Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra

TEXT 24

saïjaya uväca

evam ukto håñékeço

guòäkeçena bhärata

senayor ubhayor madhye

sthäpayitvä rathottamam

Saïjaya said: O descendant of Bharata, having thus been addressed by Arjuna, Lord Kåñëa
drew up the fine chariot in the midst of the armies of both parties.

TEXT 25

bhéñma-droëa-pramukhataù

sarveñäà ca mahé-kñitäm

uväca pärtha paçyaitän

samavetän kurün iti

In the presence of Bhéñma, Droëa and all the other chieftains of the world, the Lord said,
"Just behold, Pärtha, all the Kurus assembled here."

TEXT 26

taträpaçyat sthitän pärthaù

pitèn atha pitämahän

äcäryän mätulän bhrätèn

puträn pauträn sakhéàs tathä

çvaçurän suhådaç caiva

senayor ubhayor api

 Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra
There Arjuna could see, within the midst of the armies of both parties, his fathers,
grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, and also his
fathers-in-law and well-wishers.

TEXT 27

tän samékñya sa kaunteyaù

sarvän bandhün avasthitän

kåpayä parayäviñöo

viñédann idam abravét

When the son of Kunté, Arjuna, saw all these different grades of friends and relatives, he
became overwhelmed with compassion and spoke thus.

TEXT 28

arjuna uväca

dåñövemaà sva-janaà kåñëa

yuyutsuà samupasthitam

sédanti mama gäträëi

mukhaà ca pariçuñyati

Arjuna said: My dear Kåñëa, seeing my friends and relatives present before me in such a
fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up.

TEXT 29

vepathuç ca çarére me

roma-harñaç ca jäyate

gäëòévaà sraàsate hastät

tvak caiva paridahyate

 Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra
My whole body is trembling, my hair is standing on end, my bow Gäëòéva is slipping from
my hand, and my skin is burning.

TEXT 30

na ca çaknomy avasthätuà

bhramatéva ca me manaù

nimittäni ca paçyämi

viparétäni keçava

I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I
see only causes of misfortune, O Kåñëa, killer of the Keçé demon.

TEXT 31

na ca çreyo 'nupaçyämi

hatvä sva-janam ähave

na käìkñe vijayaà kåñëa

na ca räjyaà sukhäni ca

I do not see how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in this battle, nor can I,
my dear Kåñëa, desire any subsequent victory, kingdom, or happiness.

TEXTS 32-35
 Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra
kià bhogair jévitena vä

yeñäm arthe käìkñitaà no

räjyaà bhogäù sukhäni ca

ta ime 'vasthitä yuddhe

präëäàs tyaktvä dhanäni ca

äcäryäù pitaraù puträs

tathaiva ca pitämahäù

mätuläù çvaçuräù pauträù

çyäläù sambandhinas tathä

etän na hantum icchämi

ghnato 'pi madhusüdana

api trailokya-räjyasya

hetoù kià nu mahé-kåte

nihatya dhärtaräñörän naù

kä prétiù syäj janärdana

O Govinda, of what avail to us are a kingdom, happiness or even life itself when all those
for whom we may desire them are now arrayed on this battlefield? O Madhusüdana, when
teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-
in-law and other relatives are ready to give up their lives and properties and are standing
before me, why should I wish to kill them, even though they might otherwise kill me? O
maintainer of all living entities, I am not prepared to fight with them even in exchange for
the three worlds, let alone this earth. What pleasure will we derive from killing the sons of
Dhåtaräñöra?

TEXT 36
 Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra
päpam eväçrayed asmän

hatvaitän ätatäyinaù

tasmän närhä vayaà hantuà

dhärtaräñörän sa-bändhavän

sva-janaà hi kathaà hatvä

sukhinaù syäma mädhava

Sin will overcome us if we slay such aggressors. Therefore it is not proper for us to kill the
sons of Dhåtaräñöra and our friends. What should we gain, O Kåñëa, husband of the
goddess of fortune, and how could we be happy by killing our own kinsmen?

TEXTS 37-38

yady apy ete na paçyanti

lobhopahata-cetasaù

kula-kñaya-kåtaà doñaà

mitra-drohe ca pätakam

kathaà na jïeyam asmäbhiù

päpäd asmän nivartitum

kula-kñaya-kåtaà doñaà

prapaçyadbhir janärdana

O Janärdana, although these men, their hearts overtaken by greed, see no fault in killing
one's family or quarreling with friends, why should we, who can see the crime in destroying
a family, engage in these acts of sin?

TEXT 39

kula-kñaye praëaçyanti
 Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra
kula-dharmäù sanätanäù

dharme nañöe kulaà kåtsnam

adharmo 'bhibhavaty uta

With the destruction of the dynasty, the eternal family tradition is vanquished, and thus
the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligion.

TEXT 40

adharmäbhibhavät kåñëa

praduñyanti kula-striyaù

stréñu duñöäsu värñëeya

jäyate varëa-saìkaraù

When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Kåñëa, the women of the family become
polluted, and from the degradation of womanhood, O descendant of Våñëi, comes
unwanted progeny.

TEXT 41

saìkaro narakäyaiva

kula-ghnänäà kulasya ca

patanti pitaro hy eñäà

lupta-piëòodaka-kriyäù

An increase of unwanted population certainly causes hellish life both for the family and for
those who destroy the family tradition. The ancestors of such corrupt families fall down,
because the performances for offering them food and water are entirely stopped.
 Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra
TEXT 42

doñair etaiù kula-ghnänäà

varëa-saìkara-kärakaiù

utsädyante jäti-dharmäù

kula-dharmäç ca çäçvatäù

By the evil deeds of those who destroy the family tradition and thus give rise to unwanted
children, all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are devastated.

TEXT 43

utsanna-kula-dharmäëäà

manuñyäëäà janärdana

narake niyataà väso

bhavatéty anuçuçruma

O Kåñëa, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those whose
family traditions are destroyed dwell always in hell.

TEXT 44

aho bata mahat päpaà

kartuà vyavasitä vayam

yad räjya-sukha-lobhena

hantuà sva-janam udyatäù

Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts. Driven by the
desire to enjoy royal happiness, we are intent on killing our own kinsmen.

TEXT 45
 Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra
yadi mäm apratékäram

açastraà çastra-päëayaù

dhärtaräñörä raëe hanyus

tan me kñemataraà bhavet

Better for me if the sons of Dhåtaräñöra, weapons in hand, were to kill me unarmed and
unresisting on the battlefield.

TEXT 46

saïjaya uväca

evam uktvärjunaù saìkhye

rathopastha upäviçat

visåjya sa-çaraà cäpaà

çoka-saàvigna-mänasaù

Saïjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows
and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.