1. Arjuna’s Despair

1Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “O Sanjaya, what did my people and the Pāṇḍavas do, gathered together on the holy field of Kurukshetra, eager for battle?”

2Sanjaya said: King Duryodhana, upon seeing the Pandava army in battle array, approached his teacher Drona and said these words.

3Behold, O teacher, this mighty army of the Pandavas, arrayed by the son of Drupada, your intelligent disciple.

4There (in that army) are heroes, great bowmen, such as Bhima and Arjuna; Yuyudhana, Virata, and Drupada, a mighty warrior;

5Dhrstaketu, Cekitana, the valiant king of Kasi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Saibya, the best among men;

6Yudhamanyu, the valiant one, and Uttamaujas, the strong one; and also the son of Subhadra, as well as the sons of Draupadi, all mighty warriors.

7Know, O best of Brahmanas, those who are important on our side—those who are the commanders of my army. I shall name them to refresh your memory.

8Yourself, Bhisma, Karna, the victorious Krpa, Asvatthama, Vikarna, and Jayadratha, the son of Somadatta;

9And there are many other heroes who are determined to give up their lives for my sake. They are all experts in using manifold missiles and dexterous in battle.

10Our force is inadequate, guarded by Bhisma, while their force is adequate, guarded by Bhima.

11Therefore, all of you, taking your places firmly in your respective divisions, should guard Bhisma at all costs.

12Then the valiant grandsire Bhisma, the senior-most of the Kuru clan, roared like a lion and blew his conch with the intention of cheering up Duryodhana.

13Then suddenly conchs, kettle drums, trumpets, tabors, and blow horns blared forth, and the sound was terrific.

14Then Sri Krishna and Arjuna, stationed in their great chariot yoked with white horses, blew their divine conchs.

15Sri Krishna blew his conch, Pancajanya, Arjuna his Devadatta, and Bhima of terrible deeds blew his great conch, Paundra.

16King Yudhisthira, the son of Kunti, blew his conch, Anantavijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew their conchs, Sughosa and Manipuspaka.

17And the King of Kasi, the supreme bowman, Sikandi the mighty warrior, Dhrstadyumna, and Virata; and Satyaki, the invincible;

18Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, as well as the strong-armed son of Subhadra—all, O King, blew their respective conchs again and again.

19And that tumultuous uproar, reverberating through heaven and earth, rent the hearts of Dhrtarastra's sons.

20Then Arjuna, whose banner crest was Hanuman, on beholding the sons of Dhrtarastra arrayed, took up his bow, while missiles were beginning to fly.

21And he spoke, O Lord of the Earth, these words to Sri Krishna: Arjuna said, “Draw up my chariot, O Krishna, between the two armies.

22So that I may have a good look at those who are standing, eager to fight, and know with whom I must fight in this enterprise of war.

23I wish to see those gathered here ready to fight in this battle in order to please the evil-minded son of Dhrtarashtra.

24Sanjaya said: Thus addressed by Arjuna, Sri Krishna drew up the best of chariots between the two armies, in full view of Bhisma, Drona, and all the other kings, O Dhrtarastra. He then said, "O Arjuna, behold these assembled Kauravas."

25Sanjaya said: Thus addressed by Arjuna, Sri Krishna drew up the best of chariots between the two armies, in full view of Bhisma, Drona, and all the other kings, O Dhrtarastra. He then said, "O Arjuna, behold these assembled Kauravas."

26Then, as Arjuna looked on, he saw standing there fathers, grandfathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, and comrades.

27Fathers-in-law and dear friends in both armies, when Arjuna saw all these kinsmen arrayed,

28He was filled with deep compassion and said these words in despair:

29My limbs have weakened, my mouth has become parched, my body is trembling, and my hairs are standing on end.

30The bow Gandiva slips from my hand and my skin is burning. I can no longer stand. My mind seems to be reeling.

31I see, Kṛṣṇa, inauspicious omens. I foresee no good in slaying my kinsmen in battle.

32I desire no victory, nor empire, nor pleasures. What have we to do with empire, O Krishna, or enjoyment, or even life?

33Those for whose sake we desire empire, enjoyment, and pleasures, stand here in war, renouncing life and wealth.

34all these are to be regarded as one's own self. Teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, and other kinsmen—all these are to be regarded as one's own self.

35I would not slay them, even if they might slay me, for the sovereignty of the three worlds—how much less for this earth, O Krsna?

36If we were to kill the sons of Dhrtarastra, what joy would be ours, O Krsna? Sin alone would accrue to us if we killed these murderous felons.

37Therefore, it is not befitting for us to slay our kin, the sons of Dhrtarastra. For if we kill our kinsmen, O Krsna, how can we be happy?

38Though these people, whose minds are overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of a clan and no sin in treachery to friends,

39Why should we not learn to shun this crime—we who see the evil of ruining a clan, O Krishna?

40With the ruin of a clan, its ancient traditions perish, and when traditions perish, lawlessness overtakes the whole clan.

41When lawlessness prevails, O Krsna, the women of the clan become corrupted; when women become corrupted, there arises an intermixing of classes.

42This mixing of classes leads to hell for the clan itself and its destroyers; for the spirits of their ancestors fall degraded, deprived of the ritual offerings of food and water.

43By the sins of the clan-destroyers who bring about intermixing of classes, the ancient traditions of the clans and classes are destroyed.

44For those whose clan laws are destroyed, dwelling in hell is ordained, O Krishna; thus, we have heard.

45Alas! We have resolved to commit a great sin, for we are ready to slay our kin out of desire for sovereignty and enjoyment.

46If the well-armed sons of Dhrtarastra should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.

47Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus on the battlefield, Arjuna threw aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot seat, his heart overwhelmed with grief.