Chapter 1:
CONTENTS |
Chapter 1:
The Yoga of Dejection:
On the confrontation with the necessity to fight.Verses 1 to 10, 21 and 22, 26 to 32 & 45 to 47
Dhritarâstra [the blind uncle of the Pândava's, the sons of king Pându] said: "At Kurukshetra, a place of pilgrimage, my party and the sons of Pându assembled desiring to fight. What did they do, O Sanjaya?"
Sanjaya said: "After seeing the formation of the soldiers of the Pândavas, King Duryodhana [the leader of the sons of Dhritârâshthra, the Kurus] at that time approached his teacher [Dronâcârya] and said:
"Just see the sons of Pându [a brother of Dhritarâshthra and the father of the Pândavas], o teacher, arranged as a great military force by the son of Drupada [the father in law of Arjuna who leads the Pândavas], your intelligent disciple [Dhristadyumna].
"There are heroes and mighty bowmen equal in the fight to Bhîma and Arjuna [two of the five sons of Pându] like Yuyudhâna and Virata as also Drupada himself, who is also a great warrior.
Dhristaketu, Cekitâna, Kâsîrâja, and also the very powerful Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Saibya are there, who are all great hero's in human society.
Yudhâmanyu, the mighty Uttamaujâ, the very powerful son of Subhadrâ [sister of Krishna, a wife of Arjuna] and the sons of Draupadî all certainly are great chariot fighters.
But to your information, o best of the twice-born, let me tell you also about the specially powerful captains of our soldiers.
Of your good self there are grandfather Bhîsma and also Karna, Kripa, and Asvatthâmâ, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta [Bhurisravâ], who are certainly also always victorious in battle.
There are as well a great number of other heroes equiped with many weapons having combat experience, that are willing to risk their lives for my sake.
Our strength is immeasurable being perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhîsma, but limited is all of this strength with the Pândavas carefully protected by Bhîma.
Arjuna said: 'Please drive my chariot between both the armies, O infallible one, for the time that I may look upon those desiring to fight arrayed on the battlefield with whom together I have to contend in this trial of arms.
There he indeed could see standing both parties of the armies: his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends and also his fathers-in-law and well-wishers.
Seeing all kinds of relatives he, the son of Kunti got overwhelmed by a high degree of compassion and lamenting he thus spoke.
Arjuna said: 'The look of all these kinsmen, O Krishna, all present in a fighting spirit, makes the limbs of my body quiver and my mouth dry up.
My body trembles and my hair stands on end, my Gândiva [his bow] is slipping from my hand and my skin certainly is burning.
Nor am I able to keep standing, my mind goes and I see just the opposite, O Kes'ava [Krishna as the killer of the the mad horse Kes'i].
[Nor do I forsee any good in killing my own kinsmen in the fight, and I do not desire the victory either, O Krishna, nor do I expect a happy kingdom thereof.]
What use is the kingdom to us, Govinda? What joy or life is there either if the kingdom is desired by us for the sake of those who want that material pleasure and happiness also, while they have all taken positions on the battlefied and are willing to give up their lives: our teachers, fathers, sons as well as certainly also our grandfathers. All these maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers and other relatives I never wish to kill nor get killed, o Madhusűdana [Krishna who defeated Madhu]. Not even in exchange for the three worlds I want the kingdom not to speak about having it for the sake of the earth - what pleasure will there be in killing the sons of Dhritarâstra, O Janârdana [Krishna as maintainer of the three worlds]?
Alas, oddly we have decided to perform great sins in trying to kill kinsmen in our being driven by greed for royal happiness.
It would rather be better for me to give up my resistence and arms and have me killed by the weapons in the hands of the sons of Dhritarâstra on the battlefield.
Sanjaya said: "Thus having spoken on the battlefield, Arjuna sat down on the seat of his chariot putting aside his bow and arrows, in distress with a mind full of lamentation. "
Bhagavad Gîtâ of Order, chapter 1
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