Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 1

Arjuna Vishada Yoga

अर्जुनविषादयोगः

The Distress of Arjuna

Translated by Sir Edwin Arnold, The Song Celestial (1885, public domain)

Partial chapter. First 12 verses shipped. Remaining 35 verses of Chapter 1 will be added in a future update.

VERSE 1

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच। धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः। मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय॥

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca । dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ । māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva kim akurvata sañjaya ॥

Dhritarashtra spake: Ranged thus for battle on the sacred plain — On Kurukshetra — say, Sanjaya! say what wrought my people, and the Pandavas?

VERSE 2

सञ्जय उवाच। दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा। आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत्॥

sañjaya uvāca । dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ vyūḍhaṁ duryodhanas tadā । ācāryam upasaṅgamya rājā vacanam abravīt ॥

Sanjaya: When he beheld the host of Pandavas, Raja Duryodhana to Drona drew, and spake these words:

VERSE 3

पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्। व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता॥

paśyaitāṁ pāṇḍu-putrāṇām ācārya mahatīṁ camūm । vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā ॥

'Ah, Guru! see what a host of the sons of Pandu hath gathered against us — set in proud array by the son of Drupada, thy scholar wise!'

VERSE 4

अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि। युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः॥

atra śūrā maheṣv-āsā bhīmārjuna-samā yudhi । yuyudhāno virāṭaś ca drupadaś ca mahā-rathaḥ ॥

'Therein stand mighty bowmen, peers in war of Bhima and Arjuna; Yuyudhan, and Drupada, on his great car;'

VERSE 5

धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान्। पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुङ्गवः॥

dhṛṣṭaketuś cekitānaḥ kāśirājaś ca vīryavān । purujit kuntibhojaś ca śaibyaś ca nara-puṅgavaḥ ॥

'Dhrishtaket, Chekitan, Kashi's stout lord, Purujit, Kuntibhoj, and Saivya — chiefs of men;'

VERSE 6

युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान्। सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः॥

yudhāmanyuś ca vikrānta uttamaujāś ca vīryavān । saubhadro draupadeyāś ca sarva eva mahā-rathāḥ ॥

'Yudhamanyu the bold, Uttamauj the brave; the son of Subhadra and her sons of Draupadi — all great in war.'

VERSE 7

अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम। नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान्ब्रवीमि ते॥

asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye tān nibodha dvijottama । nāyakā mama sainyasya saṁjñārthaṁ tān bravīmi te ॥

'But thou, Brahman, of our own host the chiefest hear named, the bravest who their leaders are; their names I tell thee, that thou know them all:'

VERSE 8

भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः। अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च॥

bhavān bhīṣmaś ca karṇaś ca kṛpaś ca samitiñ-jayaḥ । aśvatthāmā vikarṇaś ca saumadattis tathaiva ca ॥

'Thyself the first, then Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, fierce in fight; Vikarna, Aswatthaman, the son of Somadatt;'

VERSE 9

अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः। नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः॥

anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madarthe tyakta-jīvitāḥ । nānā-śastra-praharaṇāḥ sarve yuddha-viśāradāḥ ॥

'And many another lord of life, who for my sake their lives will give, well-armed, and skilled in war's art.'

VERSE 10

अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्। पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम्॥

aparyāptaṁ tad asmākaṁ balaṁ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam । paryāptaṁ tv idam eteṣāṁ balaṁ bhīmābhirakṣitam ॥

'Weakest — meseems — of all our army shows, despite of Bhishma's care, that lessening band; whilst stronger every troop of these, my foes — Bhima their guard.'

VERSE 11

अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः। भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि॥

ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathā-bhāgam avasthitāḥ । bhīṣmam evābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi ॥

'Now, therefore — at all the gateways of the war ranged in your stations — bid each chief uphold the cause of Bhishma, ay! and Bhishma guard.'

VERSE 12

तस्य सञ्जनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः। सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान्॥

tasya sañjanayan harṣaṁ kuru-vṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ । siṁha-nādaṁ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṁ dadhmau pratāpavān ॥

Then, to enhearten him, the elder of the Kurus blew his conch — loud as the lion's roar, and high its sound.