Chapter 1

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच · dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca

धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः।मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय॥

dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ |māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kimakurvata sañjaya ||

Dhritarashtra said, "What did my people and the sons of Pandu do when they had assembled together, eager for battle, on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya?"

The King Dhritarashtra asked, "O Sanjaya! What happened on the sacred battlefield of Kurukshetra when my people and the Pandavas gathered?"

सञ्जय उवाच · sañjaya uvāca

दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा।आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत्॥

dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanastadā |ācāryamupasaṅgamya rājā vacanamabravīt ||

Sanjaya said: Having seen the army of the Pandavas drawn up in battle array, King Duryodhana approached his teacher, Drona, and spoke these words.

Sanjaya replied: "When Prince Duryodhana saw the Pandavas' army paraded, he approached his preceptor Guru Drona and spoke these words:

पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्।व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता॥

paśyaitāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṃ camūm |vyūḍhāṃ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā ||

Behold, O Teacher! This mighty army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed by the son of Drupada, thy wise disciple.

Revered Father! Behold this mighty host of the Pandavas, paraded by the son of King Drupada, your wise disciple.

अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि।युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः॥

atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi |yuyudhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ ||

Here are heroes, mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna, Yuyudhana (Satyaki), Virata, and Drupada—all mighty warriors.

In it are heroes and great bowmen; the equals in battle of Arjuna, Bheema, Yuyudhana, Virata, and Drupada—all great soldiers.

धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान्।पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुङ्गवः॥

dhṛṣṭaketuścekitānaḥ kāśirājaśca vīryavān |purujitkuntibhojaśca śaibyaśca narapuṅgavaḥ ||

Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana, the valiant king of Kasi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Saibya—the best of men.

Dhrishtaketu, Chekitan, the valiant king of Benares, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Shaibya—a master of many.

युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान्।सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः॥

yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān |saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ ||

The strong Yudhamanyu and the brave Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra and Arjuna), and the sons of Draupadi, all of them great charioteers (great heroes)."

Yudhamanyu, Uttamouja, Soubhadra, and the sons of Droupadi—all famous men.

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

asmākaṃ tu viśiṣṭā ye tānnibodha dvijottama |nāyakā mama sainyasya saṃjñārthaṃ tānbravīmi te ||

Know also, O best among the twice-born! the names of those who are the most distinguished amongst ourselves, the leaders of my army; these I name to you for your information.

No changes needed.

भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः।अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च॥

bhavānbhīṣmaśca karṇaśca kṛpaśca samitiñjayaḥ |aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca saumadattistathaiva ca ||

"Thou thyself, Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, the victorious in war, Asvatthama, Vikarna, and Bhurisrava, the son of Somadatta—all these are ready for battle."

You come first; then Bheeshma, Karna, Kripa, great warriors; Ashwaththama, Vikarna, and the son of Somadhatta;

अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः।नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः॥

anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥ |nānāśastrapraharaṇāḥ sarve yuddhaviśāradāḥ ||

And also many other heroes, ready to give up their lives for my sake, armed with various weapons and missiles, all well-skilled in battle.

And many others, all ready to die for My sake; all armed, all skilled in warfare.

अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्।पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम्॥

aparyāptaṃ tadasmākaṃ balaṃ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam |paryāptaṃ tvidameteṣāṃ balaṃ bhīmābhirakṣitam ||

Our army, marshalled by Bhishma, is insufficient, whereas theirs, marshalled by Bhima, is sufficient.

Yet our army seems weaker, though commanded by Bhishma; their army seems stronger, though commanded by Bhima.

अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः।भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि॥

ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathābhāgamavasthitāḥ |bhīṣmamevābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi ||

Therefore, do all of you, stationed in your respective positions in the several divisions of the army, protect Bhishma alone.

Therefore, let the rank and file stand firm in their posts according to battalions, and all you generals around Bheeshma.

तस्य संजनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः।सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान्॥

tasya saṃjanayanharṣaṃ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ |siṃhanādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān ||

His glorious grandsire, the oldest of the Kauravas, roared like a lion to cheer Duryodhana and blew his conch.

Then, to enliven his spirits, the brave Grandfather Bheeshma, the eldest of the Kuru clan, blew his conch, its sound resembling that of a lion's roar.

ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः।सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत्॥

tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānakagomukhāḥ |sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdastumulo'bhavat ||

Then, suddenly, conches, kettledrums, tabors, drums, and cow horns blared forth from the Kaurava side, and the sound was tremendous.

And immediately, all the conches, drums, trumpets, and horns blared forth in a tumultuous uproar.

ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ।माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः॥

tataḥ śvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau |mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ ||

Then, Madhava (Krishna) and the son of Pandu (Arjuna), seated in the magnificent chariot yoked with white horses, blew divine conches.

Then, seated in their spacious war chariot, yoked with white horses, Lord Shri Krishna and Arjuna sounded their divine conch shells.

पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनंजयः।पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः॥

pāñcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ |pauṇḍraṃ dadhmau mahāśaṅkhaṃ bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ ||

Hrishikesha blew the Panchajanya, Arjuna blew the Devadatta, and Bhima, the wolf-bellied doer of terrible deeds, blew the great conch Paundra.

Lord Shri Krishna blew his Panchajanya, and Arjuna blew his Devadatta; brave Bheema blew his renowned shell, Poundra.

अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः।नकुलः सहदेवश्च सुघोषमणिपुष्पकौ॥

anantavijayaṃ rājā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |nakulaḥ sahadevaśca sughoṣamaṇipuṣpakau ||

King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew the Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosha and the Manipushpaka.

The King Dharmaraja, the son of Kunti, blew the Anantavijaya, Nakula, and Sahadeva, the Sughosa and Manipushpaka, respectively.

काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः।धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः॥

kāśyaśca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ |dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiścāparājitaḥ ||

The king of Kasi, an excellent archer, Sikhandi, the mighty car-warrior, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, and Satyaki, the unconquered.

And the Maharaja of Benares, the great archer, Shikhandi, the great soldier, Dhrishtayumna, Virata, and Satyaki, the invincible one,

द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते।सौभद्रश्च महाबाहुः शङ्खान्दध्मुः पृथक्पृथक्॥

drupado draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivīpate |saubhadraśca mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhāndadhmuḥ pṛthakpṛthak ||

Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, O Lord of the Earth, and the son of Subhadra, the mighty-armed, blew their conches each separately.

And, O King! Drupada's sons, Droupadi's sons, and the great soldier Soubhadra blew their conches.

स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत्।नभश्च पृथिवीं चैव तुमुलो व्यनुनादयन्॥

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat |nabhaśca pṛthivīṃ caiva tumulo vyanunādayan ||

The tumultuous sound rent the hearts of Dhritarashtra's party, reverberating through both heaven and earth.

The tumult rent the hearts of the sons of Dhritarashtra, shaking heaven and earth with its echoing violence.

अथ व्यवस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः।प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसंपाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः॥

atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrānkapidhvajaḥ |pravṛtte śastrasaṃpāte dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ ||

Then, seeing the people of Dhritarashtra's party standing arrayed and the discharge of weapons about to begin, Arjuna, the son of Pandu whose ensign was a monkey, took up his bow and said the following to Krishna, O Lord of the Earth.

Then, upon beholding the sons of Dhritarashtra, drawn up on the battlefield, ready to fight, Arjuna, whose flag bore the image of Hanuman,

अर्जुन उवाच · arjuna uvāca

हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते।सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत॥

hṛṣīkeśaṃ tadā vākyamidamāha mahīpate |senayorubhayormadhye rathaṃ sthāpaya me'cyuta ||

Arjuna said, "O Krishna, place my chariot in the middle between the two armies, so that I may behold those who stand here, desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight when the battle is about to commence."

Raising his bow, he spoke this to the Lord Shri Krishna: O Infallible Lord of the earth! Please draw up my chariot between the two armies.

यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान्।कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन्रणसमुद्यमे॥

yāvadetānnirīkṣe'haṃ yoddhukāmānavasthitān |kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasminraṇasamudyame ||

Arjuna said, "O Krishna, place my chariot in the middle between the two armies, so that I may behold those who stand here, desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight when the battle is about to commence."

So that I may observe those who must fight on my side and those who must fight against me.

योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः।धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः॥

yotsyamānānavekṣe'haṃ ya ete'tra samāgatāḥ |dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ ||

For I desire to observe those who are assembled here to fight, wishing to please in battle the evil-minded Duryodhana—the son of Dhritarashtra.

And gaze upon this array of soldiers, eager to please the sons of Dhritarashtra who are sinful.

