Arjuna Vishada Yoga

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: On the field of duty (dharma), on the field of the Kurus, Gathered together, desiring to fight, My people and the sons of Pandu (Pāṇḍavas) as well, What did they do, O Victorious one (Sañjaya)?

Sañjaya said: But having seen the army of the sons of Pandu (Pāṇḍavas), Arrayed in battle formation, Duryodhana then, Having approached the teacher (ācārya), The king spoke these words:

Behold this, of the sons of Pandu, O teacher (ācārya), The great army, Arrayed by the son of Drupada, By your wise disciple.

Here are heroes, mighty archers, Equal to Bhima and Arjuna in battle (yudhi): Yuyudhana and Virata, And Drupada, the great chariot-warrior (mahāratha).

Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana, And the valiant King of Kashi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, And Shaibya, the bull among men (narapuṅgava).

Yudhamanyu the valiant, And Uttamauja the strong, The son of Subhadra (Saubhadra) and the sons of Draupadi (Draupadeyāḥ), All indeed great chariot-warriors (mahārathāḥ).

But those of ours who are distinguished, Note them, O best of the twice-born (dvijottama). The leaders of my army, For your information, I name them to you:

Yourself and Bhishma, and Karna, And Kripa, victorious in battle (samitiñjayaḥ), Ashvatthama, Vikarna, And the son of Somadatta (Saumadatti) as well.

And many other heroes, Who have given up their lives for my sake, Armed with various weapons and missiles, All skilled in warfare.

Inadequate is that force of ours, Which is guarded by Bhishma; But adequate is this force of theirs, Which is guarded by Bhima.

And in all the movements, Stationed in your respective divisions, Protect Bhishma alone, All of you indeed.

Generating joy for him, The elder of the Kurus, the grandfather (pitāmahaḥ), Roaring loudly a lion's roar, The powerful one blew his conch.

Then conches and kettledrums, Tabors, drums, and cow-horns, Suddenly were struck all at once; That sound was tumultuous.

Then, yoked with white horses, Standing in the great chariot, The Lord of fortune (Mādhava) and the son of Pandu (Pāṇḍava) as well, Blew their divine conches.

The Lord of the senses (Hṛṣīkeśa) blew the Panchajanya, The Winner of wealth (Dhanañjaya) blew the Devadatta, He of terrifying deeds (Bhīmakarmā), the Wolf-bellied (Vṛkodara), Blew the great conch Paundra.

The King, the son of Kunti, Yudhishthira, Blew the Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadeva, Blew the Sughosha and Manipushpaka.

And the King of Kashi, the supreme archer, And Shikhandi, the great chariot-warrior (mahārathaḥ), Dhrishtadyumna and Virata, And Satyaki, the unconquered.

Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, From all sides, O Lord of the earth (Pṛthivīpate), And the son of Subhadra (Saubhadra), the Great-armed one (mahābāhuḥ), Blew their conches, separately.

That uproar pierced the hearts Of the sons of Dhritarashtra, Resounding through both heaven and earth, A tumultuous sound.

Then, seeing the sons of Dhritarashtra arrayed, The Monkey-bannered one (Kapidhvaja), As the flight of weapons began, The son of Pandu (Pāṇḍava), having raised his bow,

Arjuna said: To the Lord of the senses (Hṛṣīkeśa) then, He spoke this word, O Lord of the earth (Mahīpate): In the middle of both armies, Establish my chariot, O Infallible one (Acyuta).

So that I may observe these, Who stand desiring to fight (yoddhukāmān), With whom I must fight, In this undertaking of battle.

I wish to observe those who are about to fight, Who are assembled here, Desiring to do what is pleasing in battle, For the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.

Sañjaya said: Thus addressed by the Thick-haired one (Guḍākeśa), O descendant of Bharata (Bhārata), The Lord of the senses (Hṛṣīkeśa), In the middle of both armies, Having established that best of chariots.

In front of Bhishma and Drona, And all the rulers of the earth, He said, "O son of Pritha (Pārtha), behold these, The assembled Kurus."

There the son of Pritha (Pārtha) saw standing, Fathers, and then grandfathers, Teachers (ācāryān), maternal uncles, brothers, Sons, grandsons, and companions as well.

Fathers-in-law and well-wishers too, In both the armies. Having seen all those relatives standing there, He, the son of Kunti (Kaunteya),

Arjuna said: Overcome by supreme compassion, Despairing, he spoke this: Having seen these my own people, O Dark one (Kṛṣṇa), Approaching, desiring to fight,

My limbs are sinking, And my mouth is drying up, And trembling occurs in my body, And my hair stands on end.

The Gandiva bow slips from my hand, And my skin is burning all over; I am not able to remain standing, And my mind seems to be wandering.

And I see omens, That are adverse, O Beautiful-haired one (Keśava); And I do not foresee any good, Having slain my own people in battle.

I do not desire victory, O Dark one (Kṛṣṇa), Nor a kingdom, nor pleasures. What is a kingdom to us, O Finder of cows (Govinda), What are enjoyments, or even life?

For whose sake a kingdom is desired by us, Enjoyments and pleasures, They are stationed here in battle, Having abandoned their lives and wealth.

Teachers (ācāryāḥ), fathers, sons, And similarly grandfathers, Maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, Brothers-in-law, and relatives as well.

These I do not wish to kill, Even though they kill me, O Slayer of Madhu (Madhusūdana). Not even for the sake of the kingdom of the three worlds, How much less for the earth!

Having killed the sons of Dhritarashtra, What pleasure would there be for us, O Agitator of men (Janārdana)? Sin (pāpa) alone would take hold of us, Having killed these aggressors.

Therefore, it is not fitting that we kill The sons of Dhritarashtra, our own kinsmen. For having killed our own people, how, Could we be happy, O Lord of fortune (Mādhava)?

Even if these do not see, Their minds overcome by greed, The fault (doṣa) caused by the destruction of the family (kula), And the crime (pātaka) in treachery to friends,

How should it not be known by us, To turn away from this sin (pāpa), The fault (doṣa) caused by the destruction of the family (kula), Clearly seeing it, O Agitator of men (Janārdana)?

In the destruction of the family (kula), perish The eternal laws of the family (kuladharmāḥ); When law (dharma) is destroyed, the entire family, Is also overcome by lawlessness (adharma).

From the overcoming by lawlessness (adharma), O Dark one (Kṛṣṇa), The women of the family become corrupted; When the women are corrupted, O Descendant of Vrishni (Vārṣṇeya), The mixing of castes (varṇasaṅkara) arises.

The mixing (saṅkara) leads to hell indeed, For the destroyers of the family and for the family; For their ancestors (pitaraḥ) fall, Deprived of the offerings of rice-balls and water.

By these faults (doṣa) of the destroyers of the family, Which cause the mixing of castes (varṇasaṅkara), Are destroyed the eternal laws of the caste (jātidharmāḥ), And the laws of the family (kuladharmāḥ).

For men whose family laws (kuladharmāḥ) are destroyed, O Agitator of men (Janārdana), Dwelling in hell is inevitable; Thus we have heard.

Alas! A great sin (pāpa), We are resolved to commit, Since, by the greed for the pleasures of a kingdom, We are prepared to kill our own people.

If, unresisting, Unarmed, the weapons in their hands, The sons of Dhritarashtra should kill me in battle, That would be more peaceful (kṣematara) for me.

Sañjaya said: Having spoken thus in the battle, Arjuna Sat down on the seat of the chariot, Casting aside his bow along with the arrows, His mind overwhelmed by sorrow.