SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA
With Text, Word-for-Word Translation,
English Rendering, Comments
and Index
BY
SWAMI SWARUPANANDA
ADVAITA ASHRAMA
5 Dex ENTALLY ROAD
CaLcutta 14Published by
Swami CHIDATMANANDA
PRESIDENT, ADVAITA ASHRAMA
MayavaTi, ALMORA, HIMALAYAS
COPYRIGHT REGISTERLD UNDER ACT XX OF 1847
Tenth Impresston, 1967
SM3C
Printed in India
SHARADA Press, CAR STREET
MANGAL ORF-1PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION
Swami Swarupananda, the first president of the
Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, and late editor of the
Prabuddha Bharata, compiled the present edition of
the Bhagavad-Gita with the collaboration of his brother
Sannyasins at Mayavati, and some of the Western
disciples of Swami Vivekananda. The manuscripts
were begun in 1901, and were ready for the press by the
end of 1903, but through unavoidable circumstances
the publication was delayed. It was only after the
passing away of Swami Swarupananda that the work was
brought out in monthly instalments in the Prabuddha
Bharata, and this work is now presented to the public
in convenient book form, after being carefully edited
and enlarged with additional comments.
The object of the compiler was to make accessible
to the Indian public who are educated in English but
have a limited knowledge in Sanskrit, and also to the
Western world, an edition of the Celestial Gita, in which
they will feel sufficient interest to follow the original
text, and thus create a taste for the study and interpre-
tation of holy Sanskrit literature. How far the compiler
has been successful in his object can be gleaned from the
following pages. His thoughtful comments following
the commentaries of the great Acharyas, and illumi-
nating sidelights thrown on intricate places, will, we
trust, be of much help to the study of the Gita, especiallytoa beginner. An elaborate Index has been subsequently
added.
A word of explanation as to the paraphrase is
necessary here: Though the literal meaning of each
word is given, yet to avoid the awkwardness of language
and confusion of sense to a beginner, the equivalents
of case terminals of such words as are used to qualify
some other words in the sentence, are omitted in most
cases.
We hope this edition will meet a much-felt want,
not only in India but in all English-speaking countries.
THe EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS
ADVAITA ASHRAMA
MAYAVATI, HIMALAYAS
I8th October, 1909FOREWORD
CONTENTS
MEDITATION .. se a oe
INVOCATION
CHAPTER
=
tn
ML
Vi.
Vu.
VIL.
XI.
XI.
XIU.
XIV.
THE GRIEF OF ARJUNA SS on
‘THE WAY OF KNOWLEDGE .. bo
THE WAY OF ACTION
THE WAY OF RENUNCIATION OF ACTION
IN KNOWLEDGE oe oe
THE WAY OF RENUNCIATION
THE WAY OF MEDITATION ..
THE WAY OF KNOWLEDGE WITH REALI-
SATION oe oe
THL WAY TO THE IMPERISHABLE
BRAHMAN
THE WAY OF THE KINGLY KNOWLEDGE
AND THE KINGLY SECRET
THE GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE GLORY ..
THE VISION OF THE UNIVERSAL FORM ..
THE WAY OF DEVOTION ae oe
THE DISCRIMINATION OF THE KSHETRA
AND THE KSHETRAJNA
THE DISCRIMINATION OF THE THREE
GUNAS
PAGE
xii
27
72
96
120
137
163
179
197
219
241
276
288
308XV.
XVI.
XVIL
XVII.
THE GREATNESS OF THE GITA
INDEX
THE WAY TO THE SUPREME SPIRIT
THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE DIVINE AND
THE NON-DIVINE ATTRIBUTES
THE ENQUIRY INTO THE TIIREEFOLD
SHRADDHA .. oe
THE WAY OF LIBERATION IN RENUNCIA-
TION =
PAGE
323
337
349
364
406
415FOREWORD
The Shrimad-Bhagavad-Gita occurs in the Bhisma
Parva of the Mahabharata and comprises 18 chapters
from the 25th to the 42nd. The discourse between
Asjuna and Krishna on the battle-field, on the eve of
the war which forms the subject-matter of the work,
was strung together in seven hundred verses and put
in its place in the body of this great history by Vyasa.
