धृतराष्ट्र उवाच
धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः।
मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय।।1.1।।

dhṛitarāśhtra uvācha
dharma-kṣhetre kuru-kṣhetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāśhchaiva kimakurvata sañjaya

Word-for-Word Translation

dhṛitarāśhtraḥ uvācha—Dhritarashtra said; dharma-kṣhetre—the land of dharma; kuru-kṣhetre—at Kurukshetra; samavetāḥ—having gathered; yuyutsavaḥ—desiring to fight; māmakāḥ—my sons; pāṇḍavāḥ—the sons of Pandu; cha—and; eva—certainly; kim—what; akurvata—did they do; sañjaya—Sanjay

Meaning

Dhritarashtra said, "What did my people and the sons of Pandu do when they had assembled together, eager for battle, on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya?"

Explanation

Prabhupada explains that Kurukshetra is called "dharma-kshetra," a place of pilgrimage since ancient times where Lord Shiva himself performs sacrifice, and where righteous influences have long prevailed. Dhritarashtra, blind both physically and in judgment, was doubtful of his sons' ultimate success precisely because the battle was being fought on this holy field, and he feared that its sanctity might inspire the naturally virtuous Pandavas to act still more favorably for their own cause. His anxious question to Sanjaya thus reveals not mere curiosity but a father's deep attachment coloring his sense of dharma from the very first verse.

सञ्जय उवाच
दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा।
आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत्।।1.2।।

sañjaya uvācha
dṛiṣhṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ vyūḍhaṁ duryodhanastadā
āchāryamupasaṅgamya rājā vachanamabravīt

Word-for-Word Translation

sanjayaḥ uvācha—Sanjay said; dṛiṣhṭvā—on observing; tu—but; pāṇḍava-anīkam—the Pandava army; vyūḍham—standing in a military formation; duryodhanaḥ—King Duryodhan; tadā—then; āchāryam—teacher; upasaṅgamya—approached; rājā—the king; vachanam—words; abravīt—spoke

Meaning

Sanjaya said: Having seen the army of the Pandavas drawn up in battle array, King Duryodhana approached his teacher, Drona, and spoke these words.

Explanation

Duryodhana wastes no time approaching his teacher Drona, eager to size up the opposing army. His restlessness reveals a mind fixed on victory and territory rather than on right and wrong, setting him up as a foil to Arjuna, who will soon question the very worth of winning. Watching how differently these two react to the same battlefield tells us much about where their hearts are anchored.

पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्।
व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता।।1.3।।

paśhyaitāṁ pāṇḍu-putrāṇām āchārya mahatīṁ chamūm
vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa tava śhiṣhyeṇa dhīmatā

Word-for-Word Translation

paśhya—behold; etām—this; pāṇḍu-putrāṇām—of the sons of Pandu; āchārya—respected teacher; mahatīm—mighty; chamūm—army; vyūḍhām—arrayed in a military formation; drupada-putreṇa—son of Drupad, Dhrishtadyumna; tava—by your; śhiṣhyeṇa—disciple; dhī-matā—intelligent

Meaning

Behold, O Teacher! This mighty army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed by the son of Drupada, thy wise disciple.

Explanation

Duryodhana begins his speech by pointing out, almost with a note of unease, that the Pandava forces were arrayed by Dhrishtadyumna, Drona's own brilliant disciple. There is a flicker of insecurity beneath his boastful survey of troops, a reminder that outward displays of strength often mask inner doubt. A devotee learns to notice this same pattern in the mind, boasting covering fear.

अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि।
युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः।।1.4।।

atra śhūrā maheṣhvāsā bhīmārjuna-samā yudhi
yuyudhāno virāṭaśhcha drupadaśhcha mahā-rathaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

atra—here; śhūrāḥ—powerful warriors; mahā-iṣhu-āsāḥ—great bowmen; bhīma-arjuna-samāḥ—equal to Bheem and Arjun; yudhi—in military prowess; yuyudhānaḥ—Yuyudhan; virāṭaḥ—Virat; cha—and; drupadaḥ—Drupad; cha—also; mahā-rathaḥ—warriors who could single handedly match the strength of ten thousand ordinary warriors

Meaning

Here are heroes, mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna, Yuyudhana (Satyaki), Virata, and Drupada—all mighty warriors.

Explanation

Duryodhana now runs through an impressive roll call of Pandava warriors, comparing them favorably to Bhima and Arjuna themselves. This listing is not idle description; in the Vedic culture of the time, naming a rival's strength before battle was itself a psychological maneuver. The verse shows how much energy the mind can spend measuring and calculating before a single arrow is loosed.

धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान्।
पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुङ्गवः।।1.5।।

dhṛiṣhṭaketuśhchekitānaḥ kāśhirājaśhcha vīryavān
purujit kuntibhojaśhcha śhaibyaśhcha nara-puṅgavaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

dhṛiṣhṭaketuḥ—Dhrishtaketu; chekitānaḥ—Chekitan; kāśhirājaḥ—Kashiraj; cha—and; vīrya-vān—heroic; purujit—Purujit; kuntibhojaḥ—Kuntibhoj; cha—and; śhaibyaḥ—Shaibya; cha—and; nara-puṅgavaḥ—best of men

Meaning

Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana, the valiant king of Kasi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Saibya—the best of men.

Explanation

The catalogue of heroes continues, each name carrying its own history of valor within the wider Mahabharata story. For the reader today, the point is less about memorizing warriors and more about sensing the scale of what is about to unfold, a vast, tragic gathering of extraordinary people about to turn on one another. Even remarkable strength and skill mean little without right purpose guiding them.

युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान्।
सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः।।1.6।।

yudhāmanyuśhcha vikrānta uttamaujāśhcha vīryavān
saubhadro draupadeyāśhcha sarva eva mahā-rathāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

yudhāmanyuḥ—Yudhamanyu; cha—and; vikrāntaḥ—courageous; uttamaujāḥ—Uttamauja; cha—and; vīrya-vān—gallant; saubhadraḥ—the son of Subhadra; draupadeyāḥ—the sons of Draupadi; cha—and; sarve—all; eva—indeed; mahā-rathāḥ—warriors who could single handedly match the strength of ten thousand ordinary warriors

Meaning

The strong Yudhamanyu and the brave Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra and Arjuna), and the sons of Draupadi, all of them great charioteers (great heroes)."

Explanation

Here Duryodhana names Abhimanyu, Arjuna's own son, and the sons of Draupadi among the great chariot warriors he must reckon with. The mention is poignant, for many of these young men will not survive the war to come. It quietly foreshadows how this conflict will consume an entire generation, not merely settle a political dispute.

अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम।
नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान्ब्रवीमि ते।।1.7।।

asmākaṁ tu viśhiṣhṭā ye tānnibodha dwijottama
nāyakā mama sainyasya sanjñārthaṁ tānbravīmi te

Word-for-Word Translation

asmākam—ours; tu—but; viśhiṣhṭāḥ—special; ye—who; tān—them; nibodha—be informed; dwija-uttama—best of Brahmnis; nāyakāḥ—principal generals; mama—our; sainyasya—of army; sanjñā-artham—for information; tān—them; bravīmi—I recount; te—unto you

Meaning

Know also, O best among the twice-born! the names of those who are the most distinguished amongst ourselves, the leaders of my army; these I name to you for your information.

Explanation

Turning at last to his own side, Duryodhana addresses Drona directly, asking him to take note of the commanders. The shift from cataloguing the enemy to reassuring his own teacher shows a mind seeking validation as much as information. Even a great warrior, without inner steadiness, needs to keep bolstering his own confidence before the real test begins.

भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः।
अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च।।1.8।।

bhavānbhīṣhmaśhcha karṇaśhcha kṛipaśhcha samitiñjayaḥ
aśhvatthāmā vikarṇaśhcha saumadattis tathaiva cha

Word-for-Word Translation

bhavān—yourself; bhīṣhmaḥ—Bheeshma; cha—and; karṇaḥ—Karna; cha—and; kṛipaḥ—Kripa; cha—and; samitim-jayaḥ—victorious in battle; aśhvatthāmā—Ashvatthama; vikarṇaḥ—Vikarna; cha—and; saumadattiḥ—Bhurishrava; tathā—thus; eva—even; cha—also

Meaning

"Thou thyself, Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, the victorious in war, Asvatthama, Vikarna, and Bhurisrava, the son of Somadatta—all these are ready for battle."

Explanation

Duryodhana singles out Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, Ashvatthama, and other stalwarts as pillars of his army. Every name here belongs to someone bound to Duryodhana less by conviction than by duty, debt, or circumstance, a detail that becomes important later when many of these very warriors act with visible reluctance. Loyalty compelled by obligation is not the same as loyalty rooted in righteousness.

अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः।
नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः।।1.9।।

anye cha bahavaḥ śhūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥ
nānā-śhastra-praharaṇāḥ sarve yuddha-viśhāradāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

anye—others; cha—also; bahavaḥ—many; śhūrāḥ—heroic warriors; mat-arthe—for my sake; tyakta-jīvitāḥ—prepared to lay down their lives; nānā-śhastra-praharaṇāḥ—equipped with various kinds of weapons; sarve—all; yuddha-viśhāradāḥ—skilled in the art of warfare

Meaning

And also many other heroes, ready to give up their lives for my sake, armed with various weapons and missiles, all well-skilled in battle.

Explanation

Duryodhana closes his roll call by praising the many nameless heroes ready to give their lives for his cause, all skilled and armed for war. His confidence is built entirely on numbers and weaponry, external measures of strength that say nothing about the justice of the fight. It is worth pausing to ask what we ourselves lean on for security, when true shelter lies elsewhere.

अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्।
पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम्।।1.10।।

aparyāptaṁ tadasmākaṁ balaṁ bhīṣhmābhirakṣhitam
paryāptaṁ tvidameteṣhāṁ balaṁ bhīmābhirakṣhitam

Word-for-Word Translation

aparyāptam—unlimited; tat—that; asmākam—ours; balam—strength; bhīṣhma—by Grandsire Bheeshma; abhirakṣhitam—safely marshalled; paryāptam—limited; tu—but; idam—this; eteṣhām—their; balam—strength; bhīma—Bheem; abhirakṣhitam—carefully marshalled

Meaning

Our strength, as safely marshalled by Grandsire Bhishma, is immeasurable, whereas the strength of the Pandavas, carefully marshalled by Bhima, is limited.

Explanation

In a striking admission, Duryodhana calls his own vast army "unlimited" yet the smaller Pandava force "limited," even though his side had far greater numbers under the aging Bhishma's protection. Prabhupada notes this reveals Duryodhana's underlying lack of confidence, for despite superior strength he was still uncertain of victory, sensing that Bhima's protection of the smaller Pandava army, and ultimately Krishna's presence there, outweighed mere numbers. The verse plants an early seed of doubt beneath all this show of might.

अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः।
भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि।।1.11।।

ayaneṣhu cha sarveṣhu yathā-bhāgamavasthitāḥ
bhīṣhmamevābhirakṣhantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi

Word-for-Word Translation

ayaneṣhu—at the strategic points; cha—also; sarveṣhu—all; yathā-bhāgam—in respective position; avasthitāḥ—situated; bhīṣhmam—to Grandsire Bheeshma; eva—only; abhirakṣhantu—defend; bhavantaḥ—you; sarve—all; eva hi—even as

Meaning

Therefore, do all of you, stationed in your respective positions in the several divisions of the army, protect Bhishma alone.

Explanation

Duryodhana instructs his commanders that their entire strategy hinges on protecting one man, Bhishma, revealing how much the Kaurava cause rests on a single aging hero rather than shared conviction. When a mission depends only on external props rather than inner strength of purpose, it is inherently fragile. A life of devotion, by contrast, draws its steadiness from something that cannot be so easily shaken.

तस्य संजनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः।
सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान्।।1.12।।

tasya sañjanayan harṣhaṁ kuru-vṛiddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ
siṁha-nādaṁ vinadyochchaiḥ śhaṅkhaṁ dadhmau pratāpavān

Word-for-Word Translation

tasya—his; sañjanayan—causing; harṣham—joy; kuru-vṛiddhaḥ—the grand old man of the Kuru dynasty (Bheeshma); pitāmahaḥ—grandfather; sinha-nādam—lion’s roar; vinadya—sounding; uchchaiḥ—very loudly; śhaṅkham—conch shell; dadhmau—blew; pratāpa-vān—the glorious

Meaning

His glorious grandsire, the oldest of the Kauravas, roared like a lion to cheer Duryodhana and blew his conch.

Explanation

Prabhupada explains that Duryodhana's heart was distressed with doubt, wondering whether the elderly Bhishma, who had earlier spoken words suggesting sympathy for the Pandavas' rightful claims, might act less than wholeheartedly in the fight. Bhishma, understanding Duryodhana's mind, cheered him by roaring like a lion and blowing his conch loudly, assuring him of his support. Even a warrior as senior and respected as Bhishma remained bound by his commitment to the Kuru throne, showing how family obligation can hold a person to a position even amid inner uncertainty.

ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः।
सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत्।।1.13।।

tataḥ śhaṅkhāśhcha bheryaśhcha paṇavānaka-gomukhāḥ
sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śhabdastumulo ’bhavat

Word-for-Word Translation

tataḥ—thereafter; śhaṅkhāḥ—conches; cha—and; bheryaḥ—bugles; cha—and; paṇava-ānaka—drums and kettledrums; go-mukhāḥ—trumpets; sahasā—suddenly; eva—indeed; abhyahanyanta—blared forth; saḥ—that; śhabdaḥ—sound; tumulaḥ—overwhelming; abhavat—was

Meaning

Then, suddenly, conches, kettledrums, tabors, drums, and cow horns blared forth from the Kaurava side, and the sound was tremendous.

Explanation

A tremendous wall of sound, conches, drums, and horns, erupts from the Kaurava side the moment Bhishma's conch is heard. The scene is deliberately overwhelming, meant to convey the sheer scale and terror of the two armies about to collide. Sound itself becomes a character here, foreshadowing the chaos soon to follow.

ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ।
माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः।।1.14।।

tataḥ śhvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaśhchaiva divyau śhaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

tataḥ—then; śhvetaiḥ—by white; hayaiḥ—horses; yukte—yoked; mahati—glorious; syandane—chariot; sthitau—seated; mādhavaḥ—Shree Krishna, the husband of the goddess of fortune, Lakshmi; pāṇḍavaḥ—Arjun; cha—and; eva—also; divyau—Divine; śhaṅkhau—conch shells; pradadhmatuḥ—blew

Meaning

Then, Madhava (Krishna) and the son of Pandu (Arjuna), seated in the magnificent chariot yoked with white horses, blew divine conches.

Explanation

Prabhupada points out that in comparison to the conches blown on the side of Bhishma, those blown by Krishna and Arjuna, on a chariot yoked with white horses, are described as "divine" or transcendental, indicating that because the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself was seated on that chariot as Arjuna's charioteer, the sound emanating from the Pandava side was a sure sign of victory. Krishna's presence on Arjuna's chariot, Prabhupada emphasizes, meant that all good fortune was on that side from the very outset, since wherever Krishna is present, victory is certain.

पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनंजयः।
पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः।।1.15।।

pāñchajanyaṁ hṛiṣhīkeśho devadattaṁ dhanañjayaḥ
pauṇḍraṁ dadhmau mahā-śhaṅkhaṁ bhīma-karmā vṛikodaraḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

pāñchajanyam—the conch shell named Panchajanya; hṛiṣhīka-īśhaḥ—Shree Krishna, the Lord of the mind and senses; devadattam—the conch shell named Devadutta; dhanam-jayaḥ—Arjun, the winner of wealth; pauṇḍram—the conch named Paundra; dadhmau—blew; mahā-śhaṅkham—mighty conch; bhīma-karmā—one who performs herculean tasks; vṛika-udaraḥ—Bheem, the voracious eater

Meaning

Hrishikesha blew the Panchajanya, Arjuna blew the Devadatta, and Bhima, the wolf-bellied doer of terrible deeds, blew the great conch Paundra.

Explanation

Each conch is named, and each name reveals something about its bearer: Krishna's Panchajanya, Arjuna's Devadatta, Bhima's mighty Paundra. The individuality given to these instruments reflects a broader theme of the Gita, that each soul has its own unique constitution and role to play, even while united in a shared undertaking. Devotion does not erase our particular gifts; it engages them fully.

अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः।
नकुलः सहदेवश्च सुघोषमणिपुष्पकौ।।1.16।।

anantavijayaṁ rājā kuntī-putro yudhiṣhṭhiraḥ
nakulaḥ sahadevaśhcha sughoṣha-maṇipuṣhpakau

Word-for-Word Translation

ananta-vijayam—the conch named Anantavijay; rājā—king; kuntī-putraḥ—son of Kunti; yudhiṣhṭhiraḥ—Yudhishthir; nakulaḥ—Nakul; sahadevaḥ—Sahadev; cha—and; sughoṣha-maṇipuṣhpakau—the conche shells named Sughosh and Manipushpak

Meaning

King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew the Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosha and the Manipushpaka.

Explanation

Yudhishthira and the twin brothers Nakula and Sahadeva each sound their own conches, completing the picture of the five Pandava brothers standing together, unified in purpose despite their different temperaments. Their collective resolve stands in quiet contrast to the more anxious, calculating mood on Duryodhana's side. Steadiness born of shared righteousness has a different quality than steadiness born of sheer force.

काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः।
धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः।।1.17।।

kāśhyaśhcha parameṣhvāsaḥ śhikhaṇḍī cha mahā-rathaḥ
dhṛiṣhṭadyumno virāṭaśhcha sātyakiśh chāparājitaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

kāśhyaḥ—King of Kashi; cha—and; parama-iṣhu-āsaḥ—the excellent archer; śhikhaṇḍī—Shikhandi; cha—also; mahā-rathaḥ—warriors who could single handedly match the strength of ten thousand ordinary warriors; dhṛiṣhṭadyumnaḥ—Dhrishtadyumna; virāṭaḥ—Virat; cha—and; sātyakiḥ—Satyaki; cha—and; aparājitaḥ—invincible

Meaning

The king of Kasi, an excellent archer, Sikhandi, the mighty car-warrior, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, and Satyaki, the unconquered.

Explanation

More Pandava allies, the King of Kashi, Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, and the undefeated Satyaki, join the chorus of conches. Sanjaya's careful naming of each hero underscores that this is not an anonymous mass of soldiers but real people, with histories and relationships, about to face each other in mortal combat. That personal weight is precisely what will soon break Arjuna's heart.

द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते।
सौभद्रश्च महाबाहुः शङ्खान्दध्मुः पृथक्पृथक्।।1.18।।

drupado draupadeyāśhcha sarvaśhaḥ pṛithivī-pate
saubhadraśhcha mahā-bāhuḥ śhaṅkhāndadhmuḥ pṛithak pṛithak

Word-for-Word Translation

drupadaḥ—Drupad; draupadeyāḥ—the five sons of Draupadi; cha—and; sarvaśhaḥ—all; pṛithivī-pate—Ruler of the earth; saubhadraḥ—Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra; cha—also; mahā-bāhuḥ—the mighty-armed; śhaṅkhān—conch shells; dadhmuḥ—blew; pṛithak pṛithak—individually

Meaning

Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, O Lord of the Earth, and the son of Subhadra, the mighty-armed, blew their conches each separately.

