SECTION XXV
[(Bhagavad Gita Chapter I)]
([This where is the Bhagavad Gita proper starts. I have added the chapter
headings to aid in comparison with other translations, they are not part
of the original Ganguli text.--John Bruno Hare])
Dhritarashtra said,--"Assembled together on the sacred plain of
Kurukshetra from desire of fighting what did my sons and the Pandavas do.
O Sanjaya."
"Sanjaya said,--"Beholding the army of the Pandavas arrayed, king
Duryodhana, approaching the preceptor (Drona) said these words: Behold, O
preceptor, this vast army of the son of Pandu, arrayed by Drupada's son
(Dhrishtadyumna), your intelligent disciple. There (in that army) are many
brave and mighty bowmen, who in battle are equal to Bhima and Arjuna.
(They are) Yuyudhana, and Virata, and that mighty car-warrior Drupada,
and Dhrishtaketu, and Chekitana, and the ruler of Kasi endued with great
energy; and Purujit, and Kuntibhoja, and Saivya that bull among men; and
Yudhamanyu of great prowess, and Uttamaujas of great energy; and
Subhadra's son, and the sons of Draupadi, all of whom are mighty
car-warriors. Hear, however, O best of regenerate ones, who are the
distinguished ones among us, the leader of army. I will name them to thee
for (thy) information. (They are) thyself, and Bhishma, and Karna, and
Kripa who is ever victorious; and Aswatthaman and Vikarna, and
Saumadatta, and Jayadratha.[124] Besides these, are many heroic warriors,
prepared to lay down their lives for my sake, armed with diverse kinds of
weapons, and all accomplished in battle. Our army, therefore, protected
by Bhishma, is insufficient. This force, however, of these (the
Pandavas), protected by Bhima, is sufficient.[125] Stationing yourselves
then in the entrances of the divisions that have been assigned to you,
all of you protect Bhishma alone.--(Just at this time) the valiant and
venerable grandsire of the Kurus, affording great joy to him (Duryodhana)
by loudly uttering a leonine roar, blew (his) conch. Then conches and
drums and cymbals and horns were sounded at once and the noise (made)
became a loud uproar. Then Madhava and Pandu's son (Arjuna), both
stationed on a great car unto which were yoked white steeds, blew their
celestial conches. And Hrishikesha blew (the conch called) Panchajanya
and Dhananjaya (that called) Devadatta; and Vrikodara of terrible deeds
blew the huge conch (called) Paundra. And Kunti's son king Yudhishthira
blew (the conch called) Anantavijaya; while Nakula and Sahadeva, (those
conches called respectively) Sughosa and Manipushpaka.[126] And that
splendid bowman, the ruler of Kasi and that mighty car-warrior,
Sikhandin, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, and that unvanquished Satyaki, and
Drupada, and the sons of Draupadi, and the mighty-armed son of
Subhadra--all these, O lord of earth, severally blew their conches. And
that blare, loudly reverberating through the welkin, and the earth, rent
the hearts of the Dhartarashtras. Then beholding the Dhartarashtra troops
drawn up, the ape-bannered son of Pandu, rising his bow, when, the
throwing of missiles had just commenced, said these words, O lord of
earth, to Hrishikesha.[127]
"Arjuna said,--'O you that knoweth no deterioration, place my car (once)
between the two armies, so that I may observe these that stand here
desirous of battle, and with whom I shall have to contend in the labours
of this struggle.[128] I will observe those who are assembled here and
who are prepared to fight for doing what is agreeable in battle to the
evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.'"
Sanjaya continued,---'Thus addressed by Gudakesa, O Bharata, Hrishikesa,
placing that excellent car between the two armies, in view of Bhishma and
Drona and all the kings of the earth, said,--'Behold, O Partha these
assembled Kurus,--And there the son of Pritha beheld, standing (his)
sires and grandsons, and friends, and father-in-law and well-wishers, in
both the armies. Beholding all those kinsmen standing (there), the son of
Kunti, possessed by excessive pity, despondingly said (these words).
"Arjuna said,--'Beholding these kinsmen, O Krishna, assembled together
and eager for the fight, my limbs, become languid, and my mouth becomes
dry. My body trembles, and my hair stands on end. Gandiva slips from my
hand, and my skin burns. I am unable to stand (any longer); my mind seems
to wander. I behold adverse omens, too, O Kesava. I do not desire
victory, O Krishna, not sovereignty, nor pleasures. Of what use would
sovereignty be to us, O Govinda, or enjoyments, or even life, since they,
for whose sake sovereignty, enjoyments, and pleasures are desired by us,
are here arrayed for battle ready to give up life and wealth, viz.,
preceptors, sires, sons and grandsires, maternal uncles, father-in-laws,
grandsons, brother-in-laws, and kinsmen. I wish not to slay these though
they slay me, O slayer of Madhu, even for the sake of the sovereignty of
the three worlds, what then for the sake of (this) earth?[129] What
gratification can be ours, O Janardana, by slaying the Dhartarashtras?
Even if they be regarded as foes,[130] sin will overtake us if we slay
them. Therefore, it behoveth us not to slay the sons of Dhritarashtra who
are our own kinsmen.[131] How, O Madhava can we be happy by killing our
own kinsmen? Even if these, with judgments perverted by avarice, do not
see the evil that ariseth from the extermination of a race, and the sin
of internecine quarrels, why should not we, O Janarddana, who see the
evils of the extermination of a race, learn to abstain from that sin? A
race being destroyed, the eternal customs of that race are lost; and upon
those customs being lost, sin overpowers the whole race. From the
predominance of sin, O Krishna, the women of that race become corrupt.
And the women becoming corrupt, an intermingling of castes happeneth, O
descendant of Vrishni. This intermingling of castes leadeth to hell both
the destroyer of the race and the race itself. The ancestors of those
fall (from heaven), their rites of pinda and water ceasing. By these sins
of destroyers of races, causing intermixture of castes, the rules of
caste and the eternal rites of families become extinct. We have heard, O
Janarddana, that men whose family rites become extinct, ever dwell in
hell. Alas, we have resolved to perpetrate a great sin, for we are ready
to slay our own kinsmen from lust of the sweets of sovereignty. Better
would it be for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapon in hand, should
in battle slay me (myself) unavenging unarmed.--'"
Sanjaya continued,--"Having spoken thus on the field of battle, Arjuna,
his mind troubled with grief, casting aside his bow and arrows, sat down
on his car."
[Here ends the first lesson entitled "Survey of Forces"[132] in the
dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna of the Bhagavadgita, the essence of
religion, the knowledge of Brahma, and the system of Yoga, comprised
within the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata of Vyasa containing one
hundred thousand verses.]
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 25 ---------------------
