Chapter 1: Arjuna Vishada Yoga: Arjuna's Dilemma🔗

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच

Dhritaraashtra uvaacha:

Dhritaraashtra: Dhritarashtra; uvaacha: said; dharma- kshetre: in the place of righteousness; kuru-kshetre: in this location of Kurukshetra; samavetaa: gathered; yuyutsavah: desiring to fight; maamakaah: my people; paandavah: the sons of Pandu; cha: and; eva: also; kim: what; akurvata: did they do; sanjaya: O Sanjaya

1.1 King Dhritarashtra asked: O Sanjaya, on this righteous location of Kurukshetra, what did my sons and those of Pandu ready to fight, do?

सञ्जय उवाच:

sanjaya uvaacha:

Sanjaya: Sanjaya; uvaacha: said; drshtvaa: having seen; tu: indeed ; paandavaaneekam: the Pandava army; vyoodham: arranged in formation; duryodhanah: Duryodhana; tadaa: then; aachaaryam: the teacher; upasangamya: approaching ; raajaa: the king; vachanam: words; abraveet: said

1.2 Sanjaya said: O King, looking at the Pandava army in full formation, Duryodhana went to his teacher and spoke.

pashya: behold; etam: this; pandu-putraanaam: of the sons of Pandu; aachaarya: O teacher; mahateem: great; chamoom: army; vyoodham: formed; drupada-putrena: by the son of Drupada; tava: your; shishyena: by disciple; dheemataa: intelligent

1.3 O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed for battle by your intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada.

atra shooraa maheshvaasaa Bhima-arjuna-samaa yudhi yuyudhaano viraatas cha drupadas cha mahaarathah 1.4

atra: here; shooraa: heroes; mahaa-ishu-asaa: mighty archers; Bhima-arjuna: Bhima and Arjuna; samaa: equal; yudhi: in battle; yuyudhaanah: Yuyudhana; viratah: Virata; cha: and; drupadah: Drupada; cha: and; mahaarathah: great charioteers

1.4 Here in this army there are many heroes wielding mighty bows, and equal in military prowess to Bhima and Arjuna - Yuyudhaana, Virata, and the great chariot warrior Drupada.

dhrshtaketus chekitaanah kaashiraajas cha veeryavaan purujit kuntibhojas cha shaibyas cha nara-pungavah 1.5

dhrshtaketuh: Dhrshtaketu; chekitaanah: Chekitaana; kaashiraajah: Kaasiraaja; cha: and; veeryavaan: courageous; purujit: Purujit; kuntibhojah: Kuntibhoja; cha: and; shaibyah: Saibya; cha: and; nara-pungavah: best of men

1.5 There are courageous warriors like Dhrshtaketu, Chekitana, Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Saibya, the best of men.

yudhaamanyus cha vikraanta uttamaujaas cha veeryavaan saubhadro draupadeyaas chasarva eva maha-rathaah 1.6

yudhaamanyuh:Yudhamanyu; cha: and; vikraantah: mighty; uttamaujaah: Uttamauja; cha: and; veerya-vaan: brave; saubhadrah: the son of Subhadra; draupadeyah: the sons of Draupadi; cha: and; sarve: all; eva: certainly; maha-rathaah: great chariot fighters.

1.6 There are the mighty Yudhamanyu, the brave Uttamauja, Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi, all of them great chariot warriors.

asmaakam tu vishishtaa yetaan nibodha dvijottama naayakaa mama sainyasya samjnaartham taan braveemi te 1.7

asmaakam: our; tu: also; vishishtaa: important; ye: who; taan: those; nibodha: know; dvija-uttama: the best of the Brahmanas; naayakaah: leaders; mama: my; sainyasya: of the army; samjna-artham: for information; taan: them; braveemi: I speak; te: to you.

