[songofgod] Chapter One - part two of two - Observing the Armies

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Slokas 24-25sanjaya uvacaevam ukto hrsikeso /gudakesena bharatasenayor ubhayor

madhye / sthapayitva rathottamambhisma-drona-pramukhatah / sarvesam ca

mahiksitamuvaca partha pasyaitan / samavetan kurun itiSanjaya said: O Bharata,

having thus been addressed by Gudakesa (Arjuna), Hrsikesa Sri Krsna drew the

excellent chariot into the midst of both armies in the presence of all the

kings and prominent personalities like Bhisma, Drona and others. He then said:

O Partha, just behold this assembly of Kurus.Sloka 26 tatrapasyat sthitan

parthah / pitrn atha pitamahanacaryan matulan bhratrn / putran pautran sakhims

tathasvasuran suhrdas caiva / senayor ubhayor apiThere, in the midst of both

armies, Arjuna saw his paternal uncles, grandfathers, teachers, maternal

uncles, cousins, nephews, grandsons, friends, fathers-in-law and well-wishers.

Sloka 27tan samiksya sa kaunteyah / sarvan bandhun avasthitankrpaya parayavisto

/ visidann idam abravitSeeing all his friends and relatives standing near him on

the battlefield, Kaunteya, lamenting and overwhelmed with compassion for them,

spoke thus. Sloka 28drstvemam svajanan krsna / yuyutsun samavasthitansidanti

mama gatrani / mukhanca parisusyatiArjuna said: O Krsna, seeing all my kinsmen

assembled here with a desire to fight, I feel my limbs weakening and my mouth

becoming dry. Sloka 29vepathus ca sarire me / roma-harsas ca jayategandivam

sramsate hastat / tvak caiva paridahyateMy body is trembling and my hair is

standing on end. My Gandiva bow is slipping from my hand and my skin is

burning. Sloka 30na da saknomy avasthatum / bhramativa ca me manahnimittani ca

pasyami / viparitani kesavaO Kesava, I am unable to remain standing. My mind

appears to be reeling and I detect only inauspicious omensSloka 31na ca sreyo

'nupasyami / hatva svajanam ahavena kankse vijayam krsna / na ca rajyam

sukhani caO Krsna, I do not see how anything auspicious can arise from killing

my own kinsmen in battle. Nor do I desire victory, the resulting kingdom, or

even happiness. Slokas 32-34kim no rajyena govinda / kim bhogair jivitena

vayesam arthe kanksitam no / rajyam bhogah sukhani cata ime 'vasthita yuddhe /

pranams tyaktva dhanani caacaryah pitarah putras / tathaiva ca pitamahahmatulah

svasurah pautrah / syalah sambandhinas tathaetan na hantum icchami / ghnato 'pi

madhusudanaO Govinda! Of what use to us is a kingdom, enjoyment or even life

itself, when those for whom we desire them; teachers, uncles, sons,

grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and

other relatives, are all standing before us in battle array, ready to give up

their lives and wealth? Therefore, O Madhusudana, even if they kill me, I still

do not wish to kill them. Sloka 35api trailokya-rajyasya / hetoh kinnu

mahi-krtenihatya dhartarastran nah / ka pritih syaj janardanaO Janardana, if we

kill the sons of Dhrtarastra, even for the sake of sovereignty over the three

worlds [the upper, middle and lower planetary systems in the material

universe], what to speak of this earth, what satisfaction will we derive?

Sloka 36papam evasrayed asman / hatvaitan atatayinahtasman narha vayam hantum /

dhartarastran sa-bandhavansvajanam hi katham hatva / sukhinah syama madhavaO

Madhava, we will only incur sin by killing all these aggressors. Therefore, it

is improper to kill Duryodhana and our other relatives. How could we be happy

by slaying our own kinsmen? Slokas 37-38yadyapy ete na pasyanti /

lobhopahata/cetasahkula-ksaya-krtam dosam / mitra-drohe ca patakamkatham na

jneyam asmabhih / papad asman nivarttitumkula-ksaya-krtam dosam / prapasyadbhir

janardanaO Janardhana, the intelligence of Duryodhana and others has been

polluted by greed to attain the kingdom. Thus, they are unable to conceive of

the lawlessness that arises from destroying the dynasty, or the sin incurred by

betraying their friends. But why should we, who have such knowledge, engage in

such improper acts as these? Sloka 39kula-ksaye pranasyanti / kula-dharmah

sanatanahdharme naste kulam krtsnam / adharmo 'bhibhavaty utaWhen a dynasty is

destroyed, the ancient dharmic traditions of the family handed down through

that dynasty are also destroyed. Upon the destruction of dharma, the entire

dynasty becomes overpowered by adharma. Sloka 40adharmabhibhavat krsna /

pradusyanti kula-striyahstrisu dustasu varsneya / jayate varna-sankarahO Krsna,

when a dynasty is overpowered by adharma, the women of that dynasty become

degraded. O descendant of Vrsni, when women become degraded and unchaste

varna-sankarah (unwanted progeny) are born. Sloka 41sankaro narakayaiva /

kula-ghnanam kulasya capatanti pitaro hy esam / lupta-pindodaka-kriyahSuch

unwanted progeny certainly force hellish conditions upon both the family and

the destroyers of the dynasty. Indeed, their forefathers, bereft of oblations

of sanctified food and water, must also suffer the same fate. Sloka 42dosair

etaih kula-ghnanam / varna-sankara-karakaihutsadyante jati-dharmah /

kula-dharmas ca sasvatahDue to the evil deeds of these destroyers of the

dynasty, the dharmic princples of teaching in accordance with timeless family

tradition are sunk into oblivion. Sloka 43utsanna-kula-dharmanam / manusyanam

janardananarake niyatam vaso / bhavatity anususrumaO Janardana, I have heard

that those who abolish their dynasty's dharmic principles suffer in hell for an

unlimited period of time. Sloka 44aho bata mahat-papam / karttum vyavasita

vayamyad rajya-sukha-lobhena / hantum svajanam udyatahAlas! How amazing it is

that we are determined to engage in this great sin. Driven by greed for royal

happiness, we are prepared to slay our own kinsmen. Sloka 45yadi mam

apratikaram / asastram sastra-panayahdhartarastra rane hanyus / tan me

ksemataram bhavetIf the fully-armed sons of Dhrtarastra were to kill me unarmed

and unresisting on the battlefield, even that would be more auspicious for me.

Sloka 46sanjaya uvacaevam uktvarjunah sankhye / rathopastha upavisatvisrjya

sa-saram capam / soka-samvigna-manasahSanjaya said: Having spoken these words

in the midst of the battlefield, Arjuna, his mind distracted by lamentation,

sat down on the chariot and cast aside his bow and arrows. Thus end the First

Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, which gives pleasure to the bhaktas and is

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