Explanation

Even Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and mighty Abhimanyu add their conches to the swelling sound, each blowing his own instrument separately rather than in mere unison. The detail of "each separately" suggests a multitude of individual wills, all voluntarily aligned toward the same righteous cause. Real unity, the Gita will later teach, comes not from erasing individuality but from directing it toward a common, higher purpose.

स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत्।
नभश्च पृथिवीं चैव तुमुलो व्यनुनादयन्।।1.19।।

sa ghoṣho dhārtarāṣhṭrāṇāṁ hṛidayāni vyadārayat
nabhaśhcha pṛithivīṁ chaiva tumulo nunādayan

Word-for-Word Translation

saḥ—that; ghoṣhaḥ—sound; dhārtarāṣhṭrāṇām—of Dhritarashtra’s sons; hṛidayāni—hearts; vyadārayat—shattered; nabhaḥ—the sky; cha—and; pṛithivīm—the earth; cha—and; eva—certainly; tumulaḥ—terrific sound; abhyanunādayan—thundering

Meaning

The tumultuous sound rent the hearts of Dhritarashtra's party, reverberating through both heaven and earth.

Explanation

The combined roar of the Pandava conches is said to shatter the hearts of Dhritarashtra's sons, resounding through sky and earth alike. This is the first clear sign in the narrative that courage and conviction, not mere numbers, can unsettle even a materially stronger side. Inner resolve, grounded in what is right, carries a power that outward force cannot always match.

अथ व्यवस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः।
प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसंपाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः।
हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते।।1.20।।

atha vyavasthitān dṛiṣhṭvā dhārtarāṣhṭrān kapi-dhwajaḥ
pravṛitte śhastra-sampāte dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ
hṛiṣhīkeśhaṁ tadā vākyam idam āha mahī-pate

Word-for-Word Translation

atha—thereupon; vyavasthitān—arrayed; dṛiṣhṭvā—seeing; dhārtarāṣhṭrān—Dhritarashtra’s sons; kapi-dwajaḥ—the Monkey Bannered; pravṛitte—about to commence; śhastra-sampāte—to use the weapons; dhanuḥ—bow; udyamya—taking up; pāṇḍavaḥ—Arjun, the son of Pandu; hṛiṣhīkeśham—to Shree Krishna; tadā—at that time; vākyam—words; idam—these; āha—said; mahī-pate—King

Meaning

Then, seeing the people of Dhritarashtra's party standing arrayed and the discharge of weapons about to begin, Arjuna, the son of Pandu whose ensign was a monkey, took up his bow and said the following to Krishna, O Lord of the Earth.

Explanation

Prabhupada notes that Arjuna is here called "Pandava," son of Pandu, and Krishna "Hrishikesha," the master of all senses, to indicate the intimate relationship between them by which Krishna agreed to carry out Arjuna's order as his charioteer. Arjuna's ensign, the monkey banner bearing Hanuman, who had earlier assisted Lord Ramachandra in the battle against Ravana, is significant, for Hanuman's presence on Arjuna's flag was an arrangement ensuring Arjuna's victory. Everything that follows in this chapter, Arjuna's grief, his questions, and the whole teaching to come, springs from what he asks to see once his chariot is placed between the armies.

अर्जुन उवाच
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत।।1.21।।

arjuna uvācha
senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me ’chyuta

Word-for-Word Translation

arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; senayoḥ—armies; ubhayoḥ—both; madhye—in the middle; ratham—chariot; sthāpaya—place; me—my; achyuta—Shree Krishna, the infallible One

Meaning

Arjuna said, "O Krishna, place my chariot in the middle between the two armies, so that I may behold those who stand here, desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight when the battle is about to commence."

Explanation

Prabhupada explains that Arjuna addresses Krishna here as "Achyuta," the infallible one, because Krishna, though acting as Arjuna's charioteer, a position seemingly subordinate to Arjuna, could never fall down from His supreme position; His acceptance of the post of charioteer does not diminish His unfailing, transcendental supremacy. Arjuna's request to be placed between the two armies is so that he can properly see who is present to fight, a wish Krishna, being the Lord of the senses (Hrishikesha) and the well-wisher of His devotee, fulfills exactly as asked, though He alone knows what Arjuna is about to experience there.

यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान्।
कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन्रणसमुद्यमे।।1.22।।

yāvadetān nirīkṣhe ’haṁ yoddhu-kāmān avasthitān
kairmayā saha yoddhavyam asmin raṇa-samudyame

Word-for-Word Translation

yāvat—as many as; etān—these; nirīkṣhe—look; aham—I; yoddhu-kāmān—for the battle; avasthitān—arrayed; kaiḥ—with whom; mayā—by me; saha—together; yoddhavyam—must fight; asmin—in this; raṇa-samudyame—great combat

Meaning

so that I may see those who have assembled here, eager for battle, and understand with whom I must fight in this great trial of arms.

Explanation

Arjuna explains his purpose plainly: he wants to see, with his own eyes, exactly who has gathered to fight. There is nothing evasive in this request; he seeks clarity, not comfort, before committing to battle. A sincere seeker, likewise, does well to look honestly at a situation rather than act from assumption or haste.

योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः।
धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः।।1.23।।

yotsyamānān avekṣhe ’haṁ ya ete ’tra samāgatāḥ
dhārtarāṣhṭrasya durbuddher yuddhe priya-chikīrṣhavaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

yotsyamānān—those who have come to fight; avekṣhe aham—I desire to see; ye—who; ete—those; atra—here; samāgatāḥ—assembled; dhārtarāṣhṭrasya—of Dhritarashtra’s son; durbuddheḥ—evil-minded; yuddhe—in the fight; priya-chikīrṣhavaḥ—wishing to please

Meaning

For I desire to observe those who are assembled here to fight, wishing to please in battle the evil-minded Duryodhana—the son of Dhritarashtra.

Explanation

Arjuna specifically wants to see those who have come to please Duryodhana, whom he candidly calls "evil-minded." Even here, before his crisis of conscience fully erupts, Arjuna's moral compass is intact, he can distinguish the righteous cause of the Pandavas from Duryodhana's ambition. What is about to shake him is not confusion about right and wrong in the abstract, but the unbearable personal cost of upholding it.