The Gité opens with Dhritarashtra’s query to
Sanjaya about the progress of events. In the second
chapter of the Bhisma Parva, we find Vyasa offering
the power of sight to the blind king, that he might
see the war. Dhritarashtra declined to have it, saying
he did not care to have eyes with which only to see
the death of his own people; but he would like to hear
what was happening. On this the great Rishi Vyasa
said, that all the occurrences in connection with the
war would be reflected in the mind of Sanjaya, and he
would faithfully report them to Dhritarashtra.
The Gita is called an Upanishad, because it con-
tains the essence of Self-knowledge, and because its
teachings, like those of the Vedas, are divided into three
sections, Karma (work), Upasan& (devotion), and
Jnana (knowledge).
The first chapter is introductory. The second is
a summary of the whole work, e.g., in ll. 48 and the
connected Shlokas, selfless work devoid of desire forii SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA
fruits, is taught for the purification of the heart; in
Il. 61 and the connected Shlokas devotion is taught
to the pure-hearted, to qualify them further for the
highest Sannyasa, which last is taught in II. 71 and
the connected Shlokas.
It is also usual to divide the work into three sections
illustrative of the three terms of the Mahavakya of
the Sama-Veda, “Thou art That” (Chhand. Upa., VI.
viii. 7). In this view the first six chapters explain the
path of work without desire for fruits, and the nature
of “Thou”. The next six chapters deal with devotion
and the nature of “That”. The last six describe the state
of the highest knowledge and the nature of the middle
term of the Mahavakya, in other words, the means of
re-establishing the identity of “Thou” and ‘That’.
The central teaching of the Git& is the attainment
of Freedom, by the performance of one’s Svadharma
or duty in life. ‘Do thy duty without an eye to the
results thereof. Thus shouldst thou gain the purification
of heart which is essential for Moksha’”—seems to be
the keynote of Krishna’s teachings to Arjuna.
It is well known why the Gita came into existence.
{t was owing to Arjuna’s unwillingness to do his duty
as a Kshatriya—to fight for a just cause—because it
involved the destruction of his own people. Not that
Arjuna did not recognise the justice and right of the
cause, but he would rather renounce the world and try
for Moksha than kil! his relatives and friends. Krishna’s
characterisation of this weakly sentimental attitude of
Arjuna is well known. He called it “Un-Arya-like
delusion, contrary to the attainment alike of heavenFOREWORD mt
and honour” and exhorted Partha to “yield not to
unmanliness” but to “cast off this mean faint-hearted-
ness” (LL. 2-3). ‘Could a coward who fails to do his
duty, be worthy to attain Moksha?’—seems to be
Krishna’s rejoinder. Could a man not purified by the
fire-ordeal of Svadharma, could a renegade, a slave,
attain Moksha? No! says the Lord. And this is the
lesson we Indians have forgotten all these years, though
we have been reading and discussing the Gitaé all the
time.MEDITATION
&% orate sfratfirat aaraat arena cat
sare afrat gerorghrar aed agrATETy |
sgargaataot wracdtrseresrearhart-
are agai aaa Aas havitT neu
af Om wTaat by the Lord arerrrt (the one Refuge
of all beings) Narayana *aq Himself cata sfaatfrat
with which Partha was enlightened gery far by
(through the lips of) the ancient sage saT®q Vyasa
AETATEAY AEF in the Mahabharata afaat incorporated
aTadty the blessed Mother aEArTTAafTe showering the
nectar of Advaita (the philosophy of non-duality)
asarenrrenr firity in the form of eighteen chapters
waafriry destroyer of rebirth #Fq loving Mother
area (the Lord’s song) Bhagavad-Gita wary Thee
aqaraafa I meditate upon.
