Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 The Yoga of Arjuna's Despair

Shloka 1 Dhritarashtra Asks What Happened on the Sacred Battlefield dhṛtarāṣhṭra uvācha | dharma-kṣhetre kuru-kṣhetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ | māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāśhchaiva kimakurvata sañjaya || 1.1 || Dhritarashtra said: O Sanjaya, assembled together on the sacred field of Kurukshetra, desiring to fight, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do? → Shloka 2 Duryodhana Approaches His Teacher on Seeing the Pandava Army sañjaya uvācha | dṛṣhṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ vyūḍhaṁ duryodhanastadā | āchāryamupasaṅgamya rājā vachanamabravīt || 1.2 || Sanjaya said: Having seen the army of the Pandavas drawn up in battle formation, King Duryodhana then approached his teacher and spoke these words. → Shloka 3 Duryodhana Points to the Pandava Army Arranged by Drupada's Son paśhyaitāṁ pāṇḍuputrāṇām āchārya mahatīṁ chamūm | vyūḍhāṁ drupadaputreṇa tava śhiṣhyeṇa dhīmatā || 1.3 || O teacher, behold this mighty army of the sons of Pandu, arranged in battle formation by the son of Drupada, your intelligent disciple. → Shloka 4 Duryodhana Lists the Mighty Archers of the Pandava Army atra śhūrā maheṣhvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi | yuyudhāno virāṭaśhcha drupadaśhcha mahārathaḥ || 1.4 || Here are heroes, mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna: Yuyudhana, Virata, and Drupada, the great chariot warrior. → Shloka 5 Duryodhana Names More Valiant Heroes on the Pandava Side dhṛṣhṭaketuśhchekitānaḥ kāśhirājaśhcha vīryavān | purujitkuntibhojaśhcha śhaibyaśhcha narapuṅgavaḥ || 1.5 || Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana, and the valiant king of Kashi; Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Shaibya, the best among men. → Shloka 6 Duryodhana Completes the List of Pandava Warriors yudhāmanyuśhcha vikrānta uttamaujāśhcha vīryavān | saubhadro draupadeyāśhcha sarva eva mahārathāḥ || 1.6 || The powerful Yudhamanyu and the valiant Uttamauja, the son of Subhadra, and the sons of Draupadi: all of them are indeed great chariot warriors. → Shloka 7 Duryodhana Turns to the Leaders of His Own Army asmākaṁ tu viśhiṣhṭā ye tānnibodha dvijottama | nāyakā mama sainyasya saṁjñārthaṁ tānbravīmi te || 1.7 || O best of the twice-born, know also those who are the most distinguished on our side, the leaders of my army. For your information, I name them to you. → Shloka 8 Duryodhana Names Bhishma, Karna, and Other Leaders bhavānbhīṣhmaśhcha karṇaśhcha kṛipaśhcha samitiñjayaḥ | aśhvatthāmā vikarṇaśhcha saumadattistathaiva cha || 1.8 || Yourself, Bhishma, Karna, and Kripa, who is ever victorious in battle; Ashvatthama, Vikarna, and the son of Somadatta as well. → Shloka 9 Heroes Who Were Ready to Give Their Lives for Duryodhana anye cha bahavaḥ śhūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥ | nānāśhastrapraharaṇāḥ sarve yuddhaviśhāradāḥ || 1.9 || And many other heroes, who have given up hope of life for my sake, armed with various weapons, all skilled in warfare. → Shloka 10 Duryodhana Assesses the Strength of the Two Armies aparyāptaṁ tadasmākaṁ balaṁ bhīṣhmābhirakṣhitam | paryāptaṁ tvidameteṣhāṁ balaṁ bhīmābhirakṣhitam || 1.10 || That army of ours, protected by Bhishma, is unlimited (or insufficient), whereas this army of theirs, protected by Bhima, is limited (or sufficient). → Shloka 11 Duryodhana Orders All Warriors to Protect Bhishma ayaneṣhu cha sarveṣhu yathābhāgamavasthitāḥ | bhīṣhmamevābhirakṣhantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi || 1.11 || Therefore, all of you, standing firm in your respective positions at all the fronts, must protect Bhishma alone. → Shloka 12 Bhishma's Lion-Roar and Conch Lift Duryodhana's Spirits tasya sañjanayanharṣhaṁ kuruvṛiddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ | siṁhanādaṁ vinadyochchaiḥ śhaṅkhaṁ dadhmau pratāpavān || 1.12 || To cheer him up, the mighty grandsire, the eldest of the Kuru dynasty, roared loudly like a lion and blew his conch. → Shloka 13 The Thunderous Sound of War Instruments Fills the Battlefield tataḥ śhaṅkhāścha bheryaśhcha paṇavānakagomukhāḥ | sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śhabdastumulo'bhavat || 1.13 || Then conches, kettledrums, tabors, drums, and cow horns suddenly blared forth together, and that sound became tumultuous. → Shloka 14 Krishna and Arjuna Sound Their Divine Conches tataḥ śhvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau | mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaśhchaiva divyau śhaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ || 1.14 || Then, seated in a magnificent chariot yoked with white horses, Madhava and the Pandava also blew their divine conches. → Shloka 15 Panchajanya, Devadatta, and Paundra Resound on the Battlefield pāñchajanyaṁ hṛṣhīkeśho devadattaṁ dhanañjayaḥ | pauṇḍraṁ dadhmau mahāśhaṅkhaṁ bhīmakarmā vṛikodaraḥ || 1.15 || Hrishikesha blew the Panchajanya, Dhananjaya blew the Devadatta, and Vrikodara, the doer of terrible deeds, blew the great conch Paundra. → Shloka 16 Yudhishthira, Nakula, and Sahadeva Sound Their Conches anantavijayaṁ rājā kuntī-putro yudhiṣhṭhiraḥ | nakulaḥ sahadevaśh cha sughoṣha-maṇipuṣhpakau || 1.16 || King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew the Anantavijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosha and the Manipushpaka. → Shloka 17 The King of Kashi, Shikhandi, and Other Warriors Join the Sound kāśhyaśh cha parameṣhvāsaḥ śhikhaṇḍī cha mahārathaḥ | dhṛṣhṭadyumno virāṭaśh cha sātyakiśh chāparājitaḥ || 1.17 || The king of Kashi, the supreme archer, and Shikhandi, the great chariot warrior; Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, and Satyaki, the unconquered. → Shloka 18 Drupada, Draupadi's Sons, and Abhimanyu Blow Their Conches drupado draupadeyāśh cha sarvaśhaḥ pṛthivī-pate | saubhadraśh cha mahā-bāhuḥ śhaṅkhān dadhmuḥ pṛthak pṛthak || 1.18 || Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and the mighty-armed son of Subhadra, O lord of the earth, all blew their own conches from every side. → Shloka 19 The Roar That Shattered the Hearts of Dhritarashtra's Sons sa ghoṣho dhārtarāṣhṭrāṇāṁ hṛdayāni vyadārayat | nabhaśh cha pṛthivīṁ chaiva tumulo vyanunādayan || 1.19 || That tumultuous sound, echoing through the sky and the earth, shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhritarashtra. → Shloka 20 Arjuna Raises His Bow as the Battle Is About to Begin atha vyavasthitān dṛṣhṭvā dhārtarāṣhṭrān kapi-dhvajaḥ | pravṛtte śhastra-sampāte dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ | hṛṣhīkeśhaṁ tadā vākyam idam āha mahī-pate || 1.20 || O King, then, seeing the sons of Dhritarashtra arrayed, and as the clash of weapons was about to begin, Arjuna, whose banner bore the emblem of Hanuman, raised his bow and spoke these words to Hrishikesha. → Shloka 21 Arjuna Asks Krishna to Station the Chariot Between the Armies arjuna uvācha | senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me 'chyuta || 1.21 || Arjuna said: O Achyuta, please station my chariot in the middle of the two armies. → Shloka 22 Arjuna Wishes to Observe Those Who Stand Ready to Fight yāvad etān nirīkṣhe 'haṁ yoddhu-kāmān avasthitān | kair mayā saha yoddhavyam asmin raṇa-samudyame || 1.22 || So that I may observe these who stand arrayed, desiring to fight, and know with whom I must fight in this undertaking of war. → Shloka 23 Arjuna Wants to See Those Eager to Please Duryodhana yotsyamānān avekṣhe 'haṁ ya ete 'tra samāgatāḥ | dhārtarāṣhṭrasya durbuddher yuddhe priya-chikīrṣhavaḥ || 1.23 || I wish to look at those who are about to fight and who have assembled here, wishing to please in battle the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra. → Shloka 24 Krishna Places the Finest Chariot Between the Two Armies sañjaya uvācha | evam ukto hṛṣhīkeśho guḍākeśhena bhārata | senayor ubhayor madhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam || 1.24 || Sanjaya said: O descendant of Bharata, thus addressed by Gudakesha, Hrishikesha stationed the finest chariot in the middle of the two armies. → Shloka 25 Krishna Shows Arjuna the Assembled Kurus bhīṣhma-droṇa-pramukhataḥ sarveṣhāṁ cha mahīkṣhitām | uvācha pārtha paśhyaitān samavetān kurūn iti || 1.25 || In front of Bhishma, Drona, and all the rulers of the earth, he said: O Partha, behold these Kurus assembled here. → Shloka 26 Arjuna Sees Elders, Teachers, and Kin on the Battlefield tatrāpaśhyat sthitān pārthaḥ pitṝn atha pitāmahān | āchāryān mātulān bhrātṝn putrān pautrān sakhīṁs tathā || 1.26 || There, Arjuna saw standing fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, and friends as well. → Shloka 27 Arjuna Sees Fathers-in-Law and Friends on Both Sides śhvaśhurān suhṛdaśh chaiva senayor ubhayor api | tān samīkṣhya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvān bandhūn avasthitān || 1.27 || Fathers-in-law and well-wishers also, in both armies. Having carefully observed all those kinsmen standing arrayed, the son of Kunti— → Shloka 28 Overcome by Compassion, Arjuna Begins to Speak kṛpayā parayāviṣhṭo viṣhīdann idam abravīt | arjuna uvācha | dṛṣhṭvemaṁ sva-janaṁ kṛṣhṇa yuyutsuṁ samupasthitam || 1.28 || Overcome with deep compassion and sinking in sorrow, he said this. Arjuna said: O Krishna, having seen these kinsmen of mine present here, eager to fight— → Shloka 29 Arjuna's Body Trembles and His Mouth Goes Dry sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṁ cha pariśhuṣhyati | vepathuśh cha śharīre me roma-harṣhaśh cha jāyate || 1.29 || My limbs are giving way and my mouth is drying up; trembling arises in my body, and my hair stands on end. → Shloka 30 The Gandiva Slips from Arjuna's Hand gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāt tvak chaiva paridahyate | na cha śhaknomy avasthātuṁ bhramatīva cha me manaḥ || 1.30 || The Gandiva slips from my hand and my skin burns all over; I am not able to stand firm, and my mind seems to be whirling. → Shloka 31 Arjuna Sees Ill Omens and No Good in Killing Kinsmen nimittāni cha paśhyāmi viparītāni keśhava | na cha śhreyo 'nupaśhyāmi hatvā sva-janam āhave || 1.31 || And I see adverse omens, O Keshava, and I do not foresee any good from killing my own kinsmen in battle. → Shloka 32 Arjuna Renounces Desire for Victory, Kingdom, and Pleasures na kāṅkṣhe vijayaṁ kṛṣhṇa na cha rājyaṁ sukhāni cha | kiṁ no rājyena govinda kiṁ bhogair jīvitena vā || 1.32 || O Krishna, I do not desire victory, nor a kingdom, nor pleasures. Of what use is a kingdom to us, O Govinda, or enjoyments, or even life? → Shloka 33 Those for Whom We Desire the Kingdom Stand Ready to Die yeṣhām arthe kāṅkṣhitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni cha | ta ime 'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁs tyaktvā dhanāni cha || 1.33 || Those for whose sake we desire the kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures, they stand here in battle, having given up their lives and wealth. → Shloka 34 Arjuna Lists the Relatives Standing in Battle āchāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrās tathaiva cha pitāmahāḥ | mātulāḥ śhvaśhurāḥ pautrāḥ śhyālāḥ sambandhinas tathā || 1.34 || Teachers, fathers, sons, and likewise grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, and other relatives as well. → Shloka 35 Arjuna Will Not Kill Them Even for the Three Worlds etān na hantum ichchhāmi ghnato 'pi madhusūdana | api trailokya-rājyasya hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahī-kṛte || 1.35 || I do not wish to kill these, even though they may kill me, O Madhusudana; not even for the sovereignty of the three worlds, what then for the sake of the earth? → Shloka 36 What Joy Can Come from Killing the Sons of Dhritarashtra? nihatya dhārtarāṣhṭrān naḥ kā prītiḥ syāj janārdana | pāpam evāśhrayed asmān hatvaitān ātatāyinaḥ || 1.36 || O Janardana, what joy would be ours by killing the sons of Dhritarashtra? Only sin would cling to us if we kill these aggressors. → Shloka 37 Arjuna Argues It Is Not Right to Kill His Own Kinsmen tasmān nārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ dhārtarāṣhṭrān sva-bāndhavān | sva-janaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava || 1.37 || Therefore, we are not justified in killing the sons of Dhritarashtra, our own relatives. For how, O Madhava, could we be happy after killing our own kinsmen? → Shloka 38 Greed Blinds Them to the Evil of Destroying the Family yady apy ete na paśhyanti lobhopahata-chetasaḥ | kula-kṣhaya-kṛtaṁ doṣhaṁ mitra-drohe cha pātakam || 1.38 || Even though these people, whose minds are overpowered by greed, do not see the evil caused by the destruction of the family and the sin in treachery to friends, → Shloka 39 Why Should We Not Turn Away from This Sin? kathaṁ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ pāpād asmān nivartitum | kula-kṣhaya-kṛtaṁ doṣhaṁ prapaśhyadbhir janārdana || 1.39 || Why should we, who clearly see the evil caused by the destruction of the family, not understand that we should turn away from this sin, O Janardana? → Shloka 40 Destruction of the Family Destroys Its Eternal Traditions kula-kṣhaye praṇaśhyanti kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ | dharme naṣhṭe kulaṁ kṛtsnam adharmo 'bhibhavaty uta || 1.40 || When a family is destroyed, its eternal family traditions perish; and when righteousness is lost, unrighteousness overpowers the entire family. → Shloka 41 Arjuna Fears the Breakdown of Social Order adharmābhibhavāt kṛṣhṇa praduṣhyanti kula-striyaḥ | strīṣhu duṣhṭāsu vārṣhṇeya jāyate varṇa-saṅkaraḥ || 1.41 || With the prevalence of unrighteousness, O Krishna, the women of the family become corrupted; and when women are corrupted, O descendant of Vrishni, intermixture of social classes arises. → Shloka 42 Arjuna Fears the Fall of Ancestors and the Family saṅkaro narakāyaiva kula-ghnānāṁ kulasya cha | patanti pitaro hy eṣhāṁ lupta-piṇḍodaka-kriyāḥ || 1.42 || Such disorder leads the destroyers of the family, and the family itself, to hell. Their ancestors also fall, deprived of the offerings of rice balls and water. → Shloka 43 Family Destroyers Ruin Eternal Community and Family Duties doṣhair etaiḥ kula-ghnānāṁ varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ | utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāśh cha śhāśhvatāḥ || 1.43 || By these evil deeds of the destroyers of the family, which cause the intermixture of social classes, the eternal duties of the community and the family are destroyed. → Shloka 44 Arjuna Recalls What Tradition Says About Ruined Families utsanna-kula-dharmāṇāṁ manuṣhyāṇāṁ janārdana | narake niyataṁ vāso bhavatīty anuśhuśhruma || 1.44 || O Janardana, we have heard by tradition that people whose family traditions are destroyed must dwell in hell for an indefinite period. → Shloka 45 Alas, We Are Prepared to Commit a Great Sin aho bata mahat pāpaṁ kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam | yad rājya-sukha-lobhena hantuṁ sva-janam udyatāḥ || 1.45 || Alas, how strange it is that we have resolved to commit a great sin! Out of greed for the pleasures of the kingdom, we are prepared to kill our own kinsmen. → Shloka 46 Arjuna Prefers to Be Killed Unresisting yadi mām apratīkāram aśhastraṁ śhastra-pāṇayaḥ | dhārtarāṣhṭrā raṇe hanyus tan me kṣhemataraṁ bhavet || 1.46 || If the armed sons of Dhritarashtra were to kill me in battle, unarmed and unresisting, that would be better for me. → Shloka 47 Arjuna Casts Aside His Bow and Sits Down in Grief sañjaya uvācha | evam uktvārjunaḥ saṅkhye rathopastha upāviśhat | visṛjya sa-śharaṁ chāpaṁ śhoka-saṁvigna-mānasaḥ || 1.47 || Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus on the battlefield, Arjuna cast aside his bow along with his arrows and sat down on the seat of the chariot, his mind agitated by grief. →