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Chapter 1: Arjuna’s State Of Grief

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praveen

Life is a dream
Staff member
(Drutharashtra, the blind and Pandu were brothers. Drutharashtra being elder was the king. He had 100 sons (kauravas). Pandu had five sons (Pandavas) . The great epic Mahabharata is the story of the rivalry between the Kauravas and Pandavas. After all possible methods have been tried to reconcile their conflict, a decision of war is arrived at. This war takes place in KuruKshethra (The land of the Kurus). . Since Drutharashtra is blind, he cannot see,. His mentor and progenitor Veda Vyasa, gives the power to see everything that happens in the battle field to one Sanjaya (literally correspondent) and report it to Drutharashtra. Bhagawad Gita starts at this point.


Arjuna whose chariot is being driven by Lord Krishna is aghast, when he realizes that to win the war he has to kill all the members of his family as well as his teachers. He feels that this is not the right thing to do. Chapter I of Bhagawad Gita ends with Arjuna expressing his inability to continue with the war. Seventeen chapters follow in which, Lord Krishna, convinces him that he must fight. During these teaching and discussion, all aspects of Indian philosophy are concisely presented.)

Drutharashtra asked:-

Oh Sanjaya, what are my sons and Pandavas who are eager to fight?
Doing, in the holy battle field of KuruKshethra.

Sanjaya replied:-
After seeing the Pandavas aligned in the battle field,
The king Duryodhana approached his teacher and asked?

I am seeing the great army of the sons of Pandu, my teacher,
Well arranged by the son of Drupada, who is your great disciple.

I am seeing among them great warriors like Bheema and Arjuna,
And also great warriors like Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupadha.

Yuyudhana- Sathyaki, the cousin of Krishna
Virata- The king of Virata country
Drupada- The father of Draupadi

Among them also are great heroes like Drushta Kethu, Chekithana
The king of Kasi and Puru jit Kunthi bhoja and the great king Shaibhya.

Drushta Kethu- Son of Shishupala
Chekithana- A warrior from Vrushni clan
Purujit Kuntibhoja-Brother of Kunti
Shaibhya-Father in law of Yudhishtra

The very powerful Yudhamanyu and the great warrior Uthamoujas.
And sons of Draupadi and Subadhra, all of whom are great warriors.

Yudhamanyu and Uthamoujas- Two panchala warriors

Our army also has great warriors and I am listing them,
Oh great twice born, for your understanding.

You, Bheeshma. Karna, Krupa who is a war winner,
Aswathama, Vikarna and Soumadathi are among them.

Krupa- Another teacher, who is brother in law of Drona
Vikarna- Brother of Duryodhana
Soumadathi-Son of Soma datha...

There are many more warriors, who are prepared to sacrifice,
Their lives for my sake and they are well armed and experts in war.

The strength of our army lead by Bheeshma is beyond measure,
As against their limited strength, which is protected by Bhima?

(Can also mean The strength of our army lead by Bheeshma is not sufficient,
As against their needed strength, which is protected by Bhīma.

And so please prepare your army and hold it in readiness,
And all of you at any cost protect the great Bheeshma.

Then the old man of the Kuru clan, the great Bheeshma,
Blew his conch like a roar of lion to reassure Him.

All of a sudden several conches, drums, cymbals and gongs,
Blew in unison, and that sound echoed and reechoed and became great.

Then Arjuna and Krishna sitting on a great chariot,
Drawn by white horses, blew their divine conches also.

Lord Krishna blew his conch called Pancha janya, Arjuna blew his Devadatha
And the Bhīma with fire in his stomach blew his conch poundram.

The king Yudhishtra, who is the son of Kunthi, blew his conch Anantha Vijaya,
Nakula his conch Sugosha and Sahadeva his conch Mani pushpaka.
The great archer Kashyapa, the great charioteer Shikandi,
Drushtadhyumna, Virata, Sathyaki who has never faced defeat,
The king Drupada, sons of Draupadi, the great son of Subadhra,
Blew their conches separately again and again.

That sound shattered the hearts of the sons of Drutharashtra,
And also echoed and reechoed in the earth and the sky.

Seeing these state of affairs of the sons of Drutharashtra,
The hero with a monkey in his flag realizing that the time was ready for war,
Held his bow aloft and Oh king, told like this to Krishna.
Arjuna said:-

Please position this chariot in the middle of armies, oh Krishna,
So that I can see all those who have come ready for this battle,
Summoned by the evil minded sons of Drutharashtra,
And who have wished for this war and decide on all those
Whom I should fight, when the war commences.
Sanjaya told:-

The lord Krishna, when told like this by Arjuna,
Took and placed the chariot in the middle of the armies,
And told him, “Please see the great warriors,
Of the Kuru clan lead by Bheeshma and Drona.”

After seeing his in-laws, friends in the two armies,
And also his grandfather, his teacher, uncles, brothers,
Sons and grandsons, Arjuna was overcome with compassion,
And getting in to the clutches of sorrow, told the following words.

Arjuna told:-

I am seeing my people here, Krishna, who are ready for the war,
My body becomes weak, my face becomes dry,
My body is entirely covered with sweat, my hairs stand erect,
My bow Gandiva is getting out of my grip,
My whole body burns and I am not able to even to stand erect.
My life seems to be leaving me and my mind gets upset...

I am seeing bad omens, Krishna which are counterproductive,
I do not see anything which will lead me to fame,
By killing all these people who are my own people.
I do not desire victory Krishna, or country or pleasure,
What is the use in having this country Govinda?
And what is the use in having a pleasure filled life?
For what is the point in having a country or even life, after?
Killing teachers fathers, sons, grandfather,
Uncles, in laws, grandsons, brother in laws and all relatives.
Even if they want to kill me, Oh killer of Madhu,
And even if I am going to be the king of the three worlds,
I am not interested in killing them for this trifle of land..

What happiness will I ever get by killing these sons of Drutharashtra?
For even though they deserve to be killed, only sin will get attached to me.

Oh Krishna, though the sons of Drutharashtra deserve to be killed,
Since they, are our relations, how can we get pleasure out of such an action?
Though I am seeing that they do not realize in their mind,
The sin of destroying a family and treachery to their friends,
How can we who realize the sin which results in destruction of family,
Not know that we have to withdraw from committing such a sin?

When families are killed, the just life* of the society perishes,
And by the loss of just life, injustice tends to grow aloft.
* The actual word is “Dharma”

When injustice occupies the land, good women lose their virtue,
And when they lose their virtue, there is mixture of the castes.

The mixture of castes leads the families and
Those who destroy them to hell, for their ancestors
Will not be worshipped with rice balls and water.

Because of the sins of those who destroy families,
And those who lead to such a mixture of castes,
The just duties of the castes as also the families cease to exist.

Oh Krishna, I have heard that those who destroy,
The just duties of families live forever in the portals of hell.

Alas! We are just getting prepared to do a very great sin,
By killing our own people for the sake of ruling over a country.

If the armed sons of Drutharashtra kill me , who am not armed,
That would lead me to lot of useful pleasure.

Sanjaya told:-

After telling thus Arjuna became extremely sad,
Divested himself of his arms and sat in his chariot.

Thus ends the first chapter of Bhagawad Gita,
Which is the essence of all Upanishads?
Which is the science of the eternal and yoga?
And the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna,
Which is called “Arjuna’s state of grief?”

-------------

Translated by our member P.R.Ramachander.
 
Last edited:
Sri Praveen,

Good to start posting "Bhagawad Geeta", the eternal truth given by Lord Sri Krishna. Every time I read or hear it gives me a new meaning to life.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.
 
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