1. Om! O Bhagavad-Gita—with which
Partha was enlightened by the Lord Narayana
Himself and which was incorporated in the
Mahabharata by the ancient sage Vyasa—the
blessed Mother, the Destroyer of rebirth,
showering down the nectar of Advaita, andvi SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA
consisting of eighteen chapters,—upon Thee,
O Bhagavad-Gita! O loving Mother! I medi-
tate.
wise & aura fareas
FeOTATATTATATT |
aa aa AAAS:
seatioat araraa: katt: URN
faarmqg OF mighty intellect Frarcfararattata with
eyes as large as the petals of a full-blown lotus =qTt
Vyasa a caqar by thee ATTAASYT: full of the oil of the
Mahabharata #117: consisting of wisdom 5étq: lamp
svarfera: lighted ¢ to thee 4H: salutation eg be.
2. Salutation to thee, O Vyasa, of
mighty intellect and with eyes large like the
petals of a full-blown lotus, by whom was
lighted the lamp of wisdom, full of the
Mahabharata-oil.
soiree aaa a
WAYRTA HOTTY WaTgaAgs AA: ZU
sraatfesrratra O Thou wish-yielding tree of those
who take refuge in Thee ataaaeqrera who holdest
in one hand a cane for driving cows #ramqyage Thou
milker of the Gita-nectar Tre (inanamudra:
a position of the hands in which the tips of the forefinger
and the thumb of each hand touch each other; anMEDITATION Vu
attitude associated with the highest Yogis and Gurus)
the holder of Jnénamudré #TA to Thee, O Krishna
Wa: salutation.
3. Salutation to Krishna, the holder of
the Jndnamudra, granter of desires of those
who take refuge in Him, the milker of the
Gita-nectar, in whose hand is the cane for
driving cows.
_aatafredt arat eer Watereat:
mat aca: qetateer grt Marga Again
aafafaye: All the Upanishads 41a: the cows @9qT#-
weaqt: Son of the cowherd (Krishna) @vut the milker
ary: Partha (Arjuna) aca: the calf get: (men) of puri-
fied intellect raat the drinkers Weq the supreme ey
nectar fat Git& gt the milk.
4. All the Upanishads are the cows,
the Son of the cowherd is the milker, Partha
is the calf, men of purified intellect are
the drinkers and the supreme nectar Gita is
the milk.
agqzagd tf saa |
VMAS FO TIA ATTA WAU
ageagd The son of Vasudeva #aareuTety the
Destroyer of Kamsa and Chanura 2aatrcqrare theVili SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA
supreme bliss of Devaki (mother of Krishna) TTEqTey
the Guru (Teacher) of the Universe 2% God @ev
Krishna 4 I salute.
5. I salute Krishna, the Guru of the
Universe, God, the son of Vasudeva, the
Destroyer of Kamsa and Chanura, the su-
preme bliss of Devaki.
AOAC AACA ATATTATRIET
Teast FIT sat sory AarEsT
apaarafanteanrcane gaterarataadt |
area aa qed coal ads: TT
fteagiaet With Bhishma and Drona as the banks
wagqHet with Jayadratha as the water TWeETeTeteqet
with the king of Gandhara as the blue water-lily aea-
areadt with Shalya as the shark st agdt with Kripa
as the current #0jq AerReT with Karna as the high
waves aracarafamiataga with Ashvatthama and
Vikarna as terrible Makaras (a kind of marine animal)
gatearatadt with Duryodhana as the whirlpool at that
wudt battle-river @% indeed qed: by the Pandavas
weit crossed over Sala: Keshava (Krishna) #aa7:
the ferryman.
6. The battle-river—with Bhishma and
Drona as its banks, and Jayadratha as the
water, with the king of Gandhara as theMEDITATION ix
blue water-lily, and Shalya as the shark,
with Kripa as the current and Karna as the
breakers, with Ashvatthama and Vikarna as
terrible Makaras and Duryodhana as the
whirlpool in it—was indeed crossed over by
the Pandavas, with Keshava as the ferry-
man.
TUT ANTAAS Teepe
arearahat gicauraraeraratfiay |
WIS aTIaetE: Waray Fat
qargrearge sferoscdfar: AAT 91
wae Spotless ATT ATA growing on the waters
of the words of the son of Parashara (Vyasa) Rar gst
the Mahabharata-lotus wrartedteré having the Gitd as
its strong sweet fragrance ATATeITTPHAT with many a
narrative as its stamens @ferarararrarattrd fully opened
by the discourses on Hari (the remover of misery) #1
in the world aaa: by the Bhramara (a beetle-like
insect which lives solely on honey) of the good and the
pure 4gwg: day after day aq joyously ataata drunk
afenemedfar: of the destroyer of the taint of Kali (the
age of imperfection) #48 for the supreme good wy
may be.
