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Chapter 1
Arjuna’s Spiritual Conversion through Sorrow
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच
धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः
मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre
samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva
kim akurvata sañjaya
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Dhrtarashtra said:
On the holy field of Kurukshetra, gathered together eager for battle, what did my people and the Pandavas do, O Sañjaya?
PURPORT
I offer my salutation to Yamunacarya by meditation on whose (holy) feet I have all my blemishes destroyed and attained to the status of (authentic) existence. THE ADVENT OF THE GĪTA
He (Narayana) is the Consort of Shri; He is wholly auspicious and is antagonistic to all that is evil; His essential nature consists purely of infinitude, knowledge and bliss, and thereby He stands distinguished by His superiority to all other entities. He is the great ocean of countless auspicious attributes which are both inherent in Him and beyond all limitations in excellence—some of them being knowledge, power, lordship, energy, potency and splendour; He has a divine form, which is both agreeable and worthy of Him—inconceivably divine, wondrous, eternal and flawless, a treasure-house of limitless perfections such as radiance, beauty, fragrance, tenderness, pervading sweetness and youthfulness. He is adorned with divine ornaments which are worthy of Him, manifold, variegated, infinite, wondrous, eternal, flawless, unlimited and divine; He is equipped with divine weapons which are appropriate to Him, countless, of wondrous powers, eternal, impeccable and surpassingly auspicious. He is the Beloved of Shri, whose eternal and impeccable nature, attributes, glory, sovereignty and virtues, unsurpassed and countless, are all agreeable and worthy of Him; His feet are incessantly praised by countless numbers of perfected devotees (Suris) whose nature, existence and activities are in accordance with His will and whose countless qualities such as knowledge, action and glory are eternal, impeccable and unsurpassed, all functioning joyously in complete subservience to Him. His nature and qualities transcend all thought and words. He dwells in the divine and imperishable supreme Heaven which abounds in manifold, wondrous and countless objects, means and places of enjoyment. It is an abode appropriate to Him and is infinite in its wondrous glory and magnitude. His sportive delight brings about the origination, sustentation and dissolution of the entire cosmos filled with multifarious, variegated and innumerable objects and subjects of mundane existence. Such is He, the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Person, Narayana. After creating the entire world, beginning from Brahma down to immobile things, He—being inaccessible in His transcendent form to the meditation and worship of all creatures from Brahma down to gods, men etc., and being also a shoreless ocean of compassion and loving condescension, paternal affection and generosity—He shaped His own figure into the likeness of the various kinds of creatures without giving up His own supreme nature, and got incarnated in the worlds of creatures and received their worship and granted them their lives’ fulfilments comprising Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, in accordance with their desire. Under the pretext of relieving the earth of its burdens but really in order to make Himself available for us (men) to take refuge in Him, He incarnated on the earth as Shri Krishna. He thus became the visible object for the sight of all men, and did divine actions that captivated the minds and eyes of all, high and low. He vanquished demoniac persons such as Putana, Shakata, the two Arjuna trees, Arishta, Pralambha, Dhenuka, Kaliya, Keshin, Kuvalayapida, Canura, Mushtika, Tosala and Kamsa. He spread soothing happiness over the entire world with the ambrosia of His glances and speech, conveying His boundless compassion, friendliness and love. He made Akrura, Malakara and others the most ardent devotees by the manifestation of His unsurpassed qualities such as beauty and loving compassion. With the ostensible intention of imparting to the sons of Pandu the fighting spirit, he brought about the descent of the Yoga of Bhakti directed to Himself, promoted with the aid of Jñana and Karma—the Yoga which has been promulgated by the Vedanta as the pathway to the supreme goal of release. When the war between Pandavas (or the sons of Pandu) and the descendants of Kuru broke out, He, the Lord, the Supreme Person, the Lord of all gods, who had taken upon Himself a mortal human form for helping the world, overwhelmed by His love for those devotees who have taken refuge in Him—that Supreme Person made Arjuna the master of the chariot and Himself the charioteer, so that He could be seen by all the people. Even knowing that Krishna was the Supreme Being, Dhrtarashtra, who was blind in every way, wanted to hear about the victory of his son Suyodhana (Duryodhana) and questioned Sañjaya thus:
सञ्जय उवाच
दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा
आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत्
sañjaya uvāca
dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ
vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanas tadā
ācāryam upasaṅgamya
rājā vacanam abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Sañjaya said:
King Duryodhana, on seeing the Pandava army in battle array, approached his teacher Drona and said these words:
पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्
व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता
paśyaitāṃ pāṇḍu-putrāṇām
ācārya mahatīṃ camūm
vyūḍhāṃ drupada-putreṇa
tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Behold, O teacher, this mighty army of the Pandavas, arrayed by the son of Drupada, your intelligent disciple.
अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि
युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः
atra śūrā maheṣvāsā
bhīmārjuna-samā yudhi
yuyudhāno virāṭaś ca
drupadaś ca mahārathaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
There (in that army) are heroes, great bowmen, like Bhima and Arjuna; Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada a mighty warrior;
धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान्
पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुङ्गवः
dhṛṣṭaketuś cekitānaḥ
kāśirājaś ca vīryavān
purujit kuntibhojaś ca
śaibyaś ca nara-puṅgavaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Dhrshtaketu, Cekitana, and the valiant king of Kashi; Purujit and Kuntibhoja, and Shaibya the best among men;
युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान्
सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः
yudhāmanyuś ca vikrānta
uttamaujāś ca vīryavān
saubhadro draupadeyāś ca
sarva eva mahārathāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Yudhamanyu the valiant, and Uttamaujas the strong; and also the son of Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi, all mighty warriors.
अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम
नायका मम सैन्यस्य सञ्ज्ञार्थं तान्ब्रवीमि ते
asmākaṃ tu viśiṣṭā ye
tān nibodha dvijottama
nāyakā mama sainyasya
sañjñārthaṃ tān bravīmi te
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Know, O best of Brahmanas, those who are important on our side—those who are the commanders of my army. I shall name them to refresh your memory.
भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः
अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च
bhavān bhīṣmaś ca karṇaś ca
kṛpaś ca samitiñjayaḥ
aśvatthāmā vikarṇaś ca
saumadattis tathaiva ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Yourself, Bhishma and Karna, the victorious Krpa, Ashvatthama, Vikarna and Jayadratha the son of Somadatta;
अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः
नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः
anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā
mad-arthe tyakta-jīvitāḥ
nānā-śastra-praharaṇāḥ
sarve yuddha-viśāradāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
And there are many other heroes who are determined to give up their lives for my sake. They all are experts in using manifold missiles and are dexterous in battle.
अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्
पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम्
aparyāptaṃ tad asmākaṃ
balaṃ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam
paryāptaṃ tv idam eteṣāṃ
balaṃ bhīmābhirakṣitam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Inadequate is this force of ours, which is guarded by Bhishma, while adequate is that force of theirs, which is guarded by Bhima.
अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः
भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि
ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu
yathā-bhāgam avasthitāḥ
bhīṣmam evābhirakṣantu
bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Therefore all of you taking your places firmly in your respective divisions, guard Bhishma at all cost.
तस्य सञ्जनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः
सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान्
tasya sañjanayan harṣaṃ
kuru-vṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ
siṃha-nādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ
śaṅkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then the valiant grandsire Bhishma, seniormost of the Kuru clan, roaring like a lion, blew his conch with a view to cheer up Duryodhana.
ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः
सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत्
tataḥ śaṅkhāś ca bheryaś ca
paṇavānaka-gomukhāḥ
sahasaivābhyahanyanta
sa śabdastumulo 'bhavat
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then suddenly conchs and kettle drums, trumpets, tabors and blow horns blared forth; and the sound was terrific.
ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ
माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः
tataḥ śvetair hayair yukte
mahati syandane sthitau
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaś caiva
divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then Shri Krishna and Arjuna, stationed in their great chariot yoked with white horses, blew their divine conchs.
पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनञ्जयः
पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः
pāñcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśo
devadattaṃ dhanañjayaḥ
pauṇḍraṃ dadhmau mahā-śaṅkhaṃ
bhīma-karmā vṛkodaraḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Shri Krishna blew his conch, Pañcajanya, Arjuna his Devadatta and Bhima of terrible deeds his great conch Paundra.
अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः
नकुलः सहदेवश्च सुघोषमणिपुष्पकौ
anantavijayaṃ rājā
kuntī-putro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca
sughoṣa-maṇipuṣpakau
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
King Yudhishthira the son of Kunti blew his conch Anantavijaya and Nakula and Sahadeva blew their conchs Sughosha and Manipushpaka.
काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः
धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः
kāśyaś ca parameṣvāsaḥ
śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ
dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaś ca
sātyakiś cāparājitaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
And the King of Kashi the supreme bowman, Shikandi the mighty warrior, Dhrshtadyumna and Virata; and Satyaki the invincible;
द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते
सौभद्रश्च महाबाहुः शङ्खान्दध्मुः पृथक्पृथक्
drupado draupadeyāś ca
sarvaśaḥ pṛthivī-pate
saubhadraś ca mahā-bāhuḥ
śaṅkhān dadhmuḥ pṛthak-pṛthak
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, and the strong-armed son of Subhadra—all, O King, blew their several conchs again and again.
स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत्
नभश्च पृथिवीं चैव तुमुलो व्यनुनादयन्
sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ
hṛdayāni vyadārayat
nabhaś ca pṛthivīṃ caiva
tumulo vyanunādayan
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
And that tumultuous uproar, resounding through heaven and earth, rent the hearts of Dhrtarastra’s sons.
PURPORT
Duryodhana, after viewing the forces of Pandavas protected by Bhima, and his own forces protected by Bhishma conveyed his views thus to Drona, his teacher, about, the adequacy of Bhima’s forces for conquering the Kaurava forces and the inadequacy of his own forces for victory against the Pandava forces. He was grief-stricken within. Observing his (Duryodhana’s) despondency, Bhishma, in order to cheer him, roared like a lion, and then blowing his conch, made his side sound their conchs and kettle-drums, which made an uproar as a sign of victory. Then, having heard that great tumult, Arjuna and Shri Krishna the Lord of all lords, who was acting as the charioteer of Arjuna, sitting in their great chariot which was powerful enough to conquer the three worlds, blew their divine conchs Shrimad Pañcajanya and Devadatta. Then, both Yudhishthira and Bhima blew their respective conchs separately. That tumult rent asunder the hearts of your sons, led by Duryodhana. The sons of Dhrtarashtra then thought, ‘Our cause is almost lost now itself.’ So said Sañjaya to Dhrtarashtra who was longing for their victory.
अथ व्यवस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः
प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसम्पाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः
atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā
dhārtarāṣṭrān kapi-dhvajaḥ
pravṛtte śastra-sampāte
dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then Arjuna, who had Hanuman as his banner crest, on beholding the sons of Dhrtarashtra in array, took up his bow, while missiles were beginning to fly.
हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते
अर्जुन उवाच
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत
hṛṣīkeśaṃ tadā vākyam
idam āha mahī-pate
arjuna uvāca
senayor ubhayor madhye
rathaṃ sthāpaya me 'cyuta
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
And he spoke, O lord of earth, these words to Shri Krishna...
Arjuna said:
...Draw up my chariot, O Krishna, between the two armies,
यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान्
कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन्रणसमुद्यमे
yāvad etān nirīkṣe 'haṃ
yoddhu-kāmān avasthitān
kair mayā saha yoddhavyam
asmin raṇa-samudyame
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
So that I may have a good look at those who are standing eager to fight and know with whom I have to fight in this enterprise of war.
योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः
धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः
yotsyamānān avekṣe 'haṃ
ya ete 'tra samāgatāḥ
dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddher
yuddhe priya-cikīrṣavaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
I wish to see those gathered here ready to fight in this battle in order to please the evil-minded son of Dhrtarashtra.