1.7 O best of the Brahmanas, know them also, who are the principal warriors on our side – the generals of my army; for your information I mention them. 1.7

bhavaan Bhishmas cha karnas cha krpas cha samitim-jayah asvatthaama vikarnas chasaumadattis tathaiva cha 1.8

bhavaan: your self; Bhishmah: Grandfather Bhishma; cha: and; karnah: Karna; cha: and; krpah: Krpa; cha: and; samitim- jayah: victorious in war; asvatthaama: Asvatthaama; vikarnah: Vikarna; cha: and; saumadattihi: the son of Somadatta; tathaa: thus as; eva: only; cha: and

1.8 They are yourself, Bhishma, Karna, Krupa who is ever victorious in battle and even so Asvatthama, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta. 1.8

anye cha bahavah shooraa mad-arthe tyakta-jeevitaah naanaa-shastra praharanaah sarve yuddha-vishaaradaah 1.9

anye: many others; cha: also; bahavah: in great numbers; shoorah: heroes; mat-arthe: for my sake; tyakta-jeevitaah: prepared to risk life; naanaa: many; shastra: weapons; praharanaah: equipped with; sarve: all of them; yuddha: battle; vishaaradaah: experienced in military science.

1.9 There are many other heroes who are prepared to lay down their lives for my sake. All of them are well equipped with different kinds of weapons, and all are experienced in military science.

aparyaaptam tad asmaakam balam Bhishmaabhirakhsitam paryaaptam tu idam eteshaam balam Bhimaabhirakshitam 1.10

aparyaaptam: unlimited; tat: that; asmaakam: of ours; balam: strength; Bhishmaabhirakshitam: protected by Bhishma; paryaaptam: limited; tu: but; idam: all this; eteshaam: their; balam: strength; Bhimaabhirakshitam: protected by Bhima

1.10 This army of ours protected by Bhishma is invincible whereas their army protected by Bhima is conquerable.

ayaneshu cha sarveshu yathaa-bhaagam avasthitaah Bhishmam eva abhirakshantu bhavantah sarva eva hi 1.11

ayaneshu: in the divisions ; cha: and; sarveshu: everywhere; yathaabhaagam: as per the divisions; avasthitaah: situated; Bhishmam: to Bhisma; eva: alone; abhirakshantu: protect; bhavantah: you; sarve: all; eva: only; hi: indeed

1.11 Stationed in your respective divisions on all fronts, all of you must give full protection to Bhishma.

tasya sanjanayan harsham kuru-vrddhah pitaamahah simha-naadam vinadyocchaihi shankham dadhmau prataapavaan 1.12

tasya: his; sanjanayan: causing; harsham: joy; kuru-vrddhah: old man of the Kuru dynasty; pitaamahah: the grandfather; simha-naadam: lion's roar; vinadya: causing to sound; ucchaihi: loudly; shankham: conch; dadhmau: blew; prataapa- vaan: mighty

1.12 Then Bhishma, the grand old man of the Kuru dynasty, their glorious grandfather, roared like a lion and blew his conch, giving Duryodhana joy.

tatah shankhaas cha bheryas cha panavaanaka-gomukhaah sahasaiva abhyahanyanta sa shabdas tumulo ‘bhavat 1.13

tatah: then; shankhaah: conches; cha: and; bheryah cha panava-anaka: drums, bugles, horns and trumpets; go- mukhaah: cow horns; sahasaiva: quite suddenly

abhyahanyanta: blared; sah: that; shabdah: sound; tumulah: tumultuous;

abhavat: became

1.14 Then, conches, bugles, trumpets, drums and horns were all suddenly sounded, and the combined sound was tumultuous.

tatah shvetair hayair yukte mahati syandane sthitau maadhavah paandavas chaiva divyau shankhau pradadhmatuhu 1.14

tatah: then; shvetaih: by white; hayaih: horses; yukte: being yoked; mahati: magnificent; syandane: chariot; sthitau: seated; maadhavah: Madhava, Shree Krishna; paandavah: son of Pandu; cha: and; eva: only; divyau: divine; shankhau: conches; pradadhmatuhu: blew

