- 1.1धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः ।Dhritarashtra asks what happened when both armies met at Kurukshetra.
- 1.2दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा ।Duryodhana goes to Drona after seeing the Pandava army ready for battle.
- 1.3पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम् ।Duryodhana points out the strong Pandava formation to Drona.
- 1.4अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि ।He begins naming the powerful Pandava warriors on the field.
- 1.5धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान् ।He adds more Pandava allies to the list of strong fighters.
- 1.6युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान् ।He includes Abhimanyu and Draupadi's sons among their great warriors.
- 1.7अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम ।Duryodhana now turns to the main leaders on his own side.
- 1.8भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः ।He names Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, Ashvatthama, Vikarna, and Bhurishrava.
- 1.9अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः ।He says many more skilled fighters are ready to die for his cause.
- 1.10अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम् ।He claims his army is stronger under Bhishma's protection.
- 1.11अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः ।He orders everyone to guard Bhishma from every side.
- 1.12तस्य सञ्जनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः ।Bhishma blows his conch loudly to encourage Duryodhana.
- 1.13ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः ।Then many drums and horns sound together from the Kaurava side.
- 1.14ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ ।Krishna and Arjuna answer with their divine conches.
- 1.15पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनञ्जयः ।Krishna, Arjuna, and Bhima each blow their own conches.
- 1.16अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः ।Yudhishthira, Nakula, and Sahadeva also sound their conches.
- 1.17काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः ।More Pandava leaders join in and blow their conches.
- 1.18द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते ।Drupada, Draupadi's sons, and Abhimanyu sound theirs as well.
- 1.19स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत् ।The Pandava call shakes the hearts of the Kaurava side.
- 1.20अथ व्यवस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान् कपिध्वजः ।As the battle is about to start, Arjuna speaks to Krishna.
- 1.21सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत ॥Arjuna asks Krishna to place the chariot between the two armies.
- 1.22यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान् ।He wants a clear view of the men with whom he must fight.
- 1.23योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः ।He especially wants to see those who have come to support Duryodhana.
- 1.24एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत ।Krishna drives the chariot into the space between both armies.
- 1.25भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् ।He stops it before Bhishma, Drona, and the assembled kings.
- 1.26तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितॄनथ पितामहान् ।Arjuna sees elders, teachers, relatives, and friends on both sides.
- 1.27श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि ।Seeing his own people arrayed for war fills Arjuna with pity.
- 1.28कृपया परयाविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत् ।Arjuna says his heart sinks when he sees his kin ready to fight.
- 1.29सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति ।His body trembles, his mouth dries, and his hair stands on end.
- 1.30गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते ।His bow slips, his skin burns, and he cannot stand steady.
- 1.31निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव ।He sees bad signs and no good in killing his own people.
- 1.32न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च ।He says he no longer wants victory, kingdom, or pleasure.
- 1.33येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च ।The very people for whom they wanted power are standing there ready to die.
- 1.34आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः ।That includes teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, and many relatives.
- 1.35एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन ।He says he would not kill them even for the rule of the three worlds.
- 1.36निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन ।Killing Dhritarashtra's sons would bring sin, not joy.
- 1.37तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान् ।He says they cannot be happy by killing their own family.
- 1.38यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः ।The other side may be blinded by greed and fail to see the evil.
- 1.39कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम् ।But Arjuna says they should know that destroying a family is wrong.
- 1.40कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः ।When a family is destroyed, its dharma and sacred traditions collapse.
- 1.41अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः ।When dharma collapses, corruption spreads through the family.
- 1.42सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च ।That corruption harms society and even cuts off the ancestors.
- 1.43दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः ।Such destruction ruins both family life and social order.
- 1.44उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन ।Arjuna says he has heard that such people fall into hell.
- 1.45अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम् ।He laments that greed for a kingdom is pushing them toward great sin.
- 1.46यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः ।He says it would be better to die unarmed than kill his own kin.
- 1.47एवमुक्त्वार्जुनः सङ्ख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत् ।Arjuna drops his bow and sits down, crushed by sorrow.
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