7. May the taintless lotus of the
Mahabharata—growing on the waters of
the words of Parashara’s son, having thex SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA
Gita as its strong sweet fragrance, with
many a narrative as its stamens, fully opened
by the discourses on Hari and drunk joyously
day after day by the Bhramara of the good
and the pure in the world—be productive of
the supreme good to him who is eager to
destroy the taint of Kali!
qe wdfe ara TH a_aa firey 1
WHIM THE VA TLATTATIAT os tt
aqeq Whose compassion FF the mute arate elo-
quent #ift makes T® the cripple faf< mountain
BRAT causes to cross TH that TATAAATTAH the All-
bliss Madhava (sweetest of the sweet) 4 I a@ salute.
8. I salute that All-bliss Madhava whose
compassion makes the mute eloquent and the
cripple cross mountains.
a TEM TererETAEA: earatea fret: era-
a2: argrcanafaantata af ara: |
career Serer eae wat
Beard T fag: FUFTTT FATT AEA AA UU
awe Brahm& (The Creator) we: Varuna Fz:
Indra wf: Rudra Wee: the Maruts ¢ whom fast:
divine ef: with hymns eqrafea praise TWAT: the singersMEDITATION x1
of Sima 4 whom arquesttafrya: with full comple-
ment of parts, consecutive sections, and Upanishads
(crowning knowledge-portions) 4@: the Vedas «raft
sing Witt: Yogis whom earraferadandat AAA with
the mind absorbed in Him through perfection in
meditation Teafrt see FUT: the hosts of Devas and
Asuras 4€@ whose ard limit 4 not fag: know @e# to that
2arz God a4: salutation.
9. Salutation to that God Whom
the Creator Brahma, Varuna, Indra, Rudra,
and the Maruts praise with divine hymns;
Whom the singers of Sama sing, by the
Vedas, with their full complement of parts,
consecutive sections, and Upanishads; Whom
the Yogis see with their minds absorbed in
Him through perfection in meditation, and
Whose limit the hosts of Devas and Asuras
know not.INVOCATION*
O blessed Mother
Who showerest (upon us) the nectar of Advaita
In the form of (these) eighteen chapters!
Thou Destroyer of rebirth!
Thou loving Mother!
Thou Bhagavad-Gita!
Upon Thee I meditate.
Thee, O Vyasa, of lotus-eyes,
And mighty intellect,
Who hast lighted the lamp of wisdom
Filled with the oil of the Mahabharata,
Thee we salute.
O Thou who art the Refuge
Of the (ocean-born) Lakshmi,
Thou in whose right hand is the shepherd’s crook,
Who art the milker of the divine nectar of the Gita,
To Thee, O Krishna, to Thee our salutation!
The Upanishads are even as the herd of cows,
The Son of the cowherd as the milker,
Partha as the sucking-calf,
And men of purified intellect the drinkers,
Of this, the supreme nectar, the milk of the Gita.
*Another rendering of the “Meditation”.INVOCATION xiii
Thou son of Vasudeva,
Destroyer of Kamsa and Chanura,
Thou supreme bliss of Devaki,
Guru of the Worlds,
Thee, O Krishna, as God, we salute!
Of that great river of battle which the Péndavas
crossed over,
Bhishma and Drona were as the high banks;
And Jayadratha as the water of the river;
The King of Gandhara the water-lily;
Shalya as the shark, Kripa as the current;
Karna the mighty waves;
Ashvatthama and Vikarna dread water-monsters,
And Duryodhana was the very whirlpool;
But Thou, O Krishna, wast the Ferryman!
This spotless product of the words of Vyasa,
This lotus of the Mahabharata,—
With the Bhagavad-Gita as its strong sweet fragrance,
And tales of heroes as its full-blown petals,
Held ever open by the talk of Hari, of Him
Who is destroyer of the taint of Kali- Yuga;
This lotus to which come joyously
Day after day the honey-seeking souls—
May this produce in us the highest good!