संजय उवाच · saṃjaya uvāca

एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत।सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम्॥

evamukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata |senayorubhayormadhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam ||

Sanjaya said, Thus addressed by Arjuna, Krishna stationed the best of chariots, O Dhritarashtra, in the midst of the two armies.

Sanjaya said: "Having listened to Arjuna's request, Lord Shri Krishna drew up His bright chariot in the midst between the two armies.

भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम्।उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति॥

bhīṣmadroṇapramukhataḥ sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām |uvāca pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti ||

In front of Bhishma and Drona, and all the rulers of the earth, he said: "O Arjuna, son of Pritha, behold these Kurus gathered together."

Where Bheeshma and Drona had led all the rulers of the earth, they spoke thus: O Arjuna! Behold, these members of the family of Kuru are assembled.

तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितृ़नथ पितामहान्।आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातृ़न्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा॥

tatrāpaśyatsthitānpārthaḥ pitṛnatha pitāmahān |ācāryānmātulānbhrātṛnputrānpautrānsakhīṃstathā ||

Then, Arjuna (son of Pritha) saw there (in the armies) stationed fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, and friends.

There, Arjuna noticed fathers, grandfathers, uncles, cousins, sons, grandsons, teachers, and friends.

श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि।तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान्॥

śvaśurānsuhṛdaścaiva senayorubhayorapi |tānsamīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvānbandhūnavasthitān ||

He saw fathers-in-law and friends in both the armies. The son of Kunti, Arjuna, seeing all those kinsmen thus standing arrayed, spoke sorrowfully, deeply filled with pity.

Fathers-in-law and benefactors were arrayed on both sides, and Arjuna then gazed at all those kinsmen before him.

अर्जुन उवाच · arjuna uvāca

कृपया परयाऽऽविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत्।दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम्॥

kṛpayā parayā''viṣṭo viṣīdannidamabravīt |dṛṣṭvemaṃ svajanaṃ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṃ samupasthitam ||

Arjuna said, "O Krishna, seeing my kinsmen arrayed here, eager to fight,

And his heart melted with pity, and sadly he spoke: "O my Lord! When I see all these, my own people, thirsting for battle,

सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति।वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते॥

sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṃ ca pariśuṣyati |vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate ||

My limbs fail, my mouth is parched, my body quivers, and my hair stands on end.

My limbs are failing me, my throat is parched, my body is trembling, and my hair is standing on end.

गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते।न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः॥

gāṇḍīvaṃ sraṃsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate |na ca śaknomyavasthātuṃ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ ||

The Gandiva slips from my hand, and my skin burns all over; I am unable to stand, and my mind is reeling, as it were.

The bow Gandiva slips from my hand, and my skin burns. I cannot remain still, for my mind is in tumult.

निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव।न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे॥

nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava |na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave ||

And I see ill omens, O Kesava. I do not see any good in slaying my kinsmen in battle.

The omens are unfavorable; what good can come from the slaughter of my people on this battlefield?

न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च।किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा॥

na kāṅkṣe vijayaṃ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṃ sukhāni ca |kiṃ no rājyena govinda kiṃ bhogairjīvitena vā ||

I desire not victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures. What use is dominion to us, O Krishna, or pleasures or even life?

Ah, my Lord! I do not crave victory, nor a kingdom, nor any pleasure. What would a kingdom, happiness, or life be to me?

येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च।त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च॥

yeṣāmarthe kāṅkṣitaṃ no rājyaṃ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca |ta ime'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṃstyaktvā dhanāni ca ||

Those for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures stand here in battle, having renounced life and wealth.

When those for whose sake I desire these things stand here, about to sacrifice their property and lives:

आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः।मातुलाः श्चशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा॥

ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ |mātulāḥ ścaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinastathā ||

Teachers, fathers, sons, and grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, and other relatives—

Teachers, fathers, grandfathers, sons, grandsons, uncles, fathers-in-law, brothers-in-law, and other relatives.

एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन।अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते॥

etānna hantumicchāmi ghnato'pi madhusūdana |api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kiṃ nu mahīkṛte ||

These I do not wish to kill, O Krishna, even though they kill me, for the sake of dominion over the three worlds; leave alone killing them for the sake of the earth."

I would not kill them, even for three worlds; why then for this earth alone? It matters not if I myself am killed.

