Sanskrit Corpus

dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ । māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kimakurvata saṃjaya ॥

“Assembled in Kurukshetra, the field of dharma, eager to fight — 'O Sañjaya, what did my men and the Pāṇḍavas do?'”

dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanastadā । ācāryamupasaṃgamya rājā vacanamabravīt ॥

“Seeing the arrayed Pāṇḍava army then, Prince Duryodhana approached his teacher and spoke these words.”

paśyaitāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṃ camūm । vyūḍhāṃ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā ॥

“'O teacher, behold this great army of the sons of Pāṇḍu, marshalled by your clever pupil, the son of Drupada.'”

atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi । yuyudhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ ॥

“Here are heroes, great bowmen, the equals of Bhīma and Arjuna in battle: Yuyudhāna, Virāṭa, and Drupada the great warrior.”

dhṛṣṭaketuścekitānaḥ kāśirājaśca vīryavān । purujitkuntibhojaśca śaibyaśca narapuṅgavaḥ ॥

“Dhṛṣṭaketu, Cekitāna, the valiant king of Kāśi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Śaibya, best of men.”

yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān । saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ ॥

“The mighty Yudhāmanyu, the valiant Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadrā, and the sons of Draupadī — all great warriors.”

asmākaṃ tu viśiṣṭā ye tānnibodha dvijottama । nāyakā mama sainyasya saṃjñārthaṃ tānbravīmi te ॥

“'But know, O best of Brahmins, those who are distinguished on our side; I name the captains of my army for your information.'”

bhavānbhīṣmaśca karṇaśca kṛpaśca samitiṃjayaḥ । aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca saumadattistathaiva ca ॥

“Yourself, Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Kṛpa the victor in battle, Aśvatthāman, Vikarṇa, and Saumadatti likewise.”

anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥ । nānāśastrapraharaṇāḥ sarve yuddhaviśāradāḥ ॥

“And many other heroes who have staked their lives for my sake, wielding many weapons and missiles, all skilled in war.”

aparyāptaṃ tadasmākaṃ balaṃ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam । paryāptaṃ tvidameteṣāṃ balaṃ bhīmābhirakṣitam ॥

“That army of ours, guarded by Bhīṣma, is insufficient, while this army of theirs, guarded by Bhīma, is sufficient.”

ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathābhāgamavasthitāḥ । bhīṣmamevābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi ॥

“Stationed in your proper places in all the approaches, let all of you guard Bhīṣma alone.”

tasya saṃjanayanharṣaṃ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ । siṃhanādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān ॥

“To gladden him, the aged Kuru grandsire roared a lion's roar and blew his conch, the glorious one.”

tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānakagomukhāḥ । sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdastumulo'bhavat ॥

“Then conches, kettledrums, tabors, drums and cow-horns blared forth all at once, and the din was tumultuous.”

tataḥ śvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau । mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ ॥

“Then Mādhava and the son of Pāṇḍu, standing in the great chariot yoked with white horses, blew their divine conches.”

pāñcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṃ dhanañjayaḥ । pauṇḍraṃ dadhmau mahāśaṅkhaṃ bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ ॥

“Hṛṣīkeśa blew the Pāñcajanya, Dhanañjaya the Devadatta, and Bhīma of dread deeds, the wolf-bellied, the great conch Pauṇḍra.”

anantavijayaṃ rājā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ । nakulaḥ sahadevaśca sughoṣamaṇipuṣpakau ॥

“King Yudhiṣṭhira, son of Kuntī, blew Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadeva, Sughoṣa and Maṇipuṣpaka.”

kāśyaśca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ । dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiścāparājitaḥ ॥

“The king of Kāśi, the supreme bowman, Śikhaṇḍī the great warrior, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Virāṭa, and the unconquered Sātyaki.”

drupado draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivīpate । saubhadraśca mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhāndadhmuḥ pṛthakpṛthak ॥

“Drupada and the sons of Draupadī, O lord of earth, and the long-armed son of Subhadrā blew their conches separately on all sides.”

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat । nabhaśca pṛthivīṃ caiva tumulo'bhyanunādayan ॥

“That uproar tore the hearts of Dhṛtarāṣṭra's men, as heaven and earth echoed with the tumultuous din.”

atha vyavasthitāndṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrānkapidhvajaḥ । pravṛtte śastrasaṃpāte dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ ॥

“Seeing Dhṛtarāṣṭra's men drawn up, as missiles were about to fly, the monkey-bannered son of Pāṇḍu raised his bow.”

hṛṣīkeśaṃ tadā vākyamidamāha mahīpate । senayorubhayormadhye rathaṃ sthāpaya me'cyuta ॥

“And then, O lord of earth, he spoke these words to Hṛṣīkeśa: 'Between the two armies halt my chariot, O Acyuta.'”

yāvadetānnirīkṣe'haṃ yoddhukāmānavasthitān । kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasmin raṇasamudyame ॥

“'That I may survey these men drawn up eager for battle, and see with whom I must fight in this onset of war.'”

yotsyamānānavekṣe'haṃ ya ete'tra samāgatāḥ । dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ ॥

“'I would observe those assembled here who seek to please the evil-minded son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra by fighting.'”

evamukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata । senayorubhayormadhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam ॥

“Thus addressed by Guḍākeśa, O Bhārata, Hṛṣīkeśa halted the excellent chariot between the two armies.”

bhīṣmadroṇapramukhataḥ sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām । pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti ॥

“Facing Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and all the rulers: 'Behold, O Pārtha, these Kurus assembled here.'”

tatrāpaśyatsthitānpārthaḥ pitṝnatha pitāmahān । ācāryānmātulānbhrātṝnputrānpautrānsakhīṃstathā ॥

“There Pārtha saw arrayed fathers and grandfathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, and comrades.”