Him Whose compassion maketh the dumb man
eloquent,
And the cripple to cross mountains,xiv SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA
Him the All-blissful Madhava,
Do I salute!
To that Supreme One Who is bodied forth in
Brahma,
In Varuna, in Indra, in Rudra, and Maruts;
That One Whom all divine beings praise with hymns;
Him Whom the singers of Séma-Veda tell;
Him of Whose glory, sing in full choir,
the Upanishads and Vedas;
Him Whom the Yogis see, with mind absorbed.
in perfect meditation;
Him of Whom all the hosts of Devas and Asuras
Know not the limitations,
To Him, the Supreme Good, be salutation,—
Him we salute. Him we salute. Him we salute.SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA
VU waatseaTa:
FIRST CHAPTER
qs Tart |
qdatt FEIT TAAAT FATA:
ATTaT: Tsar frag ASAT Ugh
qa: Dhritarashtra Jara said:
(a:) a=7T O Sanjaya wet on the centre of
religious activity qeayt in Kurukshetra {4raa: desirous
to fight @Aaqt: assembled aTAHT: my people 4 and
qrsaq: the Pandavas fq what Ua indeed wade did do.
Dhritarashtra said:
1. Tell me, O Sanjaya! Assembled on
Kurukshetra, the centre of religious activity,
desirous to fight, what indeed did my people
and the Pandavas do?
[True it is that the two parties were gathered
together for battle, but was the influence of Kuru-
kshetra, the sacred centre of religious and spiritual
activity from of old, barren of any result? Did not2 SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA [Chap. I
the spiritual influence of the spot affect any of the
leaders in a way unfavourable to the occurrence of
the battle ?—is the purport of Dhritarashtra’s question.]
asa Jaq |
TAT F Wesarls ays Faterreaar tt
AATAGAA aA UA AAA WRU
asam: Sanjaya Java said:
Wat J But then qearit# the Pandava forces =q
in battle-array ear having seen WT qatar: King
Duryodhana a@Taray (gt) the teacher (Drona)
wrdtry approaching Feaq word aAATy said.
Sanjaya said:
2. But then King Duryodhana, having
seen the Pandava forces in battle-array, ap-
proached his teacher Drona, and spoke these
words:
[Sanjaya’s reply beginning with “But then” and
describing Duryodhana’s action is a plain hint to the
old king that his son was afraid. For he went to his
teacher (regarded as father) instead of to the com-
mander-in-chief, as a child in fright would run to its
parents in preference to others.]
qaat WSgaTTATa AEA ATA
ast qarae aa fered tray gu1-6) THE GRIEF OF ARJUNA 3
amard O teacher aa farsaiut by your disciple eftaat
talented q7@GAT son of Drupada aya@i arrayed qNVy-
Jat of the sons of Pandu vai this wedi mighty
aq army WF behold.
3. “Behold, O Teacher! this mighty
army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed by the son
of Drupada, thy gifted pupil.
[As a scorpion would sting even him whose pro-
tection is sought to be free from fear, so did the wicked
Duryodhana insult his teacher. His meaning in plain
words comes to this: thus think of your stupidity in
teaching the science of fight to the son of Drupada and
to those of Paéndu. They are now arrayed to kill
you!]
HA ART AVA AtaTAAT FT
qa farerewt Tra AATTA: use
qeeagufeara: airs attary
gefaa aferataey sear aT a: NM
quran faa setae atdiary
atagt datas as Ts ARITAT: NEI
aa Here agsatat: mighty archers af in battle
tania: equals of Bhima and Arjuna Qe: heroes
(afet) (are) Farea: the great warrior AHTA: (ahs: )
Yuyudhaéna (Sétyaki) @ and faze: Viréta 4 and
qqe: Drupada aaart the strong yey: Dhrishtaketu4 SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA [Chap. I
afeart: Chekitana @ and fare: the king of Kash:
ATWa: the best of men Fefsq Purujit 7 and Haat
Kuntibhoja 4 and esq: Shaibya @ and fasted: the
powerful {araeq: Yudhamanyu ¥ and array the brave
SaAtt: Uttamaujas araz: the son of Subhadra 4 and
giatar: the sons of Draupadi aq all (these) Ua verily
FETA: great warriors.