संजय उवाच
एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत।
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम्।।1.24।।

sañjaya uvācha
evam ukto hṛiṣhīkeśho guḍākeśhena bhārata
senayor ubhayor madhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam

Word-for-Word Translation

sañjayaḥ uvācha—Sanjay said; evam—thus; uktaḥ—addressed; hṛiṣhīkeśhaḥ—Shree Krishna, the Lord of the senses; guḍākeśhena—by Arjun, the conqueror of sleep; bhārata—descendant of Bharat; senayoḥ—armies; ubhayoḥ—the two; madhye—between; sthāpayitvā—having drawn; ratha-uttamam—magnificent chariot

Meaning

Sanjaya said, Thus addressed by Arjuna, Krishna stationed the best of chariots, O Dhritarashtra, in the midst of the two armies.

Explanation

Sanjaya reports simply that Krishna, thus requested, drives the chariot into the space between the two armies. The narrative pace slows here, building quiet tension before the emotional storm that is about to break over Arjuna. Krishna's willing compliance, again, shows him acting as Arjuna's devoted charioteer and friend even while being the Supreme Lord Himself.

भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम्।
उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति।।1.25।।

bhīṣhma-droṇa-pramukhataḥ sarveṣhāṁ cha mahī-kṣhitām
uvācha pārtha paśhyaitān samavetān kurūn iti

Word-for-Word Translation

bhīṣhma—Grandsire Bheeshma; droṇa—Dronacharya; pramukhataḥ—in the presence; sarveṣhām—all; cha—and; mahī-kṣhitām—other kings; uvācha—said; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; paśhya—behold; etān—these; samavetān—gathered; kurūn—descendants of Kuru; iti—thus

Meaning

In front of Bhishma and Drona, and all the rulers of the earth, he said: "O Arjuna, son of Pritha, behold these Kurus gathered together."

Explanation

Prabhupada explains that as the Supersoul present in every heart, Krishna, addressed here through Arjuna's name "Partha," son of Pritha (Kunti), fully understood what was going on in Arjuna's mind. By placing the chariot squarely before Bhishma and Drona and telling Arjuna to behold the assembled Kurus, Krishna, out of friendship, is drawing out the sentiments that will shortly overwhelm Arjuna, so that the necessary teaching of the Gita may follow.

तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितृ़नथ पितामहान्।
आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातृ़न्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा।।1.26।।

tatrāpaśhyat sthitān pārthaḥ pitṝīn atha pitāmahān
āchāryān mātulān bhrātṝīn putrān pautrān sakhīṁs tathā

Word-for-Word Translation

tatra—there; apaśhyat—saw; sthitān—stationed; pārthaḥ—Arjun; pitṝīn—fathers; atha—thereafter; pitāmahān—grandfathers; āchāryān—teachers; mātulān—maternal uncles; bhrātṝīn—brothers; putrān—sons; pautrān—grandsons; sakhīn—friends; tathā—also; śhvaśhurān—fathers-in-law; suhṛidaḥ—well-wishers; cha—and; eva—indeed; senayoḥ—armies; ubhayoḥ—in both armies; api—also

Meaning

Then, Arjuna (son of Pritha) saw there (in the armies) stationed fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, and friends.

Explanation

Prabhupada explains that on account of his family affection Arjuna could identify all kinds of relatives present on the battlefield, fathers, grandfathers, teachers, uncles, sons, friends, and, seeing them, he became overwhelmed by material compassion for his own kinsmen. This is the beginning of Arjuna's confusion between the eternal soul and the temporary body; his sorrow is rooted entirely in bodily and social conceptions of "my people," a mistaken vision that Krishna's teaching will systematically correct throughout the Gita.

श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि।
तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान्।
कृपया परयाऽऽविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत्।।1.27।।

śhvaśhurān suhṛidaśh chaiva senayor ubhayor api
tān samīkṣhya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvān bandhūn avasthitān
kṛipayā parayāviṣhṭo viṣhīdann idam abravīt

Word-for-Word Translation

tān—these; samīkṣhya—on seeing; saḥ—they; kaunteyaḥ—Arjun, the son of Kunti; sarvān—all; bandhūn—relatives; avasthitān—present; kṛipayā—by compassion; parayā—great; āviṣhṭaḥ—overwhelmed; viṣhīdan—deep sorrow; idam—this; abravīt—spoke

Meaning

He saw fathers-in-law and friends in both the armies. The son of Kunti, Arjuna, seeing all those kinsmen thus standing arrayed, spoke sorrowfully, deeply filled with pity.

Explanation

Prabhupada explains that Arjuna's compassion, tears, and bewilderment here are due to his soft heart, a symptom found only in a person who is a thorough gentleman by nature, yet this very compassion, however admirable in ordinary dealings, becomes a great stumbling block on the path of self-realization because it is compassion born of bodily attachment rather than genuine knowledge of the soul. Krishna will soon rebuke this very sentiment in the verses that follow, and the entire teaching of the Gita, beginning in the next chapter, is aimed precisely at lifting Arjuna from this material sentiment to the platform of transcendental knowledge and duty.

अर्जुन उवाच
दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम्।।1.28।।

arjuna uvācha
dṛiṣhṭvemaṁ sva-janaṁ kṛiṣhṇa yuyutsuṁ samupasthitam

Word-for-Word Translation

arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; dṛiṣhṭvā—on seeing; imam—these; sva-janam—kinsmen; kṛiṣhṇa—Krishna; yuyutsum—eager to fight; samupasthitam—present

Meaning

Arjuna said, "O Krishna, seeing my kinsmen arrayed here, eager to fight,

Explanation

Arjuna finally speaks, addressing Krishna directly and naming what he sees: his own kinsmen (sva-janam), standing ready to fight. Prabhupada notes that Arjuna's use of this word shows his mind is fixed on the bodily relationship of family and blood rather than on the eternal relationship of the soul with the Supreme; this identification with sva-janam as more important than righteousness is the very root of the moral confusion that follows in the rest of the chapter.

सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति।
वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते।।1.29।।

sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṁ cha pariśhuṣhyati
vepathuśh cha śharīre me roma-harṣhaśh cha jāyate

Word-for-Word Translation

sīdanti—quivering; mama—my; gātrāṇi—limbs; mukham—mouth; cha—and; pariśhuṣhyati—is drying up; vepathuḥ—shuddering; cha—and; śharīre—on the body; me—my; roma-harṣhaḥ—standing of bodily hair on end; cha—also; jāyate—is happening

Meaning

My limbs fail, my mouth is parched, my body quivers, and my hair stands on end.

