall we be happy having slain our own people?
śloka 38 and 39
yadyapyete na paśyanti lobhopahatacetasaḥ |
kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ mitradrohe ca pātakam ||1-38||
kathaṃ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum |
kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana ||1-39||
Translation
Although these people, their minds corrupted by greed, do not see the sin in destroying the family and in betraying friends. But, O Janardana! Why should we who know the evils arising from the destruction of the family not refrain from this sin?
śloka 40
kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ |
dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta ||1-40||
Translation
With the destruction of the family, the eternal Dharma is destroyed. When Dharma is destroyed, adharma (sin) overwhelms the entire family.
śloka 41
adharmābhibhavātkṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kulastriyaḥ |
strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇasaṅkaraḥ ||1-41||
Translation
O Krishna! When sin increases greatly, the women of the family become corrupted, and O Varshneya! When women are corrupted, mixed castes are born.
śloka 42
saṅkaro narakāyaiva kulaghnānāṃ kulasya ca |
patanti pitaro hyeṣāṃ luptapiṇḍodakakriyāḥ ||1-42||
Translation
That mixed caste causes the destroyers of the family and the family itself to fall into hell. Deprived of the rites of pinda and water offerings, their ancestors also fall into hell.
śloka 43
doṣairetaiḥ kulaghnānāṃ varṇasaṅkarakārakaiḥ |
utsādyante jātidharmāḥ kuladharmāśca śāśvatāḥ ||1-43||
Translation
By these faults that cause mixed castes and by the faults of those who destroy the family, the eternal family Dharma and caste Dharma are destroyed.
śloka 44
utsannakuladharmāṇāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ janārdana |
narake niyataṃ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma (or narake'niyataṃ) ||1-44||
Translation
O Janardana! We have heard that those men in whose families the family Dharma is destroyed dwell in hell for an indefinite period.
śloka 45
aho bata mahatpāpaṃ kartuṃ vyavasitā vayam |
yadrājyasukhalobhena hantuṃ svajanamudyatāḥ ||1-45||
Translation
Alas! It is a sorrow that we have resolved to commit a great sin, having become ready to destroy our own family out of greed for the pleasures of kingdom.
śloka 46
yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṃ śastrapāṇayaḥ |
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṃ bhavet ||1-46||
Translation
If these armed Kauravas slay me in battle, unarmed and offering no resistance, that would be more beneficial for me.
śloka 47
sañjaya uvāca |
evamuktvārjunaḥ saṅkhye rathopastha upāviśat |
visṛjya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ śokasaṃvignamānasaḥ ||1-47||
Translation
Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus on the battlefield, Arjuna, his mind agitated with sorrow, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down in the rear of the chariot.
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