1.14 Then, seated on a magnificent chariot drawn by white horses, both Krishna and Arjuna sounded their divine conches.

paanchajanyam hrsheekesho devadattam dhananjayah paundram dadhmau mahaa-shankham Bhima-karmaa vrkodarah 1.15

paanchajanyam: the conch named Panchajanya; hrsheeka- eeshah: Hrsheekesha, one who directs the senses; devadattam: the conch named Devadatta; dhanam-jayah:

Dhananjaya, the winner of wealth; paundram: the conch named Paundra; dadhmau: blew; mahaa-shankham: the great conch; Bhima-karmaa: one who performs terrible tasks; vrka-udarah: one with the belly of a wolf

1.15 Then, Krishna blew His conch, called Pancajanya; Arjuna blew his, called Devadatta; and Bhima blew his mighty conch called Paundra.

anantavijayam raaja kuntee-putro yudhishthirah nakulah sahadevas cha sughosha-manipushpakau 1.16

kaashyas cha parameshvaasah shikhandee cha mahaa-rathah dhrshtadyumno viraatas cha saatyakis cha aparaajitah 1.17

drupado draupadeyaas cha sarvashah prthivee-pate saubhadras cha mahaa-baahuhu shankhaan dadhmuhu prthak prthak 1.18

ananta-vijayam: the conch named Ananta-vijaya; raaja: the king; kunteeputrah: the son of Kunti; yudhisthirah:

Yudhishthira; nakulah: Nakula; sahadevah: Sahadeva; cha: and; sughosha-manipushpakau: the conches named Sughosha and Manipushpaka; kaashyah: the King of Kasi (Varanasi); cha: and; parama-isu-asah: the great archer; shikhandee: Shikhandi; cha: and; mahaarathah: great chariot warrior; dhrshtadyumnah: Dhrstadyumna ; viraatah: Virata; cha: and; saatyaki: Saatyaki; cha: and; aparaajitah: invincible; drupadah: Drupada; draupadeyaah: the sons of Draupadi; cha: also; sarvashah: all; prthivee-pate: King of the Earth; saubhadrah: the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu); cha: and; mahaa-baahuh: mighty-armed; shankhaan: conches; dadhmuhu blew; prthak prthak: severally

1.16, 17, 18 King Yudhisthira, the son of Kunti, blew his conch, the Anantavijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew theirs known as Sughosha and Manipushpaka. The excellent archer, the King of Kasi, the great chariot- fighter Sikhandi, Dhrstadyumna, Virata and the invincible Satyaki, Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and the mighty-armed Abhimanyu, son of Subhadra, all of them O King, blew their own conches.

sa ghosho dhaartaraashtraanaam hrdayaani vyadaarayat nabhas cha prthiveem chaiva tumulo vyanunaadayan 1.19

sah: that; ghoshah: uproar; dhaartaraashtraanaam: of the sons of Dhritharashtra; hrdayaani: hearts; vyadaarayat: broke; nabhah: the sky; cha: and; prthiveem: the earth; cha: and; eva: only; tumulah: tumultous; vyanunaadayan: resounding

1.19 The terrible sound echoing through the sky and the earth rent the hearts of the sons of Dhritharashtra.

atha vyavasthitaan drshtvaa dhaartaraashtraan kapi-dhvajah pravrtte shastra-sampaate dhanur udyamya paandavah 1.20

atha: now; vyavasthitaan: stationed; drshtvaa: seeing; dhaartaraashtraan: the sons of Dhritharashtra; kapi-dhvajah: one whose flag is marked with the ape; pravrtte: about to begin; shastra-sampaate: the arrows released; dhanuh: bow; udyamya: after taking up; paandavah: the son of Pandu

1.20 Seeing the sons of Dhritarashtra arrayed in the battle field, Arjuna, the son of Pandu, who was seated in his chariot, bearing the flag marked with Hanuman, took up his bow.

