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== अर्जुनविषादः ॥ The Despondency of Arjuna ==

== अर्जुनविषादः ॥ The Despondency of Arjuna ==

* Seeing all the people of Dhrtarashtra’s party standing arrayed and the discharge of weapons about to begin, Arjuna, the son of Pandu, whose ensign was that of a monkey, took up his bow and said the following to Krishna,<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>महीपते । सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत ॥१-२१॥</blockquote><blockquote>यावदेतान्निरिक्षेऽहं योद्‌धुकामानवस्थितान् । कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन् रणसमुद्यमे ॥१-२२॥</blockquote><blockquote>योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः । धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः ॥१-२३॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>mahīpate । senayorubhayormadhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me'cyuta ॥1-21॥</blockquote><blockquote>yāvadetānnirikṣe'haṁ yod‌dhukāmānavasthitān । kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasmin raṇasamudyame ॥1-22॥</blockquote><blockquote>yotsyamānānavekṣe'haṁ ya ete'tra samāgatāḥ । dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ ॥1-23॥</blockquote>Meaning: O Lord of the Earth ! In the middle of the two armies, place my chariot, O Krishna, so that I may behold those who stand here, desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight when the battle begins. For I desire to observe those who are assembled here to fight, wishing to please in battle Duryodhana, the evil-minded.

* Seeing all the people of Dhrtarashtra’s party standing arrayed and the discharge of weapons about to begin, Arjuna, the son of Pandu, whose ensign was that of a monkey, took up his bow and said the following to Krishna,<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>महीपते । सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत ॥१-२१॥</blockquote><blockquote>यावदेतान्निरिक्षेऽहं योद्‌धुकामानवस्थितान् । कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन् रणसमुद्यमे ॥१-२२॥</blockquote><blockquote>योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः । धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः ॥१-२३॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>mahīpate । senayorubhayormadhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me'cyuta ॥1-21॥</blockquote><blockquote>yāvadetānnirikṣe'haṁ yod‌dhukāmānavasthitān । kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasmin raṇasamudyame ॥1-22॥</blockquote><blockquote>yotsyamānānavekṣe'haṁ ya ete'tra samāgatāḥ । dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ ॥1-23॥</blockquote>Meaning: O Lord of the Earth ! In the middle of the two armies, place my chariot, O Krishna, so that I may behold those who stand here, desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight when the battle begins. For I desire to observe those who are assembled here to fight, wishing to please in battle Duryodhana, the evil-minded (Bhag Gita 1.21,22 and 23).

* Being thus addressed by Arjuna, Lord Krishna, having stationed that best of chariots, in the midst of the two armies, in front of Bhishma and Drona and all the rulers of the earth, said:<ref name=":0" /> <blockquote>पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति ॥१-२५॥<ref name=":2" /> pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti ॥1-25॥</blockquote>Meaning: “O Arjuna, behold now all these Kurus gathered together!”

* Being thus addressed by Arjuna, Lord Krishna, having stationed that best of chariots, in the midst of the two armies, in front of Bhishma and Drona and all the rulers of the earth, said:<ref name=":0" /> <blockquote>पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति ॥१-२५॥<ref name=":2" /> pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti ॥1-25॥</blockquote>Meaning: O Arjuna, behold now all these Kurus gathered together!

* Then Arjuna beheld there stationed, grandfathers and fathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends, too. He saw fathers-in-law and friends also in both armies. The son of Kunti, Arjuna, seeing all these kinsmen standing arrayed, spoke thus sorrowfully, filled with deep pity.<ref name=":0" />

* Then Arjuna beheld there stationed, grandfathers and fathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends, too. He saw fathers-in-law and friends also in both armies. The son of Kunti, Arjuna, seeing all these kinsmen standing arrayed, spoke thus sorrowfully, filled with deep pity.<ref name=":0" />

<blockquote>दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम् ॥१-२८॥ </blockquote><blockquote>सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति | वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते ॥१-२९॥</blockquote><blockquote>गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते | न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः ॥१-३०॥</blockquote><blockquote>निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव | न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे ॥१-३१॥</blockquote><blockquote>न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च | किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा ॥१-३२॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>dr̥ṣṭvemaṁ svajanaṁ kr̥ṣṇa yuyutsuṁ samupasthitam ॥1-28॥ </blockquote><blockquote>sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṁ ca pariśuṣyati | vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate ॥1-29॥</blockquote><blockquote>gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate | na ca śaknomyavasthātuṁ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ ॥1-30॥</blockquote><blockquote>nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava | na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave ॥1-31॥</blockquote><blockquote>na kāṅkṣe vijayaṁ kr̥ṣṇa na ca rājyaṁ sukhāni ca । kiṁ no rājyena govinda kiṁ bhogairjīvitena vā ॥1-32॥</blockquote>Meaning: Seeing these, my kinsmen, O Krishna, arrayed, eager to fight, my limbs fail and my mouth is parched up, my body quivers and my hairs stand on end! The (bow) “Gandiva” slips from my hand and my skin burns all over; I am unable even to stand, my mind is reeling, as it were. And I see adverse omens, O Kesava! I do not see any good in killing my kinsmen in battle. For I desire neither victory, O Krishna, nor pleasures nor kingdoms! Of what avail is a dominion to us, O Krishna, or pleasures or even life?<ref name=":0" />

