Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 1 of 18 · 47 verses
Arjuna's Dilemma
Arjuna Viṣāda Yoga
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What this chapter teaches
Arjuna sees his revered teachers, kinsmen and friends arrayed for battle. Overwhelmed by grief and compassion, he lays down his bow and refuses to fight.
The Bhagavad Gita opens on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, where two armies stand ready for a devastating war. Arjuna, the greatest archer in the world, asks Krishna to drive his chariot between the two sides. Seeing his loved ones — teachers, uncles, cousins, friends — lined up to die, Arjuna is struck by profound moral grief. His limbs tremble, his bow slips, and he collapses. This chapter is about the moment before awakening: the darkness of despair that must be fully felt before wisdom can arise.
All 47 verses — Sanskrit, transliteration, English
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः। मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय॥
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ | māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kimakurvata sañjaya ||
Dhritarashtra said: O Sanjaya, assembled on the holy field of Kurukshetra and desiring to fight, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do?
सञ्जय उवाच दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा। आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत्॥
sañjaya uvāca dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ vyūḍhaṁ duryodhanastadā | ācāryamupasaṅgamya rājā vacanamabravīt ||
Sanjaya said: Seeing the army of the Pandavas arranged in military formation, King Duryodhana approached his teacher Dronacharya and spoke these words.
पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्। व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता॥
paśyaitāṁ pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṁ camūm | vyūḍhāṁ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā ||
O teacher, (please) see this vast army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed for battle by the son of Drupada, your intelligent disciple.
अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि। युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः॥
atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi | yuyudhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ ||
Here are the heroes wielding great bows, who in battle are compeers of Bhima and Arjuna: Yuyudhana (Satyaki) and Virata, and the maharatha (great chariot-rider) Drupada;
धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान्। पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुङ्गवः॥
dhṛṣṭaketuścekitānaḥ kāśirājaśca vīryavān | purujitkuntibhojaśca śaibyaśca narapuṅgavaḥ ||
Dhrstaketu, Cekitana, and the valiant king of Kasi (Varanasi); Purujit and Kuntibhoja, and Saibya, the choicest among men;
युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान्। सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः॥
yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān | saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ ||
And the chivalrous Yudhamanyu, and the valiant Uttamaujas; son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu) and the sons of Draupadi all (of whom) are, verily, maharathas.
अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम। नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान्ब्रवीमि ते॥
asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye tānnibodha dvijottama | nāyakā mama sainyasya saṁjñārthaṁ tānbravīmi te ||
But, O best among the Brahmanas, please be appraised of those who are foremost among us, the ?nders of my army. I speak of them to you by way of example.
भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः। अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च॥
bhavānbhīṣmaśca karṇaśca kṛpaśca samitiñjayaḥ | aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca saumadattistathaiva ca ||
(They are:) Your venerable self, Bhisma and Karna, and Krpa who is ever victorious in battle; Asvatthama, Vikarna, Saumadatti and Jayadratha.
अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः। नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः॥
anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥ | nānāśastrapraharaṇāḥ sarve yuddhaviśāradāḥ ||
There are many heroes who have dedicated their lives for my sake, who possess various kinds of weapons and missiles, (and) all of whom are skilled in battle.
अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्। पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम्॥
aparyāptaṁ tadasmākaṁ balaṁ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam | paryāptaṁ tvidameteṣāṁ balaṁ bhīmābhirakṣitam ||
Therefore, our army under the complete protection of Bhisma and others is unlimited. But this army of these (enemies), under the protection of Bhima and others is limited.
अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः। भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि॥
ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathābhāgamavasthitāḥ | bhīṣmamevābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi ||
However, venerable sirs, all of you without exception, while occupying all the positions in the different directions as alloted (to you respectively), please fully protect Bhisma in particular.
तस्य संजनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः। सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान्॥
tasya saṁjanayanharṣaṁ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ | siṁhanādaṁ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṁ dadhmau pratāpavān ||
The valiant grandfather, the eldest of the Kurus, loudly sounding a lion-roar, blew the conch to raise his (Duryodhana's) spirits.
ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः। सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत्॥
tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānakagomukhāḥ | sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdastumulo'bhavat ||
Just immediately after that conchs and kettledrums, and tabors, trumpets and cow-horns blared forth. That sound became tumultuous.
ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ। माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः॥
tataḥ śvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau | mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ ||
Then, Madhava (Krsna) and the son of Pandu (Arjuna), stationed in their magnificent chariot with white horses yoked to it, loudly blew their divine conchs.
पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनंजयः। पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः॥
pāñcajanyaṁ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṁ dhanaṁjayaḥ | pauṇḍraṁ dadhmau mahāśaṅkhaṁ bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ ||
Hrsikesa (Krsna) (blew the conch) Pancajanya; Dhananjaya (Arjuna) (the conch) Devadatta; and Vrkodara (Bhima) of terrible deeds blew the great conch Paundra;
अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। नकुलः सहदेवश्च सुघोषमणिपुष्पकौ॥
anantavijayaṁ rājā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | nakulaḥ sahadevaśca sughoṣamaṇipuṣpakau ||
King Yudhisthira, son of Kunti, (blew) the Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadeva, the Sughosa and the Manipuspaka (respectively).
काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः। धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः॥
kāśyaśca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ | dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiścāparājitaḥ ||
And the King of Kasi, wielding a great bow, and the great chariot-rider Sikhandi, Dhrstadyumna and Virata, and Satyaki the unconered;
द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते। सौभद्रश्च महाबाहुः शङ्खान्दध्मुः पृथक्पृथक्॥
drupado draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivīpate | saubhadraśca mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhāndadhmuḥ pṛthakpṛthak ||
Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, and the son of Subhadra, (Abhimanyu) the mighty-armed all (of them) together, O king, blew their respective conchs.
स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत्। नभश्च पृथिवीं चैव तुमुलो व्यनुनादयन्॥
sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ hṛdayāni vyadārayat | nabhaśca pṛthivīṁ caiva tumulo vyanunādayan ||
That tremendous sound pierced the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarastra as it reverberated through the sky and the earth.
अथ व्यवस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः। प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसंपाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः॥
atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrānkapidhvajaḥ | pravṛtte śastrasaṁpāte dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ ||
O king, thereafter, seeing Dhrtarastra's men standing in their positions, when all the weapons were ready for action, the son of Pandu (Arjuna) who had the insignia of Hanuman of his chariot-flag, raising up his bow, said the following to Hrsikesa.
अर्जुन उवाच हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते। सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत॥
arjuna uvāca hṛṣīkeśaṁ tadā vākyamidamāha mahīpate | senayorubhayormadhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me'cyuta ||
Arjuna said O Acyuta, please place my chariot between both the armies .
यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान्। कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन्रणसमुद्यमे॥
yāvadetānnirīkṣe'haṁ yoddhukāmānavasthitān | kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasminraṇasamudyame ||
until I survey these who stand intent on fighting, and those who are going to engage in battle with me in this impending war.
योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः। धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः॥
yotsyamānānavekṣe'haṁ ya ete'tra samāgatāḥ | dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ ||
These who have assembled here and want to accomplish in the war what is dear to the perverted son of Dhrtarastra, I find them to be intent on fighting.
संजय उवाच एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत। सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम्॥
saṁjaya uvāca evamukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata | senayorubhayormadhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam ||
भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम्। उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति॥
bhīṣmadroṇapramukhataḥ sarveṣāṁ ca mahīkṣitām | uvāca pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti ||
1.25 Sanjay said O scion of the line of Bharata (Dhrtararastra), Hrsikesa, being told so by Gudakesa (Arjuna), placed the excellent chariot between the two armies, in front of Bhisma and Drona as also all the rulers of the earth, and said, 'O Partha (Arjuna), see these assempled people of the Kuru dynasty.'
तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितृ़नथ पितामहान्। आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातृ़न्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा॥
tatrāpaśyatsthitānpārthaḥ pitṛnatha pitāmahān | ācāryānmātulānbhrātṛnputrānpautrānsakhīṁstathā ||
Then Partha (Arjuna) saw, marshalled among both the armies, (his) uncles as also grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers (and (cousins), sons, grandsons, as well as comrades and fathers-in-law and friends.
श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि। तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान्॥
śvaśurānsuhṛdaścaiva senayorubhayorapi | tānsamīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvānbandhūnavasthitān ||
The son of Kunti (Ajuna), seeing all those rlatives arrayed (there), became overwhelmed by supreme compassion and said this sorrowfully:
अर्जुन उवाच कृपया परयाऽऽविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत्। दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम्॥
arjuna uvāca kṛpayā parayā''viṣṭo viṣīdannidamabravīt | dṛṣṭvemaṁ svajanaṁ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṁ samupasthitam ||
O Krishna, seeing my own kinsmen arrayed here, eager to fight, my limbs fail me and my mouth is parching.
सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति। वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते॥
sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṁ ca pariśuṣyati | vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate ||
And there is trembling in my body, and there is horripillation; the Gandiva (bow) slips from the hand and even the skin burns intensely.
गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते। न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः॥
gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate | na ca śaknomyavasthātuṁ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ ||
Moreover, O Kesava (Krsna), I am not able to stand firmly, and my mind seems to be whirling. And I notice the omens to be adverse.
निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव। न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे॥
nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava | na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave ||
Besides, I do not see any good (to be derived) from killing my own people in battle. O Krsna, I do not hanker after victory, nor even a kingdom nor pleasures.
न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च। किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा॥
na kāṅkṣe vijayaṁ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṁ sukhāni ca | kiṁ no rājyena govinda kiṁ bhogairjīvitena vā ||
येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च। त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च॥
yeṣāmarthe kāṅkṣitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca | ta ime'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁstyaktvā dhanāni ca ||
आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः। मातुलाः श्चशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा॥
ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ | mātulāḥ ścaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinastathā ||
1.34 O Govinda! What need do we have of a kingdom, or what (need) of enjoyments and livelihood? Those for whom kingdom, enjoyments and pleasures ae desired by us, viz teachers, uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law as also relatives-those very ones stand arrayed for battle risking their lives and wealth.
एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन। अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते॥
etānna hantumicchāmi ghnato'pi madhusūdana | api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahīkṛte ||
O Madhusudana, even if I am killed, I do not want to kill these even for the sake of a kingdom extending over the three worlds; what to speak of doing so for the earth!
निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन। पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः॥
nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana | pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ ||
O Janardana, what happiness shall we derive by killing the sons of Dhrtarastra? Sin alone will accrue to us by killing these felons.
तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान्। स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव॥
tasmānnārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ dhārtarāṣṭrānsvabāndhavān | svajanaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava ||
Therefore, it is not proper for us to kill the sons of Dhrtarastra who are our own relatives. For, O Madhava, how can we be happy by killing our kinsmen?
यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः। कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम्॥
yadyapyete na paśyanti lobhopahatacetasaḥ | kulakṣayakṛtaṁ doṣaṁ mitradrohe ca pātakam ||
कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्। कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन॥
kathaṁ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum | kulakṣayakṛtaṁ doṣaṁ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana ||
1.39 O Janardana, although these people, whose hearts have become perverted by greed, do not see the evil arising from destroying the family and sin in hostility towards, friends, yet how can we who clearly see the evil arising from destroying the family remain unaware of (the need of) abstaining from this sin?
कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः। धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत॥
kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ | dharme naṣṭe kulaṁ kṛtsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta ||
From the ruin of the family are totally destroyed the traditional rites and duties of the family. When rites and duties are destroyed, vice overpowers the entire family also.
अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः। स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय जायते वर्णसङ्करः॥
adharmābhibhavātkṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kulastriyaḥ | strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇasaṅkaraḥ ||
O Krsna, when vice predominates, the women of the family become corrupt. O descendent of the Vrsnis, when women become corrupted, it results in the intermingling of castes.
सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च। पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रियाः॥
saṅkaro narakāyaiva kulaghnānāṁ kulasya ca | patanti pitaro hyeṣāṁ luptapiṇḍodakakriyāḥ ||
And the intermingling in the family leads the ruiners of the family verily into hell. The forefathers of these fall down (into hell) because of being deprived of the offerings of rice-balls and water.
दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः। उत्साद्यन्ते जातिधर्माः कुलधर्माश्च शाश्वताः॥
doṣairetaiḥ kulaghnānāṁ varṇasaṅkarakārakaiḥ | utsādyante jātidharmāḥ kuladharmāśca śāśvatāḥ ||
Due to these misdeeds of the ruiners of the family, which cause intermingling of castes, the traditional rites and duties of the castes and families become destroyed.
उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन। नरकेऽनियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम॥
utsannakuladharmāṇāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ janārdana | narake'niyataṁ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma ||
O Janardana, we have heard that living in hell becomes inevitable for those persons whose family duties get destroyed.
अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्। यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः॥
aho bata mahatpāpaṁ kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam | yadrājyasukhalobhena hantuṁ svajanamudyatāḥ ||
What a pity that we have resolved to commit a great sin by being eager to kill our own kith and kin, out of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom!
यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः। धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत्॥
yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṁ śastrapāṇayaḥ | dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṁ bhavet ||
If, in this battle, the sons of Dhrtarastra armed with weapons kill me who am non-resistant and unarmed, that will be more beneficial to me.
सञ्जय उवाच एवमुक्त्वाऽर्जुनः संख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्। विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानसः॥
sañjaya uvāca evamuktvā'rjunaḥ saṁkhye rathopastha upāviśat | visṛjya saśaraṁ cāpaṁ śokasaṁvignamānasaḥ ||
Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus on the battlefield, Arjuna cast aside his bow and arrows, and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.
In the Jivana app every verse also carries a word-by-word Sanskrit glossary, audio recitation where available, and a private reflection journal. This chapter is part of the free tier.