4-6. “Here (are) heroes, mighty archers”
the equals in battle of Bhima and Arjuna—
the great warriors Yuyudhdna, Virata, Dru-
pada; the valiant Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana,
and the king of Kashi; the best of men,
Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Shaibya; the power-
ful Yudhamanyu, and the brave Uttamaujas,
the son of Subhadra and the sons of
Draupadi—all of whom are lords of great
chariots.
[Werxa9=q (the conch named) Panchajanya FtsoTa:
(the victor of wealth: Arjuna) Dhananjaya aad
(the conch named) Devadatta #rraf doer of terrific
deeds gaat: (having the belly of a wolf: Bhima)
Vrikodara Were the large conch gig (named) Paundra
zat blew.10 SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA {Chap. I
15. Hrishikesha blew the Panchajanya,
Dhananjaya, the Devadatta, and Vrikodara,
the doer of terrific deeds, his large conch
Paundra.
swerrafandt wat Heitgat afirfesz: 11
ARS: Tata qaranirgerst ugg
aritga: Son of Kunti wet king afaftsz:
Yudhishthira aarafasd (the conch named) Anantavijaya
wae: Nakula wgea: F and Sahadeva A
(conchs named) Sughosha and Manipushpaka.
16. King Yudhishthira, son of Kunti,
blew the conch named Anantavijaya, and
Nakula and Sahadeva, their Sughosha and
Manipushpaka.
wraael TeACaTa: frevst ST AAITA: 11
LOTTA Fea TT HT ATA VATAT HASTA: 11 21911
areaq: A Tae: And the expert bowman,
the king of Kashi werea: fravgy 4 and the great
warrior Shikhandi qeqrq: Dhrishtadyumna fatre: +
and Viréta arerfra: areafe: @ and the unconquered
Satyaki.
17. The expert bowman, king of
Kashi, and the great warrior Shikhandi,15-19) THE GRIEF OF ARJUNA ll
Dhrishtadyumna, and Virata, and the un-
conquered Satyaki;
gaat statana aaa: gfaatae
aaa ARIAT: MUAY: TAR TAF lest
qfadiat O Lord of Earth (Dhritarashtra) gq:
(king) Drupada 2¥q@at: 4 and the sons of Draupadi
@ and "@larg: the mighty-armed @taz: son of Subhadra&
(Abhimanyu) #4a: all FIR FAR respective TET
conchs aq: blew.
18. O Lord of Earth! Drupada and
the sons of Draupadi, and the mighty-armed
son of Subhadra, all, also blew each his own
conch.
a atat ora ceatnt gaat ATTA
awa gfrada GyMseagTaAT 1 k8 tt
q And @: that Gq: tremendous 89: noise 7A:
sky faa} @ and earth MaqATeAq causing to resound
arduraat of Dhritarashtra’s party gaarft hearts
oaaitad rent.
19. And the terrific noise resounding
throughout heaven and earth rent the hearts
of Dhritarashtra’s party.
[Verses 14-19 are full of hints about the superiority
of the Pandava party and the consequent sure defeat of12 SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA [Chap.1
Dhritarashtra. The figure to which Sanjaya draws the
old king’s attention at first taking up Bhishma’s chal-
lenge, is described by him as the Lord of Fortune and
the Paindava—the best of the Pandu princes. Note also
the details in which the chariot, horses, and conchs of
the Pindava party are described; and finally, though
the army of the Kauravas was more than a third as
much again as that of the Pandavas, the noise made
by the former was only tremendous, whereas that of the
latter was not only tremendous but filled the earth and
sky with reverberations and rent the hearts of the
former.]
