Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 1

Arjuna's Dilemma

1. 1.1The blind king Dhritarashtra asks his aide Sanjaya what happened when his sons and their cousins, the Pandavas, gathered to fight on the sacred field of Kurukshetra. Sanjaya has a special gift that lets him see the battle from far away.Dhritarashtra
2. 1.2Sanjaya begins his report. Prince Duryodhana, the king's eldest son, sees the Pandava army lined up for battle and goes to speak to his teacher, Drona.Sanjaya
3. 1.3Duryodhana tells his teacher Drona to look at the huge Pandava army. He points out that it was arranged by the son of Drupada, who was once Drona's own student.Sanjaya
4. 1.4Duryodhana names great archers in the Pandava army who are as strong in battle as Bhima and Arjuna. They include Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada, who rides a great chariot.Sanjaya
5. 1.5Duryodhana keeps naming strong warriors on the Pandava side. Among them are the brave King of Kashi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Shaivya, a leader among men.Sanjaya
6. 1.6He names more Pandava fighters: strong Yudhamanyu and brave Uttamaujas. He also names Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son by Subhadra, and the sons of Draupadi, all mighty chariot warriors.Sanjaya
7. 1.7Duryodhana now tells his teacher Drona that he will name the main leaders of his own army.Sanjaya
8. 1.8He names the chief warriors on his side. They are Drona himself, Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, Ashvatthama, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta, all winners in battle.Sanjaya
9. 1.9Duryodhana says many other skilled heroes are ready to give their lives for him. They carry all kinds of weapons.Sanjaya
10. 1.10Duryodhana admits a worry. His army, led by the old warrior Bhishma, seems not strong enough, while the Pandava army, guarded by Bhima, seems strong enough.Sanjaya
11. 1.11So Duryodhana orders all his generals to hold their places in the ranks and protect Bhishma above all.Sanjaya
12. 1.12To cheer Duryodhana up, the honored old grandfather Bhishma blows his conch shell horn. It sounds loud like a lion's roar.Sanjaya
13. 1.13Then all at once conch shells, drums and horns blare out on Duryodhana's side. The noise is huge.Sanjaya
14. 1.14On the other side, Krishna (here called Madhava) and Arjuna stand in their great chariot pulled by white horses. They blow their divine conch shells.Sanjaya
15. 1.15Krishna blows his conch named Panchajanya, and Arjuna blows his named Devadatta. Bhima, known for fierce deeds, blows his mighty conch Paundra.Sanjaya
16. 1.16King Yudhishthira, eldest son of Kunti, blows his conch Anantavijaya. The twins Nakula and Sahadeva blow theirs, Sughosha and Manipushpaka.Sanjaya
17. 1.17The great archer King of Kashi, the mighty chariot warrior Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata and the unbeaten Satyaki also sound their conches.Sanjaya
18. 1.18Sanjaya tells the king that Drupada, the sons of Draupadi and strong-armed Abhimanyu also blow their conches from every side.Sanjaya
19. 1.19The huge roar from the Pandava side fills earth and sky. It shakes the hearts of Dhritarashtra's sons with fear.Sanjaya
20. 1.20Arjuna, whose flag shows a monkey, sees Dhritarashtra's sons lined up as the arrows are about to fly. He picks up his bow.Sanjaya
21. 1.21Arjuna, the warrior prince, asks Krishna, who is driving his chariot, to stop it in the open space between the two armies. Hrishikesha and Achyuta are names for Krishna.Arjuna
22. 1.22Arjuna says he wants to look at the people on the other side who are eager to fight. These are the people he will have to battle in this war.Arjuna
23. 1.23Arjuna wants to see everyone who has come to fight for Duryodhana, the cruel son of King Dhritarashtra. They want to please him by fighting.Arjuna
24. 1.24Sanjaya, who is telling the story to the blind King Dhritarashtra, says that Krishna did as Arjuna asked. He drove the fine chariot into the middle, between the two armies. Gudakesha is a name for Arjuna.Sanjaya