śvaśurānsuhṛdaścaiva senayorubhayorapi । tānsamīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvānbandhūnavasthitān ॥

“Fathers-in-law and friends too, in both armies; seeing all these kinsmen present, the son of Kuntī —”

kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo viṣīdannidamabravīt । dṛṣṭvemaṃ svajanaṃ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṃ samupasthitam ॥

“filled with deep pity, said despondently: 'Seeing my own people, O Kṛṣṇa, gathered here eager to fight.'”

sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṃ ca pariśuṣyati । vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate ॥

“'My limbs sink, my mouth dries up, my body trembles, and my hair bristles.'”

gāṇḍīvaṃ sraṃsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate । na ca śaknomyavasthātuṃ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ ॥

“'The Gāṇḍīva slips from my hand, my skin burns, I cannot stand steady, and my mind reels.'”

nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava । na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave ॥

“'I see contrary omens, O Keśava, and I foresee no good in killing my own people in battle.'”

na kāṅkṣe vijayaṃ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṃ sukhāni ca । kiṃ no rājyena govinda kiṃ bhogairjīvitena vā ॥

“'I crave neither victory, O Kṛṣṇa, nor kingship, nor pleasures. Of what use is kingship to us, O Govinda, or enjoyments, or even life?'”

yeṣāmarthe kāṅkṣitaṃ no rājyaṃ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca । ta ime'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṃstyaktvā dhanāni ca ॥

“'Those for whose sake we crave kingship, enjoyments and pleasures stand here in battle, renouncing life and wealth.'”

ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ । mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ saṃbandhinastathā ॥

“Teachers, fathers, sons, and likewise grandfathers, uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, and kin —”

etānna hantumicchāmi ghnato'pi madhusūdana । api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kiṃ nu mahīkṛte ॥

“'These I do not wish to kill, O Madhusūdana, even if they kill me — not for the sake of kingship over the three worlds, much less for the earth.'”

nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana । pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ ॥

“'Killing Dhṛtarāṣṭra's men, what joy could be ours, O Janārdana? Sin alone would cling to us for slaying these aggressors.'”

tasmānnārhā vayaṃ hantuṃ dhārtarāṣṭrānsvabāndhavān । svajanaṃ hi kathaṃ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava ॥

“'So we ought not kill Dhṛtarāṣṭra's men, our own kin, O Mādhava; for how could we be happy after killing our own people?'”

yadyapyete na paśyanti lobhopahatacetasaḥ । kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ mitradrohe ca pātakam ॥

“'Even if these men, their minds stricken by greed, see no evil in destroying the family nor any crime in betraying friends.'”

kathaṃ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum । kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana ॥

“'Why should we not resolve to turn away from this sin, O Janārdana, we who perceive the evil in destroying the family?'”

kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ । dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta ॥

“'With the family's ruin perish the age-old family laws; when law is lost, lawlessness overwhelms the whole family.'”

adharmābhibhavātkṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kulastriyaḥ । strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇasaṃkaraḥ ॥

“'From lawlessness prevailing, O Kṛṣṇa, the women of the family are corrupted; and with corrupted women, O Vārṣṇeya, arises caste-mixture.'”

saṃkaro narakāyaiva kulaghnānāṃ kulasya ca । patanti pitaro hyeṣāṃ luptapiṇḍodakakriyāḥ ॥

“'Mixture of caste leads to hell for the family-slayers and the family alike, for their forefathers fall, deprived of rice-ball and water offerings.'”

doṣairetaiḥ kulaghnānāṃ varṇasaṃkarakārakaiḥ । utsādyante jātidharmāḥ kuladharmāśca śāśvatāḥ ॥

“'By these sins of the family-slayers, which cause caste-mixture, the caste laws and the eternal family laws are uprooted.'”

utsannakuladharmāṇāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ janārdana । narake'niyataṃ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma ॥

“'We have heard it said, O Janārdana, that men whose family laws are destroyed must dwell indefinitely in hell.'”

aho bata mahatpāpaṃ kartuṃ vyavasitā vayam । yadrājyasukhalobhena hantuṃ svajanamudyatāḥ ॥

“'Alas, we are resolved to commit a great sin, in that, greedy for the joys of kingship, we stand ready to kill our own people.'”

yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṃ śastrapāṇayaḥ । dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṃ bhavet ॥

“'If Dhṛtarāṣṭra's men with weapons in hand should kill me, unresisting and unarmed, in battle, that would be better for me.'”

evamuktvārjunaḥ saṃkhye rathopastha upāviśat । visṛjya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ śokasaṃvignamānasaḥ ॥

“Having spoken thus on the battlefield, Arjuna sank down onto the chariot seat, casting aside his bow and arrows, his heart stricken with grief.”

taṃ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭamaśrupūrṇākulekṣaṇam । viṣīdantamidaṃ vākyamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ ॥

“To him, thus overcome with pity, his eyes filled and troubled with tears, grieving, Madhusūdana spoke these words.”

kutastvā kaśmalamidaṃ viṣame samupasthitam । anāryajuṣṭamasvargyamakīrtikaramarjuna ॥

“'How has this delusion come upon you at this crisis, O Arjuna — un-Aryan, heaven-barring, disgraceful?'”

klaibyaṃ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitattvayyupapadyate । kṣudraṃ hṛdayadaurbalyaṃ tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa ॥

“'Yield not to unmanliness, O Pārtha; it does not befit you. Casting off this petty faint-heartedness, rise up, O tormentor of foes.'”