Introduction
Chapter-1 |
2 | 3 |
4
| 5 |
6 |
7
|
8 |
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
| 14
| 15
| 16
| 17
| 18
|
|
BHAGVAD-GITA
Chapter - 1
"Despondency of Arjuna"
|
|
The great discourse given by the Lord Krishna to Arjuna in the battlefield of
Kurukshetra is not meant for him alone. It is for the entire humanity. In the
first chapter, the names of the main warriors and generals of both sides are
given. However, the main event is the despondency of Arjuna. In the
battlefield, Arjuna saw that all teachers, relatives, members of his family had
gathered together eager for battle. This caused great anguish to Arjuna and
temporarily forgetting his duty as a warrior, he became depressed. And this
faint-heartedness caused him to renounce his duty (dharma), He became reluctant
to fight. Hence this chapter is entitled. "The Despondency of Arjuna" |
|
Dhritarastra said - |
|
O. Sanjaya- In the area of righteousness, the area of Kurus, where my sons and
the sons of Pandu had gathered together, what did they do. |
|
Sanjaya Said - Having observed the arrangment of the army of the Pandavas, king
Duryodhana went to his teacher (Drona) and said these words. |
|
See (O, Teacher) this vast army of the sons of Pandu organised into the battle
array by your wise pupil, the son of Drupada (Dhristadhyumna). |
|
Here is a great bowman, who is equal of Bhima and Arjuna in the art of warfare
- Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada are (great) warrior(s). |
|
Dhristaketu, Chekitan and the brave king of Kashi, besides, Purujit, Kuntibhoja
and Shaibya - the finest among men. |
|
The mighty Yudhamanya, the brave Uttamauja and also the son of Subhadra
(Abhimanyu - son of Arjuna and a nephew of Krishna) and the (five) sons of
Draupadi are all mighty warriors (Maharathis). |
|
O, the best among the twice-born (Brahmins) - know the leaders of our side, who
are very distinguished. I give you the names of our generals for your
information. |
|
You (Drona) and Bhishma and Karna and Kripa, the invincible, Ashvatthama,
Vikarna and also the son of Somdatta (Bhurishrava). |
|
There are many other brave men who risk their lives for my sake. Armed with
various kinds of weapons, all of them are experts in the art of warfare. |
|
Our army, which is guarded by Bhishma is more than sufficient (too large to be
defeated) whereas their army protected by Bhima is limited (can be defeated
without much difficulty.) |
|
Therefore, standing firmly in your respective positions, all of you should
protect (support) Bhishma. |
|
His (Duryodhana's) brave grandfather, the aged Kuru, (Bhishma) roared like a
lion and blew his conch, thus cheering him up.
|
Thereafter, sitting in their grand chariot. Which was having white horses,
Krishna and Arjuna sounded their divine conches. |
|
Krishna sounded his panchajanya and Arjuna his Devadatta and Bhima the doer of
terrific deeds, sounded his great conch Paundra. |
|
The sons of Kunti, king Yudhisthir, sounded his Anantavijaya and Nakul and
Sahadev blew their Sughosha and Manipushapak. |
|
And the greatest archer, the king of Kashi, the great fighter Shikhandi,
Dhristadyumna and Virata and the unconquerable Satyaki. |
|
O, Lord of the Earth, Drupad and sons of Draupadi and the mighty-armed son of
Subhadra sounded their respective conches. |
|
The terrific uproar, echoing through the sky and the earth, rent the hearts of
the sons of Dhritarashtra.
|
| Arjuna
said
|
|
Then Arjuna, who had a flag, with the emblem of Hanuman, on his chariot,
observed the sons of Dhritarastra standing in the battle-array and as the use
of weapons was about to commence, he took up his bow.And, O king, he spoke the
following words to Krishna, place my chariot between both the armies. |
|
Then I shall see the men who are standing, keen for battle, with whom I shall
have to fight. I wish to see those, who are assembled here to fight for the
evil of the sons of Dhritarashtra. |
|
Sanjay said |
|
O' king - thus spoken by Arjuna, Shri Krishna brought the noble chariot between
the two armies. |
|
In the presence of Bhishma, Drona and all the kings, he said, O Arjuna look at
these Kauravas gathered here. |
|
Arjuna observes fathers and grandfathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons and
grandsons as also friends. |
|
And also (he saw) fathers-in-law and friends in both the armies. When he saw
these relatives standing there. |
|
Arjuna said |
|
He was overwhelmed by grief. He said, when I see my own kith and kin standing
in the battle formations eager for fighting, (O, Krishna) |
|
| My limbs
shiver, my mouth becomes dry, my body shakes and my hair stand on end.
|
|
The Gandiva (Bow) is slipping through my hands and my skin is also on fire. I
am unable to even stand properly. My mind is unsettled. |
|
I see bad omens, O Krishna (Keshava) no good can come of the killing of our
relatives in the battle.
|
|
Neither I crave for victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor lust for pleasures.
What can be the use of kingdom or even life? O, Govinda (Krishna) |
|
For whom we desire these kingdom, enjoyments and pleasures, they are ready for
battle unmindful of their lives and wealth. |
|
Teacher, father, sons and grandfathers too, uncles and fathers-in-law,
grandsons and brother-in-law and relatives. |
|
Even if they kill me, I can not kill them, O Madhusudana (Krishna) even for the
kingdom of the three worlds; what to speak of the earth. |
|
What satisfaction can we derive, O Krishna by slaying the sons of Dhritarastra?
Only sin will be committed if we kill these evil doers. |
|
So, it shall not be right for us to kill our kinsmen, the sons of
Dhritarashtra. O Madhava, we can never be happy by killing our own relatives. |
|
Even if these, whose minds are corrupted by greed are not able to see the sin
in the destruction of the family and find no wrong in betraying the trust of
their friends. |
|
If a family is destroyed its ancient laws are destroyed, and when the laws are
absent, the whole family becomes lawless. |
|
And when lawlessness prevails, O Krishna, the women of the family become
polluted and they give births of the mixed-castes. |
|
Such mixed-breeds cause the family as well as it destroyers to live in the
hell. Their ancestors suffer (fall) as the offerings of rice and water is
stopped. |
|
By the misdeeds of these mixed-breeds and the destroyers of the family the
ancient laws of the caste and the family are destroyed. |
|
We have heard it, O Krishna, that the men of the families, whose laws are
destroyed live in hell forever. |
|
Alas, what a great sin we are ready to commit, we agree to kill our kinsmen for
the greed of kingdom and for the lust of plearures. |
|
If the sons of Dhritarashtra kill me in battle, while I am unarmed and not
fighthing, it would be far better. |
|
Sanjay said |
|
After speaking this, Arjuna put aside his bow and arrows and sat down in the
back of the chariot with his mind full of sorrow. In the Upanishad of the
Bhagawadgita, the science of the ultimate, the scripture of yoga and the
dialogue between ShriKrishna and Arjuna, this is the first chapter titled "The
Despondency of Arjuna."
|
|
|
|
<<
Previous
Next
>> |
Introduction
Chapter-1 |
2 | 3 |
4
| 5 |
6 |
7
|
8 |
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
| 14
| 15
| 16
| 17
| 18
|
