1st Chapter continued.....
Arjuna Uvaacha:
Senayor ubhayormadhye ratham sthaapaya me'chyuta.
Yaavad etaan nireekshe'ham yoddhukaamaan avasthitaan;
Kair mayaa saha yoddhavyam asmin ranasamudyame.
Arjuna said:
21-22. Please place my chariot, Krishna, in the middle of the two armies, so that I may behold those who stand here, desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight when the battle begins.
Yotsyamaanaan avekshe'ham ya ete'tra samaagataah;
Dhaartaraashtrasya durbuddher yuddhe priyachikeershavah.
23. For I desire to observe those who are assembled here to fight, wishing to please in battle the evil-minded Duryodhana.
Sanjaya Uvaacha:
Evamukto hrisheekesho gudaakeshena bhaarata;
Senayor ubhayormadhye sthaapayitwaa rathottamam.
Sanjaya said:
24. Being thus addressed by Arjuna, Lord Krishna, having stationed that best of chariots, Dhritarashtra, in the middle of the two armies,
Bheeshmadronapramukhatah sarveshaam cha maheekshitaam;
Uvaacha paartha pashyaitaan samavetaan kuroon iti.
25. In front of Bhishma and Drona and all the rulers of the earth, said: "Arjuna, behold now all these Kurus gathered together!"
Tatraapashyat sthitaan paarthah pitrin atha pitaamahaan;
Aachaaryaan maatulaan bhraatrun putraan pautraan sakheemstathaa.
26. Then Arjuna beheld there stationed, grandfathers and fathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends, too.
Shvashuraan suhridashchaiva senayorubhayorapi;
Taan sameekshya sa kaunteyah sarvaan bandhoon avasthitaan.
Kripayaa parayaa'vishto visheedannidam abraveet;
27. (he saw) fathers-in-law and friends also in both armies. The son of Kunti—Arjuna—seeing all these kinsmen standing arrayed, spoke thus sorrowfully, filled with deep pity.
Arjuna Uvaacha:
Drishtwemam swajanam krishna yuyutsum samupasthitam.
Arjuna said:
28. Seeing these, my kinsmen, Krishna, arrayed, eager to fight,
Seedanti mama gaatraani mukham cha parishushyati;
Vepathushcha shareere me romaharshashcha jaayate.
29. My limbs fail and my mouth is parched up, my body quivers and my hairs stand on end!
Gaandeevam sramsate hastaat twak chaiva paridahyate;
Na cha shaknomyavasthaatum bhramateeva cha me manah.
30. The (bow) "Gandiva" slips from my hand and my skin burns all over; I am unable even to stand, my mind is reeling, as it were.
Nimittaani cha pashyaami vipareetaani keshava;
Na cha shreyo'nupashyaami hatwaa swajanam aahave.
31. And I see adverse omens, Kesava! I do not see any good in killing my kinsmen in battle.
Na kaangkshe vijayam krishna na cha raajyam sukhaani cha;
Kim no raajyena govinda kim bhogair jeevitena vaa.
32. For I desire neither victory, Krishna, nor pleasures nor kingdoms! Of what avail is a dominion to us, Krishna, or pleasures or even life?
Yeshaam arthe kaangkshitam no raajyam bhogaah sukhaani cha;
Ta ime'vasthitaa yuddhe praanaamstyaktwaa dhanaani cha.
33. Those for whose sake we desire kingdoms, enjoyments and pleasures, stand here in battle, having renounced life and wealth.
Aachaaryaah pitarah putraastathaiva cha pitaamahaah;
Maatulaah shwashuraah pautraah shyaalaah sambandhinas tathaa.
34. Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers, grandsons, fathers-in-law, maternal uncles, brothers-in-law and relatives,—
Etaan na hantum icchaami ghnato'pi madhusoodana;
Api trailokya raajyasya hetoh kim nu maheekrite.
35. These I do not wish to kill, Though they kill me, Krishna, even for the sake of dominion over the three worlds, leave alone killing them for the sake of the earth!
Nihatya dhaartaraashtraan nah kaa preetih syaaj janaardana;
Paapam evaashrayed asmaan hatwaitaan aatataayinah.
36. By killing these sons of Dhritarashtra, what pleasure can be ours, Janardana? Only sin will accrue by killing these felons.
Tasmaan naarhaa vayam hantum dhaartaraashtraan swabaandhavaan;
Swajanam hi katham hatwaa sukhinah syaama maadhava.
37. Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our relatives; for, how can we be happy by killing our own people, Madhava (Krishna)?
Yadyapyete na pashyanti lobhopahatachetasah;
Kulakshayakritam dosham mitradrohe cha paatakam.
38. Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of families, and no sin in hostility to friends,
Katham na jneyam asmaabhih paapaad asmaan nivartitum;
Kulakshayakritam dosham prapashyadbhir janaardana.
39. Why should not we, who clearly see evil in the destruction of a family, learn to turn away from this sin, Janardana (Krishna)?
Kulakshaye pranashyanti kuladharmaah sanaatanaah;
Dharme nashte kulam kritsnam adharmo'bhibhavatyuta.
40. In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious rites of that family perish; on the destruction of spirituality, impiety overcomes the whole family.
Adharmaabhibhavaat krishna pradushyanti kulastriyah;
Streeshu dushtaasu vaarshneya jaayate varnasankarah.
41. By prevalence of impiety, Krishna, the women of the family become corrupt and, women becoming corrupted, Varsneya (descendant of Vrishni), there arises intermingling of castes!
Sankaro narakaayaiva kulaghnaanaam kulasya cha;
Patanti pitaro hyeshaam luptapindodakakriyaah.
42. Confusion of castes leads to hell the slayers of the family, for their forefathers fall, deprived of the offerings of rice-ball and water.
Doshair etaih kulaghnaanaam varnasankarakaarakaih;
Utsaadyante jaatidharmaah kuladharmaashcha shaashwataah.
43. By these evil deeds of the destroyers of the family, which cause confusion of castes, the eternal religious rites of the caste and the family are destroyed.
Utsannakuladharmaanaam manushyaanaam janaardana;
Narake'niyatam vaaso bhavateetyanushushruma.
44. We have heard, Janardana, that inevitable is the dwelling for an unknown period in hell for those men in whose families the religious practices have been destroyed!
Aho bata mahat paapam kartum vyavasitaa vayam;
Yadraajya sukhalobhena hantum swajanam udyataah.
45. Alas! We are involved in a great sin in that we are prepared to kill our kinsmen through greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.
Yadi maam aprateekaaram ashastram shastrapaanayah;
Dhaartaraashtraa rane hanyus tanme kshemataram bhavet.
46. If the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.
Sanjaya Uvaacha:
Evamuktwaa'rjunah sankhye rathopastha upaavishat;
Visrijya sasharam chaapam shokasamvignamaanasah.
Sanjaya said:
47. Having thus spoken in the middle of the battlefield, Arjuna, casting away his bow and arrow, sat down on the seat of the chariot with his mind overwhelmed with sorrow.
End of 1st chapter
Note - Detailed interpretation and commentary on the verses marked bold in the first chapter, out of verse 1 to 47, will be taken up from the next post onwards.
Though all verses are significant, few of them have been picked up from all chapters shall be taken up and dealt in detail.
It is hoped that it will be easy for sincere readers to understand and get the depth of all other verses also, if few verses dealt in detail are contemplated and absorbed fully.
Though all verses are significant, few of them have been picked up from all chapters shall be taken up and dealt in detail.
It is hoped that it will be easy for sincere readers to understand and get the depth of all other verses also, if few verses dealt in detail are contemplated and absorbed fully.
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