Chapter 1: Arjun Viṣhād Yog – Arjuna's Dilemma
अर्जुनविषादयोग · 47 verses
Chapter Summary
The first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita - "Arjuna Vishada Yoga" introduces the setup, the setting, the characters and the circumstances that led to the epic battle of Mahabharata, fought between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. It outlines the reasons that led to the revelation of the of Bhagavad Gita. As both armies stand ready for the battle, the mighty warrior Arjuna, on observing the warriors on both sides becomes increasingly sad and depressed due to the fear of losing his relatives and friends and the consequent sins attributed to killing his own relatives. So, he surrenders to Lord Krishna, seeking a solution. Thus, follows the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita.
Verses
- 1.1 — Dhritarashtra said, "What did my people and the sons of Pandu do when they had assembled together, eager for…
- 1.2 — Sanjaya said: Having seen the army of the Pandavas drawn up in battle array, King Duryodhana approached his…
- 1.3 — Behold, O Teacher! This mighty army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed by the son of Drupada, thy wise disciple.
- 1.4 — Here are heroes, mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna, Yuyudhana (Satyaki), Virata, and…
- 1.5 — Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana, the valiant king of Kasi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Saibya—the best of men.
- 1.6 — The strong Yudhamanyu and the brave Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra and…
- 1.7 — Know also, O best among the twice-born! the names of those who are the most distinguished amongst ourselves,…
- 1.8 — "Thou thyself, Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, the victorious in war, Asvatthama, Vikarna, and Bhurisrava, the son of…
- 1.9 — And also many other heroes, ready to give up their lives for my sake, armed with various weapons and…
- 1.10 — Our army, marshalled by Bhishma, is insufficient, whereas theirs, marshalled by Bhima, is sufficient.
- 1.11 — Therefore, do all of you, stationed in your respective positions in the several divisions of the army,…
- 1.12 — His glorious grandsire, the oldest of the Kauravas, roared like a lion to cheer Duryodhana and blew his conch.
- 1.13 — Then, suddenly, conches, kettledrums, tabors, drums, and cow horns blared forth from the Kaurava side, and…
- 1.14 — Then, Madhava (Krishna) and the son of Pandu (Arjuna), seated in the magnificent chariot yoked with white…
- 1.15 — Hrishikesha blew the Panchajanya, Arjuna blew the Devadatta, and Bhima, the wolf-bellied doer of terrible…
- 1.16 — King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew the Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosha and the…
- 1.17 — The king of Kasi, an excellent archer, Sikhandi, the mighty car-warrior, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, and…
- 1.18 — Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, O Lord of the Earth, and the son of Subhadra, the mighty-armed, blew their…
- 1.19 — The tumultuous sound rent the hearts of Dhritarashtra's party, reverberating through both heaven and earth.
- 1.20 — Then, seeing the people of Dhritarashtra's party standing arrayed and the discharge of weapons about to…
- 1.21 — Arjuna said, "O Krishna, place my chariot in the middle between the two armies, so that I may behold those…
- 1.22 — Arjuna said, "O Krishna, place my chariot in the middle between the two armies, so that I may behold those…
- 1.23 — For I desire to observe those who are assembled here to fight, wishing to please in battle the evil-minded…
- 1.24 — Sanjaya said, Thus addressed by Arjuna, Krishna stationed the best of chariots, O Dhritarashtra, in the…
- 1.25 — In front of Bhishma and Drona, and all the rulers of the earth, he said: "O Arjuna, son of Pritha, behold…
- 1.26 — Then, Arjuna (son of Pritha) saw there (in the armies) stationed fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal…
- 1.27 — He saw fathers-in-law and friends in both the armies. The son of Kunti, Arjuna, seeing all those kinsmen…
- 1.28 — Arjuna said, "O Krishna, seeing my kinsmen arrayed here, eager to fight,
- 1.29 — My limbs fail, my mouth is parched, my body quivers, and my hair stands on end.
- 1.30 — The Gandiva slips from my hand, and my skin burns all over; I am unable to stand, and my mind is reeling, as…
- 1.31 — And I see ill omens, O Kesava. I do not see any good in slaying my kinsmen in battle.
- 1.32 — I desire not victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures.What use is dominion to us, O Krishna, or…
- 1.33 — Those for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures stand here in battle, having renounced…
- 1.34 — Teachers, fathers, sons, and grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, and…
- 1.35 — These I do not wish to kill, O Krishna, even though they kill me, for the sake of dominion over the three…
- 1.36 — By killing these sons of Dhritarashtra, what pleasure could be ours, O Janardana? Only sin would accrue to…
- 1.37 — Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our relatives; for how can we be happy by killing…
- 1.38 — Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of families and no sin…
- 1.39 — Why should we not, who clearly see the evil in the destruction of families, learn to turn away from this…
- 1.40 — In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious rites of that family perish; on the destruction of…
- 1.41 — O Krishna, by the prevalence of impiety, the women of the family become corrupt; and, when women are…
- 1.42 — Confusion of castes leads to hell for the slayers of the family, for their forebears fall, deprived of the…
- 1.43 — By these evil deeds of the destroyers of the family, which cause confusion of castes, the eternal religious…
- 1.44 — We have heard, O Janardana, that those men in whose families the religious practices have been destroyed are…
- 1.45 — Alas! We are involved in a great sin, for we are prepared to kill our kinsmen, out of greed for the…
- 1.46 — If the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that…
- 1.47 — Sanjaya said, Having thus spoken in the midst of the battlefield, Arjuna cast away his bow and arrow and,…