Explanation

Arjuna now describes the physical symptoms of his distress, trembling limbs, a dry mouth, hair standing on end. The Gita does not shy away from portraying real, embodied anguish; spiritual life is not asked to deny such human reactions but to eventually find steadiness beneath them. Krishna's later teachings will speak directly to this very turmoil Arjuna is describing.

गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते।
न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः।।1.30।।

gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāt tvak chaiva paridahyate
na cha śhaknomy avasthātuṁ bhramatīva cha me manaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

gāṇḍīvam—Arjun’s bow; sraṁsate—is slipping; hastāt—from (my) hand; tvak—skin; cha—and; eva—indeed; paridahyate—is burning all over; na—not; cha—and; śhaknomi—am able; avasthātum—remain steady; bhramati iva—whirling like; cha—and; me—my; manaḥ—mind

Meaning

The Gandiva slips from my hand, and my skin burns all over; I am unable to stand, and my mind is reeling, as it were.

Explanation

Prabhupada explains that Arjuna's Gandiva bow slipping from his hand, his burning skin, and his reeling mind are all symptoms of material anxiety and mental disturbance arising from his bodily conception of the situation; a self-realized soul situated in transcendental knowledge would not be so shaken even amid great calamity. This bewilderment of Arjuna, a great and otherwise unfaltering warrior, is presented precisely to show how even the most qualified persons can be overwhelmed when they forget their constitutional position as eternal servants of the Lord, setting the stage for the knowledge Krishna is about to impart.

निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव।
न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे।।1.31।।

nimittāni cha paśhyāmi viparītāni keśhava
na cha śhreyo ’nupaśhyāmi hatvā sva-janam āhave

Word-for-Word Translation

nimittāni—omens; cha—and; paśhyāmi—I see; viparītāni—misfortune; keśhava—Shree Krishna, killer of the Keshi demon; na—not; cha—also; śhreyaḥ—good; anupaśhyāmi—I foresee; hatvā—from killing; sva-janam—kinsmen; āhave—in battle

Meaning

And I see ill omens, O Kesava. I do not see any good in slaying my kinsmen in battle.

Explanation

Arjuna reports seeing ill omens and confesses he foresees no good coming from killing his own kinsmen. His doubt is not merely emotional but is beginning to take the shape of a moral argument, one he will build out over the rest of the chapter. This transition, from raw feeling toward reasoned objection, sets the stage for the philosophical dialogue that follows in Chapter Two.

न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च।
किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा।।1.32।।

na kāṅkṣhe vijayaṁ kṛiṣhṇa na cha rājyaṁ sukhāni cha
kiṁ no rājyena govinda kiṁ bhogair jīvitena vā

Word-for-Word Translation

na—nor; kāṅkṣhe—do I desire; vijayam—victory; kṛiṣhṇa—Krishna; na—nor; cha—as well; rājyam—kingdom; sukhāni—happiness; cha—also; kim—what; naḥ—to us; rājyena—by kingdom; govinda—Krishna, he who gives pleasure to the senses, he who is fond of cows; kim—what?; bhogaiḥ—pleasures; jīvitena—life; vā—or

Meaning

I desire not victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures. What use is dominion to us, O Krishna, or pleasures or even life?

Explanation

Arjuna declares he desires neither victory, nor kingdom, nor pleasures, questioning what purpose dominion or even life itself serves under these circumstances. Beneath the immediate grief lies a deeper, more universal question about what truly matters, one the Gita will spend seventeen more chapters answering. It is often in moments of loss or crisis that such essential questions rise to the surface of the heart.

येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च।
त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च।।1.33।।

yeṣhām arthe kāṅkṣhitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni cha
ta ime ’vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁs tyaktvā dhanāni cha

Word-for-Word Translation

yeṣhām—for whose; arthe—sake; kāṅkṣhitam—coveted for; naḥ—by us; rājyam—kingdom; bhogāḥ—pleasures; sukhāni—happiness; cha—also; te—they; ime—these; avasthitāḥ—situated; yuddhe—for battle; prāṇān—lives; tyaktvā—giving up; dhanāni—wealth; cha—also

Meaning

Those for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures stand here in battle, having renounced life and wealth.

Explanation

Arjuna points out the bitter irony that those very people for whose sake kingdom and pleasure are desired are the ones now standing ready to die in this battle. The observation cuts to the heart of his dilemma: what value is a victory purchased at the cost of the people who would have enjoyed it with him? It is a very human, very relatable form of grief, seeing the reason for one's striving vanish in the striving itself.

आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः।
मातुलाः श्वशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा।।1.34।।

āchāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrās tathaiva cha pitāmahāḥ
mātulāḥ śhvaśhurāḥ pautrāḥ śhyālāḥ sambandhinas tathā

Word-for-Word Translation

āchāryāḥ—teachers; pitaraḥ—fathers; putrāḥ—sons; tathā—as well; eva—indeed; cha—also; pitāmahāḥ—grandfathers; mātulāḥ—maternal uncles; śhvaśhurāḥ—fathers-in-law; pautrāḥ—grandsons; śhyālāḥ—brothers-in-law; sambandhinaḥ—kinsmen; tathā—as well

Meaning

Teachers, fathers, sons, and grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, and other relatives—

Explanation

Arjuna lists again, almost obsessively, the web of relationships arrayed before him, teachers, fathers, sons, uncles, in-laws. The repetition mirrors how grief and anxiety can make the mind circle the same painful thoughts again and again without resolution. Krishna's guidance to come will offer Arjuna, and every reader in similar straits, a way to move beyond this loop.

एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन।
अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते।।1.35।।

etān na hantum ichchhāmi ghnato ’pi madhusūdana
api trailokya-rājyasya hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahī-kṛite

Word-for-Word Translation

etān—these; na—not; hantum—to slay; ichchhāmi—I wish; ghnataḥ—killed; api—even though; madhusūdana—Shree Krishna, killer of the demon Madhu; api—even though; trai-lokya-rājyasya—dominion over three worlds; hetoḥ—for the sake of; kim nu—what to speak of; mahī-kṛite—for the earth

Meaning

These I do not wish to kill, O Krishna, even though they kill me, for the sake of dominion over the three worlds; leave alone killing them for the sake of the earth."

Explanation

Prabhupada points out that Arjuna addresses Krishna here as "Madhusudana," the killer of the demon Madhu, yet Arjuna cannot see how Krishna's power to vanquish enemies applies to a fight where the enemies are his own kinsmen. Arjuna's declaration that he would not kill them even for the three worlds shows his reasoning is still entirely based on bodily kinship rather than on dharma; Krishna's task in the chapters ahead is not to dismiss this sentiment but to show Arjuna the deeper knowledge of the eternal soul that alone can resolve such a dilemma.