अर्जुन उवाचः

hrsheekesham tadaa vaakyamidam aaha mahee-pate

arjuna uvaacha:

senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthaapaya me ‘chyuta 1.21

yaavad etaan nireekshe ‘ham yoddhu-kaamaan avasthitaan kair mayaa saha yoddhavyamasmin rana-samudyame 1.22

hrsheekesham: to Hrisheekesa; tadaa: then; vaakyam: words; idam: this; aha: said; mahee-pate: O Lord of the Earth; arjunah: Arjuna; uvaacha: said; senayoh: of the armies; ubhayoh: of both; madhye: in between; ratham: the chariot; sthaapaya: position; me: my; Achyuta: O infallible one; yaavat: while; etaan: all these; nireekshe: behold; aham: I; yoddhu-kaman: desiring to fight; avasthitan: standing; kaih: with whom; mayaa: by me; saha: with; yoddhavyam: to be fought; asmin: in this; rana: war; samudyame: situation

1.21, 22 and spoke this to Krishna, O King!

Arjuna said: O Infallible One, please place my chariot between the two armies while I may observe these warriors arrayed for battle and with whom I have to engage in fight.

yotsyamaanaan avekshe ‘ham ya ete tra samaagataah dhaartaraashtrasya durbuddheryuddhe priya-chikeershavah 1.23

yotsyamaanaan: those who wish to fight; avekshe: see; aham: I; ye: who; ete: these; atra: here; samaagataah: assembled; dhaartaraashtrasya: the son of Dhritarashtra; durbuddheh: evil-minded; yuddhe: in the fight; priya: to please; chikeershavah: wishing

1.23 Let me see these well wishers in this war of the evil-minded Duryodhana, who have come together here to fight.

सञ्जय उवाचः

sanjaya uvaacha:

sanjaya: Sanjaya; uvaacha: said; evam: thus; uktah: addressed; hrsheekeshah: Hrsheekesha; gudaakeshena: by Arjun; bhaarata: O Bhaarata; senayoh: of armies; ubhayoh: of both; madhye: in the middle of; sthaapayitvaa: by placing; ratha-uttamam: the finest chariot

Bhishma: Grandfather Bhisma; drona: the teacher Drona; pramukhatah: in front of; sarveshaam: of all; cha: and; mahee- kshitaam: of rulers of the world; uvaacha: said; paartha: O Partha; pashya: see; etaan: those; samavetaan: assembled; kuroon: the Kurus; iti: thus

1.24, 25 Sanjaya said:

O descendant of Bharata, being thus addressed by Arjuna, Krishna then drew up the fine chariot to the middle of both the armies in front of Bhishma, Drona and all the kings and said, 'Arjuna behold the Kauravas assembled here.'

tatra apashyat sthitaan paarthah pitrn atha pitaamahaan aachaaryaan maatulaan bhraatrn putraan pautraan sakheems tathaa 1.26 shvashuraan suhrdas chaiva senayor ubhayor api

tatra: there; apashyat: saw; sthitaan: positioned; paarthah: Arjuna; pitrn: fathers; atha: also; pitaamahaan: grandfathers; aachaaryaan: teachers; maatulaan: maternal uncles; bhratrn: brothers; putraan: sons; pautraan: grandsons; sakheen: friends; tatha: too; shvashuraan: fathers-in-law; suhrdah: well-wishers; cha: and; eva: only; senayoh: of the

armies; ubhayoh: of both ; api: also

1.26 There Arjuna saw, stationed there in both the armies his uncles, grand uncles, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, and friends, as well as his fathers-in-law and well-wishers.

taan sameekshya sa kaunteyah sarvaan bandhoon avasthitaan 1.27 krpayaa paraya aavishto visheedann idam abraveet

taan: those; sameekshya: after seeing; sah: he; kaunteyah: kaunteya; sarvaan: all; bandhoon: relatives; avasthitaan: standing; krpayaa: by pity; parayaa: deep; aavishtah: filled; visheedan: lamenting; idam: thus; abraveet: spoke