<blockquote>दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम् ॥१-२८॥ </blockquote><blockquote>सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति | वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते ॥१-२९॥</blockquote><blockquote>गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते | न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः ॥१-३०॥</blockquote><blockquote>निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव | न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे ॥१-३१॥</blockquote><blockquote>न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च | किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा ॥१-३२॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>dr̥ṣṭvemaṁ svajanaṁ kr̥ṣṇa yuyutsuṁ samupasthitam ॥1-28॥ </blockquote><blockquote>sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṁ ca pariśuṣyati | vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate ॥1-29॥</blockquote><blockquote>gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate | na ca śaknomyavasthātuṁ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ ॥1-30॥</blockquote><blockquote>nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava | na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave ॥1-31॥</blockquote><blockquote>na kāṅkṣe vijayaṁ kr̥ṣṇa na ca rājyaṁ sukhāni ca । kiṁ no rājyena govinda kiṁ bhogairjīvitena vā ॥1-32॥</blockquote>Meaning: Seeing these, my kinsmen, O Krishna, arrayed, eager to fight, my limbs fail and my mouth is parched up, my body quivers and my hairs stand on end! The (bow) “Gandiva” slips from my hand and my skin burns all over; I am unable even to stand, my mind is reeling, as it were. And I see adverse omens, O Keshava! I do not see any good in killing my kinsmen in battle. For I desire neither victory, O Krishna, nor pleasures nor kingdoms! Of what avail is a dominion to us, O Krishna, or pleasures or even life?<ref name=":0" />

 

* Arjuna's thoughts as he sees his kith and kin arrayed in the battlefield is out poured in the following verses.<blockquote>येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च । त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च ॥१-३३॥</blockquote><blockquote>आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः । मातुलाः श्वशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः संबन्धिनस्तथा ॥१-३४॥</blockquote><blockquote>एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन । अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते ॥१-३५॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>yeṣāmarthe kāṅkṣitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca । ta ime'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁstyaktvā dhanāni ca ॥1-33॥</blockquote><blockquote>ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ । mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ saṁbandhinastathā ॥1-34॥</blockquote><blockquote>etānna hantumicchāmi ghnato'pi madhusūdana । api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahīkr̥te ॥1-35॥</blockquote>Meaning: Those for whose sake we desire kingdoms, enjoyments and pleasures, stand here in battle, having renounced life and wealth. Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers, grandsons, fathers-in-law, maternal uncles, brothers-in-law and relatives - These I do not wish to kill, though they kill me,O Krishna, even for the sake of dominion over the three worlds, leave alone killing them for the sake of the earth!<ref name=":0" />

* He questions Sri Krishna with regards to the battle in the following words,<blockquote>निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन । पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः ॥१-३६॥</blockquote><blockquote>तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान् । स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव ॥१-३७॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana । pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ ॥1-36॥</blockquote><blockquote>tasmānnārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ dhārtarāṣṭrānsvabāndhavān । svajanaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava ॥1-37॥</blockquote>Meaning: By killing these sons of Dhrtarashtra, what pleasure can be ours, O Janardana? Only sin will accrue by killing them. Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhrtarashtra, our relatives; for, how can we be happy by killing our own people, O Madhava (Krishna)?<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः । कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम् ॥१-३८॥</blockquote><blockquote>कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम् । कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन ॥१-३९॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>yadyapyete na paśyanti lobhopahatacetasaḥ । kulakṣayakr̥taṁ doṣaṁ mitradrohe ca pātakam ॥1-38॥</blockquote><blockquote>kathaṁ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum । kulakṣayakr̥taṁ doṣaṁ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana ॥1-39॥</blockquote>Meaning: Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of families, and no sin in hostility to friends; Why should not we, who clearly see evil in the destruction of a family, learn to turn away from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?<ref name=":0" />