सञ्जय उवाच
एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम्
भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम्
उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्
समवेतान्कुरूनिति
sañjaya uvāca
evam ukto hṛṣīkeśo
guḍākeśena bhārata
senayor ubhayor madhye
sthāpayitvā rathottamam
bhīṣma-droṇa-pramukhataḥ
sarveṣāṃ ca mahī-kṣitām
uvāca pārtha paśyaitān
samavetān kurūn iti
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Sañjaya said:
Thus addressed by Arjuna, Shri Krishna drew up that best of chariots between the two armies before the view of Bhishma and Drona and all the other kings, O Dhrtarashtra, and said, ‘O Arjuna, behold these assembled Kauravas.’
PURPORT
Sañjaya said to Dhrtarashtra: Then, seeing the Kauravas, who were ready for battle, Arjuna, who had Hanuman, noted for his exploit of burning Lanka, as the emblem on his flag on his chariot, directed his charioteer Shri Krishna, the Supreme Lord-who is overcome by parental love for those who take shelter in Him who is the treasure-house of knowledge, power, lordship, energy, potency and splendour, whose sportive delight brings about the origin, sustentation and dissolution of the entire cosmos at His will, who is the Lord of the senses, who controls in all ways the senses inner and outer of all, superior and inferior—by saying, ‘Station my chariot in an appropriate place in order that I may see exactly my enemies who are eager for battle.’
Thus, directed by him, Shri Krishna did immediately as He had been directed, while Bhishma, Drona and others and all the kings were looking on. Such is the prospect of victory for your men.
तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितॄनथ पितामहान्
आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातॄन्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा
tatrāpaśyat sthitān pārthaḥ
pitṝn atha pitāmahān
ācāryān mātulān bhrātṝn
putrān pautrān sakhīṃs tathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then as Arjuna looked on, he saw standing there fathers and grand-fathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and comrades;
श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि
तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान्
śvaśurān suhṛdaś caiva
senayor ubhayor api
tān samīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ
sarvān bandhūn avasthitān
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Fathers-in-law and dear friends in both armies. When Arjuna saw all these kinsmen in array,
कृपया परयाविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत्
अर्जुन उवाच
दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम्
kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo
viṣīdann idam abravīt
arjuna uvāca
dṛṣṭvemaṃ svajanaṃ kṛṣṇa
yuyutsuṃ samupasthitam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
He was filled with deep compassion and said these words in despair...
Arjuna said:
...O Krishna, when I look on these, my kinsmen present here, eager for battle,
सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति
वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते
sīdanti mama gātrāṇi
mukhaṃ ca pariśuṣyati
vepathuś ca śarīre me
roma-harṣaś ca jāyate
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
My limbs are weakened, my mouth gets parched, my body trembles and my hairs stand erect.
गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते
न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः
gāṇḍīvaṃ sraṃsate hastāt
tvak caiva paridahyate
na ca śaknomy avasthātuṃ
bhramatīva ca me manaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The bow Gandiva slips from my hand and my skin is burning. I can stand no longer. My mind seems to reel.
निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव
न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे
nimittāni ca paśyāmi
viparītāni keśava
na ca śreyo 'nupaśyāmi
hatvā svajanam āhave
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
I see, Krishna, inauspicious omens. I foresee no good in killing my kinsmen in the fight.
न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च
किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा
na kāṅkṣe vijayaṃ kṛṣṇa
na ca rājyaṃ sukhāni ca
kiṃ no rājyena govinda
kiṃ bhogair jīvitena vā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
I desire no victory, nor empire, nor pleasures. What have we to do with empire, O Krishna, or enjoyment or even life?
येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च
त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च
yeṣām arthe kāṅkṣitaṃ no
rājyaṃ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca
ta ime 'vasthitā yuddhe
prāṇāṃs tyaktvā dhanāni ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Those for whose sake we do desire empire, enjoyment and pleasures, stand here in war renouncing life and wealth—
आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः
मातुलाः श्वशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा
ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrās
tathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ
mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ
śyālāḥ sambandhinas tathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers, uncles, fathers-in-law and grandsons, brothers-in-law and other kinsmen—
एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन
अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते
etān na hantum icchāmi
ghnato 'pi madhusūdana
api trailokya-rājyasya
hetoḥ kiṃ nu mahī-kṛte
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
These I would not slay, though they might slay me, even for the sovereignty of the three worlds—how much less for this earth O Krishna?
निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन
पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः
nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrān naḥ
kā prītiḥ syāj janārdana
pāpam evāśrayed asmān
hatvaitān ātatāyinaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
If we kill the sons of Dhrtarashtra, what joy will be ours, O Krishna? Sin alone will accrue to us if we kill these murderous felons.
तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान्
स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव
tasmān nārhā vayaṃ hantuṃ
dhārtarāṣṭrān sva-bāndhavān
svajanaṃ hi kathaṃ hatvā
sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Therefore, it is not befitting that we slay our kin, the sons of Dhrtarashtra. For if we kill our kinsmen, O Krishna, how indeed can we be happy?
यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम्
yady apy ete na paśyanti
lobhopahata-cetasaḥ
kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṃ doṣaṃ
mitra-drohe ca pātakam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Though these people, whose minds are overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of a clan and no sin in treachery to friends,
कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन
kathaṃ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ
pāpād asmān nivartitum
kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṃ doṣaṃ
prapaśyadbhir janārdana
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Why should we not learn to shun this crime—we who see the evil of ruining a clan, O Krishna?
कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत
kula-kṣaye praṇaśyanti
kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ
dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnam
adharmo 'bhibhavaty uta
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
With the ruin of a clan, perish its ancient traditions, and when traditions perish, lawlessness overtakes the whole clan.
अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः
स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय जायते वर्णसङ्करः
adharmābhibhavāt kṛṣṇa
praduṣyanti kula-striyaḥ
strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya
jāyate varṇa-saṅkaraḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When lawlessness prevails, O Krishna, the women of the clan become corrupt; when women become corrupt, there arises intermixture of classes.
सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च
पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रियाः
saṅkaro narakāyaiva
kulaghnānāṃ kulasya ca
patanti pitaro hy eṣāṃ
lupta-piṇḍodaka-kriyāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
This mixing of classes leads to hell the clan itself and its destroyers; for the spirits of their ancestors fall degraded, deprived of the ritual offerings of food and water.
दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः
उत्साद्यन्ते जातिधर्माः कुलधर्माश्च शाश्वताः
doṣair etaiḥ kula-ghnānāṃ
varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ
utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ
kula-dharmāś ca śāśvatāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
By the sins of the clan-destroyers who bring about inter-mixture of classes, the ancient traditions of the clan and class are destroyed.
उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन
नरके नियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम
utsanna-kula-dharmāṇāṃ
manuṣyāṇāṃ janārdana
narake niyataṃ vāso
bhavatīty anuśuśruma
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
For those whose clan-laws are destroyed, dwelling in hell is ordained, O Krishna; thus have we heard.
अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्
यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः
aho bata mahat pāpaṃ
kartuṃ vyavasitā vayam
yad rājya-sukha-lobhena
hantuṃ svajanam udyatāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Alas! we have resolved to commit a great sin in that we are ready to slay our kith and kin out of desire for sovereignty and enjoyments.
यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः
धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत्
yadi mām apratīkāram
aśastraṃ śastra-pāṇayaḥ
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyus
tan me kṣemataraṃ bhavet
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
If the well-armed sons of Dhrtarashtra should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that will be better for me.
सञ्जय उवाच
एवमुक्त्वार्जुनः सङ्ख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्
विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानसः
sañjaya uvāca
evam uktvārjunaḥ saṅkhye
rathopastha upāviśat
visṛjya sa-śaraṃ cāpaṃ
śoka-saṃvigna-mānasaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Sanjaya said:
Having spoken thus on the battle-field, Arjuna threw aside his how and arrows and sat down on the seat of the chariot, his heart overwhelmed with grief.
PURPORT
Sañjaya continued: The high-minded Arjuna, extremely kind, deeply friendly, and supremely righteous, having brothers like himself, though repeatedly deceived by the treacherous attempts of your people like burning in the lac-house etc., and therefore fit to be killed by him with the help of the Supreme Person, nevertheless said, ‘I will not fight’. He felt weak, overcome as he was by his love and extreme compassion for his relatives. He was also filled with fear, not knowing what was righteous and what unrighteous. His mind was tortured by grief, because of the thought of future separation from his relations. So he threw away his bow and arrow and sat on the chariot as if to fast to death.