1.27 Seeing all those relatives present there, Arjuna was overwhelmed with deep pity and spoke in sadness.

अर्जुन उवाच

Arjuna: Arjuna; uvaacha: said; drshtva: after seeing; imam: all these; sva-janam: kinsmen; krsna: Krishna; yuyutsum: all eager to do battle; samupasthitam: arranged in form; seedanti: fail; mama: my; gaatraani: limbs; mukham: mouth; cha: and; parishushyati: is parching

arjuna uvaacha:

drshtvemam sva-janam krshna yuyutsum samupasthitam 1.28 seedanti mama gaatraani mukham cha parishushyati

vepathus cha shareere me roma-harshas cha jaayate 1.29 gaandeevam sramsate hastaattvak chaiva paridahyate

vepathuh: trembling; cha: and; shareere: in body; me: my; roma-harshah: hair standing on end; cha: and; jaayate: happens; gaandeevam: Gaandiva; sramsate: slips; hastaat: from the hands; tvak: skin; cha: and; eva: only; paridahyate: is burning

1.28, 29 Arjuna said: Krishna, seeing my friends and relatives present before me, eager to wage war, my limbs are giving way, my mouth is parching and a shiver is running through my body, my hair is standing on end.

na cha shaknomi avasthaatum bhramateeva cha me manah 1.30 nimittaani cha pashyaami vipareetaani keshava

na: not; cha: and; shaknomi: am able; avasthaatum: to stand; bhramati: whirling iva: as; cha: and; me: my; manah: mind; nimittaani: portents; cha: also; pashyaami: I see; vipareetaani: just the opposite; keshava: O Kesava, killer of demon Kesin

1.30 My bow Gandiva is slipping from my hands and my skin is burning all over. My mind is whirling as it were, and I am now unable to stand here any longer.

na cha shreyo ‘nupashyaami hatvaa sva-janam aahave 1.31 na kaankshe vijayam krshna na cha raajyam sukhaani cha

na: not; cha: and; shreyah: good; anupashyaami: I see; hatvaa: after killing; sva-janam: own kinsmen; aahave: in battle; na: not; kaankshe: I desire; vijayam: victory; krishna: O Krishna; na: not; cha: and; raajyam: kingdom; sukhaani: pleasures; cha: and

1.31 I foresee only evil omens, O Krishna; I do not see any good coming out of killing one's own kinsmen in this battle. I do not covet my dear Krishna, victory or kingdom or pleasures.

kim no raajyena govinda kim bhogair jeevitena vaa 1.32

kim: what; nah: to us; raajyena: by kingdom; govinda: Govinda; kim: what; bhogair: by pleasures; jeevitena: life; vaa: or

1.32 Of what use will kingdom or happiness or even life be to us?

yeshaam: for whose; arthe: sake; kaankshitam: desired; nah: by us; raajyam: kingdom; bhogaah: enjoyment; sukhaani: happiness; cha: and; te: they; ime: these; avasthitaah: stand; yuddhe: in battle; praanaan: lives; tyaktvaa: giving up; dhanaani: wealth; cha: and

1.33 For whose sake we desire this kingdom, enjoyment and happiness, they stand in battle staking their lives and property.

aachaaryaah: teachers; pitarah: fathers; putraah: sons; tathaa eva: like that; cha: and; pitaamahaah: grandfathers; maatulaah: maternal uncles; shvashuraah: fathers-in-law; pautraaha: grandsons; shyaalaah: brothers-in-law; sambandhinah: relatives; tathaa: as well as

1.34 Teachers, fathers, sons as well as grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in- law and other relatives.