Arjuna's thoughts as he sees his kith and kin arrayed in the battlefield is out poured in the following verses.<blockquote>येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च । त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च ॥१-३३॥</blockquote><blockquote>आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः । मातुलाः श्वशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः संबन्धिनस्तथा ॥१-३४॥</blockquote><blockquote>एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन । अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते ॥१-३५॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>yeṣāmarthe kāṅkṣitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca । ta ime'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁstyaktvā dhanāni ca ॥1-33॥</blockquote><blockquote>ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ । mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ saṁbandhinastathā ॥1-34॥</blockquote><blockquote>etānna hantumicchāmi ghnato'pi madhusūdana । api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahīkr̥te ॥1-35॥</blockquote>Meaning: Those for whose sake we desire kingdoms, enjoyments and pleasures, stand here in battle, having renounced life and wealth. Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers, grandsons, fathers-in-law, maternal uncles, brothers-in-law and relatives - These I do not wish to kill, though they kill me,O Krishna, even for the sake of dominion over the three worlds, leave alone killing them for the sake of the earth!<ref name=":0" />

* He tries reasoning in the following manner and finally gives up his weapons in despair.<blockquote>कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः । धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥१-४०॥</blockquote><blockquote>उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन । नरकेऽनियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम ॥१-४४॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ । dharme naṣṭe kulaṁ kr̥tsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta ॥1-40॥</blockquote><blockquote>utsannakuladharmāṇāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ janārdana । narake'niyataṁ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma ॥1-44॥</blockquote>Meaning: In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious rites of that family perish; on the destruction of spirituality, impiety overcomes the whole family.We have heard, O Janardana, that inevitable is the dwelling for an unknown period in hell for those men in whose families the religious practices have been destroyed!<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम् । यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः ॥१-४५॥</blockquote><blockquote>यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः । धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत् ॥१-४६॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>aho bata mahatpāpaṁ kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam । yadrājyasukhalobhena hantuṁ svajanamudyatāḥ ॥1-45॥</blockquote><blockquote>yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṁ śastrapāṇayaḥ । dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṁ bhavet ॥1-46॥</blockquote>Meaning: Alas! We are involved in a great sin in that we are prepared to kill our kinsmen through greed for the pleasures of a kingdom. If the sons of Dhrtarashtra, with weapons in hand, should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.

 

He says,<blockquote>निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन । पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः ॥१-३६॥</blockquote><blockquote>तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान् । स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव ॥१-३७॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana । pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ ॥1-36॥</blockquote><blockquote>tasmānnārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ dhārtarāṣṭrānsvabāndhavān । svajanaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava ॥1-37॥</blockquote>Meaning: By killing these sons of Dhrtarashtra, what pleasure can be ours, O Janardana? Only sin will accrue by killing them. Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhrtarashtra, our relatives; for, how can we be happy by killing our own people, O Madhava (Krishna)?<ref name=":0" />

 

He questions Sri Krishna,<blockquote>यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः । कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम् ॥१-३८॥</blockquote><blockquote>कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम् । कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन ॥१-३९॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>yadyapyete na paśyanti lobhopahatacetasaḥ । kulakṣayakr̥taṁ doṣaṁ mitradrohe ca pātakam ॥1-38॥</blockquote><blockquote>kathaṁ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum । kulakṣayakr̥taṁ doṣaṁ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana ॥1-39॥</blockquote>Meaning: Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of families, and no sin in hostility to friends, Why should not we, who clearly see evil in the destruction of a family, learn to turn away from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः । धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥१-४०॥</blockquote><blockquote>उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन । नरकेऽनियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम ॥१-४४॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ । dharme naṣṭe kulaṁ kr̥tsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta ॥1-40॥</blockquote><blockquote>utsannakuladharmāṇāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ janārdana । narake'niyataṁ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma ॥1-44॥</blockquote>Meaning: In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious rites of that family perish; on the destruction of spirituality, impiety overcomes the whole family.We have heard, O Janardana, that inevitable is the dwelling for an unknown period in hell for those men in whose families the religious practices have been destroyed!<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम् । यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः ॥१-४५॥</blockquote><blockquote>यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः । धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत् ॥१-४६॥<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>aho bata mahatpāpaṁ kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam । yadrājyasukhalobhena hantuṁ svajanamudyatāḥ ॥1-45॥</blockquote><blockquote>yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṁ śastrapāṇayaḥ । dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṁ bhavet ॥1-46॥</blockquote>Meaning: Alas! We are involved in a great sin in that we are prepared to kill our kinsmen through greed for the pleasures of a kingdom. If the sons of Dhrtarashtra, with weapons in hand, should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.

Having thus spoken in the midst of the battlefield, Arjuna, casting away his bow and arrow, sat down on the seat of the chariot with his mind overwhelmed with sorrow.<ref name=":0" />

Having thus spoken in the midst of the battlefield, Arjuna, casting away his bow and arrow, sat down on the seat of the chariot with his mind overwhelmed with sorrow.<ref name=":0" />

== References ==

== References ==