HA ACTA TCLAT TTATTONT HATE: 11
MAS TEATS TYLIFA TSa: 1
ERAT TT acHMicss AIT UR
(&) wéta% O Lord of Earth (Dhritarashtra) aa
then afqeaqat: monkey-ensigned q1wsq4: Pindava (Arjuna)
Ta TST Dhritarashtra’s party araferary standing
marshalled aT seeing wetaraia discharge of missiles
waa about to begin gq: bow saeq raising Tat then
t to Hrishikesha ¥@q following @T#T words Ag
said,
20. Then, O Lord of Earth, seeing
Dhritarashtra’s party standing marshalled and
the shooting about to begin, the Pandava,19-23) THE GRIEF OF ARJUNA 13
whose ensign was the monkey, raising his
bow, said the following words to
Krishna:
[In view of the sudden change of feeling that is to
come over Arjuna it should be noted how full of the
war-spirit we find him in this verse.]
AAA Tara |
AaaeAATy TH CATT ASSTT URL
araaanfadesé aeararaterarst 1
Star ag Aaerafearcorgay uz
aja: Arjuna gare said:
aeqq (The changeless: Krishna) Achyuta Sway:
of both aww: armies Wet in the midst ¥ my w
chariot tary place a I wat these FteaTArq desirous
to fight wafeqaTa standing araq while Frere scrutinise
afer on this COTA eve of battle #: ag: with whom
wat by me 4teeqq the battle should be fought.
Arjuna said:
21-22. Place my chairot, O Achyuta!
between the two armies that I may see those
who stand here prepared for war. On this eve
of battle (let me know) with whom I have to
fight.
ACETATTTAT TATE WASH AAMT: 1
ante gigi frafratda: 123014 SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA [Chap: I
am Here (in this Kurukshetra) 4@ in battle qf:
of the evil-minded rawseeq Dhritarashtra’s son
(Duryodhana) frafaatda: wishing to please 3 who w
these ATTaT: assembled ATETATATY with the object of
fighting ag I sae observe.
23. For I desire to observe those who
are assembled here for fight, wishing to please
the evil-minded Duryodhana by taking his
side on this battle-field.
{Arjuna is impatient to see who dared face him
in fight!)
as Jara |
Taye CTNFM Tess ATTA
Aaareraerey STAT THTATAA UR
Wemtrgaa: wat a veterans 1
Bara Tre eatATATAaAAT FSFTAT Ug
asaq: Sanjaya Jara said:
‘wTet (Descendant of king Bharata: Dhrita-
réshtra) Bharata TST by (the conqueror of sleep:
Arjuna) Gudakesha ua thus gad: told gta:
Hrishikesha vat: of the two BaM: armies wey
between Wreagtmyaa: in front of Bhishma and Drona
and wagt (in front) of all wgtfiaary rulers of the
earth TaleAq best of chariots earafacat having stationed23-26) THE GRIEF OF ARJUNA 15
qt (son of Prithé or Kunti: the name of Arjuna’s
mother, the first wife of Pandu) Partha
gathered together UdT{ these Req Kurus qq behold
‘aft thus Jara spoke.
Sanjaya said:
24-25. O Bharata, commanded thus by
Gudakesha, Hrishikesha drove that grandest
of chariots to a place between the two hosts,
facing Bhishma, Drona, and all the rulers of
the earth, and then spoke thus, “Behold, O
7
Partha, all the Kurus gathered together!
aarerag ferry Tre: fra frarrary
oraTaiy ATGSTY WITT FATT STAT
aaerat ut
MYT Fra AqatemaresT Aqui
aq then 91d: Partha @ there gway: aff both the
aaat: of armies (Wet in the midst) feqaTy stationed
frgqa uncles faarrgr{ grandfathers arataty teachers
ager] maternal uncles WIP brothers (and cousins)
gat (his own and their) sons qtaTq and grandsons
wat and aatq comrades RAUF fathers-in-law F_a: F TT
and friends as well aqg4q saw.
26. Then saw Partha stationed there in
both the armies, grandfathers, fathers-in-law,
and uncles, brothers and cousins, his own and16 SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA [Chap. I
their sons and grandsons, and comrades,
teachers, and other friends as well.
A Aa aN TBAT: AateaeepqTaeAaTy UI
FIT reafacet fadtafarrrdts uo
a: He ated: the son of Kunti (Arjuna) aaferary
stationed aT those wala all aq kinsmen ater
having seen Tat deep FIAT with compassion arfase:
filled fafteq sorrowfully gzq thus aaatq spoke,
.27. Then he, the son of Kunti, seeing
all those kinsmen stationed in their ranks,
spoke thus sorrowfully, filled with deep com-
passion.