etaan na hantum icchaami ghnato ‘pi madhusoodana api trailokya-raajyasya hetoh kim nu mahee-krte 1.35

etaan: these; na: not; hantum: for killing; icchaami: I wish; ghnatah: killed; api: even; madhusoodana: O killer of the demon Madhu; api: even; trai-lokya: of the three worlds; raajyasya: of the kingdoms; hetoh: in exchange; kim: what; nu: then; mahee-krte: for the sake of the earth

1.35 Madhusudhana (Krishna), even if I am killed (by them) I do not want to kill these ones even to gain control of all three worlds, much less for the earthly lordship.

nihatya dhaartaraashtraan nah kaa preetihi syaat janaardana paapam evaashrayed asmaanhatvaitaan aatataayinah 1.36

nihatya: after slaying; dhaartaraashtraan: sons of Dhritharashtra; nah: to us; kaa: what; preetihi: pleasure; syaat: may be; janaardana: janaardana; paapam: sins; eva: only; aashrayet: will take hold; asmaan: us; hatvaa: after killing; etaan: these; aatataayinah: wrong-doers

1.36 What pleasure will we get by destroying the sons of Dhritharashtra, Janardana? Only sin will overcome us if we slay these wrong doers.

tasmaan naarhaa vayam hantum dhaartaraashtraan svabaandhavaan sva-janam hi katham hatvaa sukhinah syaama maadhava 1.37

tasmaat: therefore; na: not; arhah: justified; vayam: we; hantum: to kill; dhaartaraashtraan: the sons of Dhritharashtra; svabaandhavaan: our friends; sva-janam: kinsmen; hi: for; katham: how; hatvaa: after killing; sukhinah: happy; syaama: may be; maadhava: O Madhava (Krishna)

1.37 Therefore, it is not proper for us to kill the sons of Dhritharashtra and our relations, for how could we be happy after killing our own kinsmen, Madhava?

yadyapi ete na pashyanti lobhopahata-chetasah kula-kshaya-krtam dosham mitra-drohe cha paatakam 1.38

yadyapi: if; ete: these; na: not; pahsyanti: see; lobha: greed; upahata: overtaken; chetasah: intelligence; kula-kshaya: in killing the race; krtam: done; dosham: fault; mitra-drohe: treason to friends; cha: and; paatakam: sin

1.38 O Janardana, these men, blinded by greed, see no fault in killing one's family or being treasonable to friends, incur sin.

katham na jneyam asmaabhiha paapaad asmaan nivartitum kula-kshaya-krtam dosham prapashyadbhir janaardana 1.39

katham: why; na: not; jneyam: to be understood; asmaabhih: by us; paapaat: from sins; asmaat: from this; nivartitum: to turn away; kula-kshaya krtam: destruction of a dynasty; dosham: evil; prapashyadbhih: by the discerning; janaardana: Janardana (Krishna)

1.39 Why should we, who clearly see the sin in the destruction of a dynasty, not turn away from this crime?

kula-kshaye pranashyanti kula-dharmaah sanaatanaah dharme nashte kulam krtsnam adharmo ‘bhibhavaty uta 1.40

kula-kshaye: in destroying the family; pranashyanti: perish; kula-dharmaah: the family traditions; sanaatanaah: age-old; dharma: virtue; nashte: destroyed; kulam: family; krtsnam: whole; adharmah: non-righteousness; abhibhavati: overtakes; uta: and

1.40 With the destruction of the dynasty, the age-old family traditions die and virtue having been lost, vice overtakes the entire race.

adharmaa bhibhavaat krsna pradushyanti kula-striyah streeshu dushtaasu vaarshneya jaayate varna-sankarah 1.41

adharma: non-righteousness; abhibhavaat: from the preponderance; krsna: O Krishna; pradushyanti: become corrupt; kula-striyah: family women; streeshu dushtaasu: when women become corrupt; vaarshneya: O Varshneya (Krishna); jaayate: arises; varna-sankarah: intermixture of castes

1.41 When non-righteous practices become common, O Krishna, the women of the family become corrupt, and with the degradation of womanhood, O Descendant of Vrshni, ensues intermixture of castes.