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन।पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः॥

nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana |pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ ||

By killing these sons of Dhritarashtra, what pleasure could be ours, O Janardana? Only sin would accrue to us from killing these felons.

My Lord! What happiness can come from the death of these sons of Dhritarashtra? We shall be committing a sin if we kill these desperate men.

तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान्।स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव॥

tasmānnārhā vayaṃ hantuṃ dhārtarāṣṭrānsvabāndhavān |svajanaṃ hi kathaṃ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava ||

Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our relatives; for how can we be happy by killing our own kin, O Madhava (Krishna)?

We are worthy of a nobler feat than slaughtering our relatives—the sons of Dhritarashtra; for, my Lord, how can we be happy if we kill our kinsmen?

यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः।कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम्॥

yadyapyete na paśyanti lobhopahatacetasaḥ |kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ mitradrohe ca pātakam ||

Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of families and no sin in hostility to friends,

Although these men, blinded by greed, see no guilt in destroying their kin or fighting against their friends,

कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्।कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन॥

kathaṃ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum |kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana ||

Why should we not, who clearly see the evil in the destruction of families, learn to turn away from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?

Should we not, whose eyes are open and who consider it wrong to annihilate our family, turn away from such a great crime?

कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः।धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत॥

kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ |dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta ||

In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious rites of that family perish; on the destruction of spirituality, impiety indeed, overwhelms the whole family.

The destruction of our kindred means the destruction of the traditions of our ancient lineage, and when these are lost, irreligion will overrun our homes.

अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः।स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय जायते वर्णसङ्करः॥

adharmābhibhavātkṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kulastriyaḥ |strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇasaṅkaraḥ ||

O Krishna, by the prevalence of impiety, the women of the family become corrupt; and, when women are corrupted, O Varshenya (descendant of Vrishni), intermingling of castes arises.

When irreligion spreads, the women of the house start to stray; when they lose their purity, adulteration of the lineage follows.

सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च।पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रियाः॥

saṅkaro narakāyaiva kulaghnānāṃ kulasya ca |patanti pitaro hyeṣāṃ luptapiṇḍodakakriyāḥ ||

Confusion of castes leads to hell for the slayers of the family, for their forebears fall, deprived of the offerings of rice-balls and libations of water.

Promiscuity ruins both the family and those who defile it; while the souls of our ancestors droop, due to the lack of funeral cakes and ablutions.

दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः।उत्साद्यन्ते जातिधर्माः कुलधर्माश्च शाश्वताः॥

doṣairetaiḥ kulaghnānāṃ varṇasaṅkarakārakaiḥ |utsādyante jātidharmāḥ kuladharmāśca śāśvatāḥ ||

By these evil deeds of the destroyers of the family, which cause confusion of castes, the eternal religious rites of the caste and the family are destroyed.

By the destruction of our lineage and the pollution of our blood, ancient class traditions and family purity alike perish.

उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन।नरकेऽनियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम॥

utsannakuladharmāṇāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ janārdana |narake'niyataṃ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma ||

We have heard, O Janardana, that those men in whose families the religious practices have been destroyed are inevitably destined to dwell in hell for an unknown period.

The wise say, my Lord, that they are forever lost whose ancient traditions have been lost.

अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्।यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः॥

aho bata mahatpāpaṃ kartuṃ vyavasitā vayam |yadrājyasukhalobhena hantuṃ svajanamudyatāḥ ||

Alas! We are involved in a great sin, for we are prepared to kill our kinsmen, out of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.

Alas, it is strange that we should be willing to kill our own countrymen and commit a great sin, in order to enjoy the pleasures of kingdom.

यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः।धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत्॥

yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṃ śastrapāṇayaḥ |dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṃ bhavet ||

If the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.

If, on the contrary, the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, should slay me, unarmed and unresisting, surely that would be better for my welfare!

सञ्जय उवाच · sañjaya uvāca

एवमुक्त्वाऽर्जुनः संख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्।विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानसः॥

evamuktvā'rjunaḥ saṃkhye rathopastha upāviśat |visṛjya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ śokasaṃvignamānasaḥ ||

Sanjaya said, Having thus spoken in the midst of the battlefield, Arjuna cast away his bow and arrow and, his mind overwhelmed with sorrow, sat down on the seat of the chariot.

Sanjaya said: "Having spoken thus, Arjuna sank into the seat of his chariot, discarding his bow and arrow, overwhelmed with grief in the midst of the armies."