AYA Vara |
qeaaa cad FN aod aYTeaTy |
daha wa rentt ge a aftgeata ugst
Jaye TA A Dagar wag
mosta aaa eeaeag aa TizMTA Us
aft: Arjuna gare said:
#ey (the dark One: He who draws away all]
misery from His devotees) O Krishna aqaferarr
present Hf these tad kinsmen qqeq desirous to fight
gear seeing AH my ATA limbs arafer are failing qe
@ and mouth ofeqeafa is parching 4 and ¥ my Tar26-31) THE GRIEF OF ARJUNA 17
in body 494: shivering 4 and Wat: horripilation qTat
are taking place geatq from (my) hand arst¢ (my
bow) Gandiva @ad is slipping ea A and (my) skin
qfeaed is burning all over.
Arjuna said:
28-29. Seeing, O Krishna, these my kins-
men gathered here eager for fight, my limbs
fail me, and my mouth is parched up. I
shiver all over, and my hair stands on end.
The bow Gandiva slips from my hand, and
my skin burns.
[Compassion overpowered him. Not that it was
due to discrimination, but rather to the lack of this.
He lost self-control—the first step into the abyss of
ignorance.]
aa veteran wade aA wa:
fafrreria a taatia faactatht Fata 11Z0 1
ara (the slayer of Keshi. Krishna) Keshava
waeITg to stand # not 4 also writ I am able ¥ my
aq: mind 4 and waft 4 seems whirling fardearft
adverse fafirarfit omens 4 and qearfit I see.
30. Neither, O Keshava, canI stand up-
right. My mind is in a whirl. And I see
adverse omens.
aa Salsqreafa gear TaTATSa 1
wie faorat Hoo as Ursa FETA TUL18 SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA [Chap. I
eT O Krishna ga in battle easTT7T own people
gem killing 34: good 4 and 4 nor aqreaTFH (I) do see
a neither fas victory TuUst Fnor empire Fart FT and
pleasures #iet (I) desire.
31. Neither, O Krishna, do I see any
good in killing these my own people in battle.
I desire neither victory nor empire, nor yet
pleasure.
fe a cste atfars fe attsitfada at
dared wifetd at tied zh: geht aw
VFB
a easaferat Gz scrotecarnat sath a
ararat: frre: Garett ST tT: WBA
AGS: AYU: The: wae: aafareaat
uasn
fara (The presider over and knower of the
senses: Krishna) Govinda @yrq af for whose sake
a: by us Wet empire WT: enjoyments gatft wand
pleasures sifiqag desired @raraf: teachers feat: uncles
QA: sons Tat Ua F and also fraTael: grandfathers ATget:
maternal uncles Yayer: fathers-in-law qiat: grandsons
Saret: brothers-in-law qt as well as dafeeq: (other)
relatives ¢ they ¥¥ these ATP life aatft 4 and wealth
waaat having renounced q@ in battle aafeqat: stand
(a: hence) 4: our zeta kingdom f# for what31-35) THE GRIEF OF ARJUNA 19
purpose Wt: pleasures 4t and even sftfaa life ff of
what avail.
32-34. Of what avail is dominion to
us, of what avail are pleasures and even
life, if these, O Govinda! for whose sake
it is desired that empire, enjoyment, and
pleasure should be ours, themselves stand
here in battle, having renounced life and
wealth—teachers, uncles, sons, and also
grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law,
grandsons, brothers-in-law, besides other
kinsmen.
uate gafaeorta eratstt Agger ut
ata taterersren Bat: FF ASSA gu
O slayer of Madhu (a demon) aq: aff even
if killed (by them) Aéteraeqer dominion over the
three worlds (the earth, the intermediate, and the
celestial) qt: for the sake of aff even Gary them Bay
to kill ¥ not g-arfa (I do) wish agtea for earth fer {
far less indeed.
35. Even though these were to kill me,
O slayer of Madhu, I could not wish to kill
them—not even for the sake of dominion over
the three worlds, how much less for the
sake of the earth!