sankaro narakaayaiva kula-ghnaanam kulasya cha patanti pitaro hy eshaam lupta-pindodaka-kriyaah 1.42

sankarah: mixture; narakaaya: for hell; eva: only; kula- ghnaanaam: of the killers of the family; kulasya: of the family; cha: and; patanti: fall; pitarah: forefathers; hi: also; eshaam: their; lupta: deprived; pinda: offering of rice to the departed souls; udaka: water; kriyaah: performances

doshaih: by evil deeds; etaih: these; kula-ghnaanaam: of the destroyer of the family; varna-sankara: mixture of castes; kaarakaih: by the doers; utsaadyante: are destroyed; jaati-dharmaah: caste rituals; kula-dharmaah: family traditions; cha: and; shaashvataah: age-old

1.42, 43 Admixture of blood damns the destroyers of race and the race itself. Deprived of offering of oblations of rice and water the departed souls of the race also fall, the age-long caste traditions and family customs of the killers of kinsmen become extinct.

utsanna: spoiled; kula-dharmaanaam: of those who have the family traditions; manushyaanaam: of such men; janaardana: O Krshna; narake: in hell; aniyatam: always; vaasah: residence; bhavati: becomes; iti: thus; anushushruma: we hear

1.44 O Janardana, we hear that those who have lost family traditions dwell in hell for an indefinite period of time.

aho bata mahat paapam kartum vyavasitaa vayam yad raajya-sukha-lobhena hantum sva-janam udyataah 1.45

aho bata: alas; mahat: great; paapam: sins; kartum: to do; vyavasitaah: prepared; vayam: we; yat: that; raajya: kingdom; sukha-lobhena: by greed for kingdom; hantum: to kill; sva- janam: kinsmen; udyataah: prepared

1.45 Alas, we are prepared to commit greatly sinful acts of killing our kinsmen, driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness.

yadi maam aprateekaaram ashastram shastra-paanayah dhaartaraashtraa rane hanyustan me kshemataram bhavet 1.46

yadi: if; maam: me; aprateekaaram: not resistant; ashastram: unarmed; shastra-paanayah: with weapons in hand; dhaartaraashtraah: the sons of Dhritharashtra; rane: in the battle; hanyuh: may kill; tat: that; me: mine; kshema-taram: better; bhavet: will be

1.46 It would be better if the sons of Dhritharashtra, armed with weapons, killed me in battle while I am unarmed and unresisting.

सञ्जय उवाच:

sanjaya uvaacha:

sanjaya: Sanjaya; uvaacha: said; evam: thus; uktvaa: having said; arjunah: Arjuna; sankhye: in the battle field; ratha: chariot; upasthe: at the rear side; upaavishat: sat down; visrjya: having cast aside; sa-sharam: with the arrow; chaapam: the bow; shoka: sorrow; samvigna: distressed; maanasah: with a mind

1.47 Sanjaya said: Arjuna, whose mind was agitated by grief on the battle field, having spoken thus, cast aside his bow along with the arrow and sat down at the rear portion of the chariot.

1.47 I salute you Lord Krishna, Teacher to the World, son of Vasudeva and supreme bliss of Devaki, destroyer of Kamsa and Chanura

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Why are we here? What is the point of what we do in our lives? Will our actions bring us success or failure? How can we become spiritually mature and integrated individuals?

Thousands of years have passed since Krishna counseled Arjuna on these timeless issues on the battlefields of ancient India. Nithyananda brings to life His very words, with great inspiration and practical guidance to transform our lives as Krishna did for Arjuna.

In this book for the modern mind, Nithyananda expresses the truths of the first chapter of the great Bhagavad Gita, traditionally called 'Arjuna's Dilemma'. He teaches seekers that simple awareness of the truth can lead to the ultimate transformation needed for real success in life.

Ebook ISBN: 979-8-88572-039-7 PUBLISHED BY LIFE BLISS FOUNDATION