25. 1.25Krishna stops the chariot right in front of Bhishma, Arjuna's great-grandfather figure, and Drona, his old teacher, along with many kings. Krishna says, "Arjuna, look at all these Kurus gathered here." Partha is a name for Arjuna, and the Kurus are his family clan.Sanjaya
26. 1.26Arjuna looks and sees his own family on the other side. There are uncles, grandfathers, teachers, cousins, sons, grandsons and friends.Sanjaya
27. 1.27He also sees fathers-in-law and people who had been kind to him, in both armies. Arjuna sees that all of them are his relatives, lined up to fight.Sanjaya
28. 1.28Arjuna is filled with pity and sadness. He tells Krishna that seeing his own family lined up and eager to fight hurts him deeply.Arjuna
29. 1.29Arjuna describes what is happening to his body. His legs feel weak, his mouth is dry, he is shaking, and his hair stands on end.Arjuna
30. 1.30Arjuna says his bow, called Gandiva, is slipping from his hand. His skin feels like it is burning, he cannot stand, and his mind is spinning.Arjuna
31. 1.31Arjuna says he sees bad signs. He cannot see any good coming from killing his own family in battle. Keshava is a name for Krishna.Arjuna
32. 1.32Arjuna tells Krishna he does not want victory, a kingdom or pleasures. He asks what good any of that is, or even life itself, if it costs this much. Govinda is a name for Krishna.Arjuna
33. 1.33Arjuna says the very people he would want a kingdom and happy life for are the ones standing here, ready to die. Winning would mean nothing without them.Arjuna
34. 1.34Arjuna lists who is standing there: teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives.Arjuna
35. 1.35Arjuna says he does not want to kill them, even if they kill him. He would not do it even to rule all three worlds, so he will certainly not do it for one kingdom on earth. Madhusudana is a name for Krishna.Arjuna
36. 1.36Arjuna asks how they could ever be happy after killing Dhritarashtra's sons. Even though those cousins have done wrong, he says killing them would only bring sin upon himself and his brothers. Janardana is a name for Krishna.Arjuna
37. 1.37So Arjuna says they should not kill their cousins. He asks how anyone could be happy after killing their own family. Madhava is a name for Krishna.Arjuna
38. 1.38Arjuna says that the other side is blinded by greed. They do not see anything wrong in destroying a family or turning against friends.Arjuna
39. 1.39Arjuna asks why he and his brothers, who can see how wrong it is to destroy a family, should not step away from such a sin.Arjuna
40. 1.40Arjuna says that when a family is destroyed, its old traditions are lost. When traditions are lost, the family stops following what is right and falls into disorder.Arjuna
41. 1.41Arjuna continues his argument to Krishna, here called Vārshneya, meaning "descendant of the Vrishni clan." He says that when a family loses its rules, its women go astray, and the social order of castes (inherited social classes) gets mixed up.Arjuna
42. 1.42Arjuna says this mixing of the social order sends both the family and those who destroyed it to hell. He adds that the ancestors suffer too, because no one is left to offer them the rice-balls and water of the traditional memorial rites.Arjuna
43. 1.43Arjuna says that the wrongdoing of those who destroy a family wipes out the old customs of both caste and family.Arjuna
44. 1.44Arjuna tells Krishna, here called Janārdana, that people whose family customs are lost live in hell forever. He says this is what he has been taught.Arjuna
45. 1.45Arjuna cries out that they are about to commit a great sin. He says they are ready to kill their own relatives just because they want the pleasures of being king.Arjuna
46. 1.46Arjuna says it would be better if the sons of Dhritarāshtra, the blind king, killed him while he stood unarmed and did not fight back.Arjuna
47. 1.47Sanjaya, the narrator, says that after speaking, Arjuna sat down in his chariot. Overwhelmed by grief, he threw away his bow and arrows.Sanjaya