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन।
पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः।।1.36।।

nihatya dhārtarāṣhṭrān naḥ kā prītiḥ syāj janārdana
pāpam evāśhrayed asmān hatvaitān ātatāyinaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

nihatya—by killing; dhārtarāṣhṭrān—the sons of Dhritarashtra; naḥ—our; kā—what; prītiḥ—pleasure; syāt—will there be; janārdana—he who looks after the public, Shree Krishna; pāpam—vices; eva—certainly; āśhrayet—must come upon; asmān—us; hatvā—by killing; etān—all these; ātatāyinaḥ—aggressors

Meaning

By killing these sons of Dhritarashtra, what pleasure could be ours, O Janardana? Only sin would accrue to us from killing these felons.

Explanation

Arjuna questions what pleasure could possibly come from killing Dhritarashtra's sons, insisting that only sin would result from slaying these so-called aggressors. His argument now moves toward the language of dharma and sin, showing a mind trying to reason its way out of an unbearable duty. Sincere questioning, even when incomplete, is often the doorway through which real understanding eventually enters.

तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान्।
स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव।।1.37।।

tasmān nārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ dhārtarāṣhṭrān sa-bāndhavān
sva-janaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava

Word-for-Word Translation

tasmāt—hence; na—never; arhāḥ—behoove; vayam—we; hantum—to kill; dhārtarāṣhṭrān—the sons of Dhritarashtra; sva-bāndhavān—along with friends; sva-janam—kinsmen; hi—certainly; katham—how; hatvā—by killing; sukhinaḥ—happy; syāma—will we become; mādhava—Shree Krishna, the husband of Yogmaya

Meaning

Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our relatives; for how can we be happy by killing our own kin, O Madhava (Krishna)?

Explanation

Arjuna insists it is simply wrong to kill one's own relatives for the sake of happiness, asking pointedly how such an act could ever bring joy. This rhetorical question captures a common human intuition, that violence against those we love cannot lead anywhere good. The Gita will ultimately agree with Arjuna's underlying values while reframing his understanding of duty, the self, and true happiness.

यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम्।।1.38।।

yady apy ete na paśhyanti lobhopahata-chetasaḥ
kula-kṣhaya-kṛitaṁ doṣhaṁ mitra-drohe cha pātakam

Word-for-Word Translation

yadi api—even though; ete—they; na—not; paśhyanti—see; lobha—greed; upahata—overpowered; chetasaḥ—thoughts; kula-kṣhaya-kṛitam—in annihilating their relatives; doṣham—fault; mitra-drohe—to wreak treachery upon friends; cha—and; pātakam—sin

Meaning

Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of families and no sin in hostility to friends,

Explanation

Arjuna acknowledges that the Kauravas, blinded by greed, cannot see the wrong in destroying their family or betraying friends. Even while criticizing his opponents' moral blindness, Arjuna is implicitly asking whether he himself should rise above it rather than be dragged down to their level. Recognizing another's error is easy; the harder task, which the Gita will address, is knowing how to respond to it rightly.

कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन।।1.39।।

kathaṁ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ pāpād asmān nivartitum
kula-kṣhaya-kṛitaṁ doṣhaṁ prapaśhyadbhir janārdana

Word-for-Word Translation

katham—why; na—not; jñeyam—should be known; asmābhiḥ—we; pāpāt—from sin; asmāt—these; nivartitum—to turn away; kula-kṣhaya—killing the kindered; kṛitam—done; doṣham—crime; prapaśhyadbhiḥ—who can see; janārdana—he who looks after the public, Shree Krishna

Meaning

Why should we not, who clearly see the evil in the destruction of families, learn to turn away from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?

Explanation

Arjuna asks why he and his brothers, who can clearly see the wrongness of destroying their family, should not turn away from this looming sin. His logic seems, on the surface, entirely sound and even admirable, a plea for restraint and nonviolence. Yet Krishna's coming reply will reveal there is more to right action than avoiding visible harm.

कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः।
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत।।1.40।।

kula-kṣhaye praṇaśhyanti kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ
dharme naṣhṭe kulaṁ kṛitsnam adharmo ’bhibhavaty uta

Word-for-Word Translation

kula-kṣhaye—in the destruction of a dynasty; praṇaśhyanti—are vanquished; kula-dharmāḥ—family traditions; sanātanāḥ—eternal; dharme—religion; naṣhṭe—is destroyed; kulam—family; kṛitsnam—the whole; adharmaḥ—irreligion; abhibhavati—overcome; uta—indeed

Meaning

In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious rites of that family perish; on the destruction of spirituality, impiety indeed, overwhelms the whole family.

Explanation

Arjuna warns that when a family's line is destroyed, its ancient traditions collapse, and the whole family sinks into irreligion. His concern here reaches beyond his immediate relatives to something larger: the cultural and spiritual fabric that sustains a whole community across generations. It is a reminder that our choices ripple outward, often shaping the values inherited by those who come long after us.

अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः।
स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय जायते वर्णसङ्करः।।1.41।।

adharmābhibhavāt kṛiṣhṇa praduṣhyanti kula-striyaḥ
strīṣhu duṣhṭāsu vārṣhṇeya jāyate varṇa-saṅkaraḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

adharma—irreligion; abhibhavāt—preponderance; kṛiṣhṇa—Shree Krishna; praduṣhyanti—become immoral; kula-striyaḥ—women of the family; strīṣhu—of women; duṣhṭāsu—become immoral; vārṣhṇeya—descendant of Vrishni; jāyate—are born; varṇa-saṅkaraḥ—unwanted progeny

Meaning

O Krishna, by the prevalence of impiety, the women of the family become corrupt; and, when women are corrupted, O Varshenya (descendant of Vrishni), intermingling of castes arises.

Explanation

Prabhupada explains that good population for a sound human society depends on the chastity and fidelity of its women, and when the men of a family are killed in war, the resulting collapse of family protection and religious training leaves the women vulnerable to corruption by unscrupulous men, from which arises varna-sankara, unwanted population that does not qualify for the elevation-conferring rites given to progeny born of proper marriage. Arjuna's argument reflects the genuine Vedic concern that social and religious training, not mere biology, is what produces good population, and that this training is the specific duty of the family; without it society falls into disorder.

सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च।
पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रियाः।।1.42।।

saṅkaro narakāyaiva kula-ghnānāṁ kulasya cha
patanti pitaro hy eṣhāṁ lupta-piṇḍodaka-kriyāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

saṅkaraḥ—unwanted children; narakāya—hellish; eva—indeed; kula-ghnānām—for those who destroy the family; kulasya—of the family; cha—also; patanti—fall; pitaraḥ—ancestors; hi—verily; eṣhām—their; lupta—deprived of; piṇḍodaka-kriyāḥ—performances of sacrificial offerings

Meaning

Confusion of castes leads to hell for the slayers of the family, for their forebears fall, deprived of the offerings of rice-balls and libations of water.

Explanation

Prabhupada explains that according to the rules of scriptural rites, periodic offerings of food (pinda) and water are due to the forefathers, and that this offering is indirectly a kind of respect paid to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, since it is through such recognized ceremonies that a family's duty to those who came before is discharged. When the family lineage is destroyed and unwanted, unqualified progeny (varna-sankara) results, these ceremonies of pinda and water offerings are stopped entirely, and consequently the forefathers of such families fall down from their heavenly positions. Arjuna's fear is thus rooted in a real Vedic understanding that family destruction has consequences reaching backward to one's ancestors, not only forward to descendants.

दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः।
उत्साद्यन्ते जातिधर्माः कुलधर्माश्च शाश्वताः।।1.43।।

doṣhair etaiḥ kula-ghnānāṁ varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ
utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāśh cha śhāśhvatāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

doṣhaiḥ—through evil deeds; etaiḥ—these; kula-ghnānām—of those who destroy the family; varṇa-saṅkara—unwanted progeny; kārakaiḥ—causing; utsādyante—are ruined; jāti-dharmāḥ—social and family welfare activities; kula-dharmāḥ—family traditions; cha—and; śhāśhvatāḥ—eternal

Meaning

By these evil deeds of the destroyers of the family, which cause confusion of castes, the eternal religious rites of the caste and the family are destroyed.

Explanation

Arjuna sums up that the misdeeds of those who destroy family lineage ruin both the eternal traditions of caste and of the family itself. His argument builds toward a crescendo of consequences, each verse adding another layer of catastrophe he foresees from this war. The intensity of his reasoning shows a mind desperately searching for any justification to lay down his weapons.

उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन।
नरकेऽनियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम।।1.44।।

utsanna-kula-dharmāṇāṁ manuṣhyāṇāṁ janārdana
narake ‘niyataṁ vāso bhavatītyanuśhuśhruma

Word-for-Word Translation

utsanna—destroyed; kula-dharmāṇām—whose family traditions; manuṣhyāṇām—of such human beings; janārdana—he who looks after the public, Shree Krishna; narake—in hell; aniyatam—indefinite; vāsaḥ—dwell; bhavati—is; iti—thus; anuśhuśhruma—I have heard from the learned

Meaning

We have heard, O Janardana, that those men in whose families the religious practices have been destroyed are inevitably destined to dwell in hell for an unknown period.

Explanation

Arjuna states he has heard, from those wiser than himself, that people whose family traditions are destroyed dwell for a long time in hellish conditions. Notably, he grounds his fear not in his own realization but in received teaching, showing a mind reaching for external authority to support an already-decided emotional conclusion. Even sound teachings, the Gita will later clarify, must be rightly understood and applied, not merely invoked to justify what the heart has already resolved to do.

अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्।
यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः।।1.45।।

aho bata mahat pāpaṁ kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam
yad rājya-sukha-lobhena hantuṁ sva-janam udyatāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

aho—alas; bata—how; mahat—great; pāpam—sins; kartum—to perform; vyavasitāḥ—have decided; vayam—we; yat—because; rājya-sukha-lobhena—driven by the desire for kingly pleasure; hantum—to kill; sva-janam—kinsmen; udyatāḥ—intending

Meaning

Alas! We are involved in a great sin, for we are prepared to kill our kinsmen, out of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.

Explanation

Arjuna cries out in anguish that he and his companions are on the verge of committing a great sin, driven by mere greed for royal pleasure to kill their own kinsmen. His self-accusation is severe, revealing how thoroughly his earlier resolve to fight has crumbled under the weight of what he now sees. This raw honesty about his own motives, even when harshly self-critical, marks the beginning of the deep self-inquiry the Gita will guide him through.

यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः।
धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत्।।1.46।।

yadi mām apratīkāram aśhastraṁ śhastra-pāṇayaḥ
dhārtarāṣhṭrā raṇe hanyus tan me kṣhemataraṁ bhavet

Word-for-Word Translation

yadi—if; mām—me; apratīkāram—unresisting; aśhastram—unarmed; śhastra-pāṇayaḥ—those with weapons in hand; dhārtarāṣhṭrāḥ—the sons of Dhritarashtra; raṇe—on the battlefield; hanyuḥ—shall kill; tat—that; me—to me; kṣhema-taram—better; bhavet—would be

Meaning

If the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.

Explanation

Arjuna declares he would rather be killed unarmed and unresisting by Dhritarashtra's sons than fight back, believing that outcome would be better for him. This is the lowest point of his despair, a willingness to abandon his role as a warrior entirely rather than face this conflict. It sets up perfectly the crisis Krishna must resolve, for surrender to inaction, the Gita will teach, is not the same as true renunciation or peace.

सञ्जय उवाच
एवमुक्त्वाऽर्जुनः संख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्।
विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानसः।।1.47।।

sañjaya uvācha
evam uktvārjunaḥ saṅkhye rathopastha upāviśhat
visṛijya sa-śharaṁ chāpaṁ śhoka-saṁvigna-mānasaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

sañjayaḥ uvācha—Sanjay said; evam uktvā—speaking thus; arjunaḥ—Arjun; saṅkhye—in the battlefield; ratha upasthe—on the chariot; upāviśhat—sat; visṛijya—casting aside; sa-śharam—along with arrows; chāpam—the bow; śhoka—with grief; saṁvigna—distressed; mānasaḥ—mind

Meaning

Sanjaya said, Having thus spoken in the midst of the battlefield, Arjuna cast away his bow and arrow and, his mind overwhelmed with sorrow, sat down on the seat of the chariot.

Explanation

Overwhelmed by grief, Arjuna casts aside his bow and arrows and sinks down onto his chariot seat, his mind consumed by sorrow. This final verse of the chapter leaves the great warrior utterly paralyzed, unable to act in either direction, fight or flee. It is precisely this state of helpless confusion that opens the door for Krishna's teaching in the chapters to come, for it is often when our own understanding fails us completely that we become ready to truly listen.