Text 1
Dhrtarastra said: O Sanajaya, after my sons and the sons of Pandu assembled in the place of pilgrimage at Kurukesetraa, desiring to fight, what did they do?
Text 2
Sanjaya said: O King, after looking over the army arranged in military formation by the sons of Pandu King Duryodhana went to his teacher and spoked the following words.
Text 3
O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pandu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent desciple the son of Drupada.
Text 4
Here in this army are many heroic bowmen equal in fighting to Bhima and Arjuna: fighters like Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada.
Text 5
There are also great heroic, powerful fighters like Dhrstaketu, Cekitana, Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Saibya.
Text 6
There are the mighty Yudhamanyu, the very powerful Uttamauja, the son of Subhadra and the sons of Drapadi. All these warriors are great chariot fighters.
Text 7
But for your information, O best of the brahamanas let me tell you about the captains who are especially qualified to lead my military force.
Text 8
There are personalities like you, Bhisma Karna Krpa Asvattama, Vikarna and the son of Somadata called Bhurisrava, who are always victorious in battle.
Text 9
There are many other heroes who are prepared to lay down their lives for my sake. All of them are well equipped with different kinds of weapons, and all are experienced in military science.
Text 10
Our strength is immeasurable, and we are pefectly protected by Grandfather Bhismaa, whereas the strength of the Pandavas, carefully prtected by Bhima, is limited.
Text 11
All of you must now give full support to Grandfather Bhisma, as you stand at your respective strategic points of entrance into the phalanx of the army.
Text 12
Then Bhisma the great valiant grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, the grandfahers, blew his conchshell very loudly, making a sound like roar fo a lion, giving Durydhana joy.
Text 13
After that, the conchshells, drums, bugles, trumpets and horns were all suddenly sounded, and the combined sound was tumultuous.
Text 14
On the other side, both Lord Kirsna and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses, sounded their transcendental conchshells.
Text 15
Lord Krsnaa blew His conchshell called Pancajanya; Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta: and Bhima the voracious eater and performer of herculean tasks, blew his terrific conchshell, called Paundra.
Text 16-18
King Yudhisthira the son of Kunti, blew his conchshell, the Ananta-vijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosa and Mani-puspaka. That great archer the King of Kati, the great fighter Sikhandi, Dhrstadyumna, Virata, the unconquerable Satyaki Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and others, O King, such as the mighty-armed son of Subhadra, all blew their respective conchshells.
Text 19
The blowing of these different conchshells became uproarious. Vibrating both in the sky on the earth,it shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarastra.
Text 20
At that time Arjuna, the son of Pandu,seated in the chariot bearing the flag marked with Hanuman, took up hos how and prepared to shoot his arrows. O King,after looking at the sons of Dhrtarastra drawn in military array, Arjuna then spoke of Lord Krsna these words.
Text 21-22
Arjuna saidH O infallible one, please draw my chariot between the two armies so that I may see those present here, who desire to fight, and with whom I must contend in this great trial of arms.
Text 23
Let me see those who have come here to fight, wishing to please the evil-minded son of Dhrtarastra.
Text 24
Sanjaya saidH O descendant of Bharata, having thus been addressed by Arjuna, Lord krsna drew up the fine chariot in the midst of the armies of both parties.
Text 25
In the presence of Bhisma, Drona and all the other chieftains of the world, the Lord said, Just behold, Partha, all the Kurus assembled here.
Text 26
There Arjuna could see, within the midst of the armies of both parties, his fathers grandfathers, teachers,maternal uncles, brothers, sons,grandsons,friends,and also his fathers-in-law and well-wishers.
Text 27
When the son of Kunti, Arjuna saw all these different grades of friends and relatives, he became overwhelmed with compassion and spoke thus.
Text 28
Arjuna said: My dear Krsna seeing my friends and relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up.
Text 29
My whole body is trembling, my hair is standing on end, my bow Gandiva is slipping from my hand,and my skin is burning.
Text 30
I am now unable to stand here any longet. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I see only cause of misfortune, O krasna, killer of the Kesi demon.
Text 31
I do not see how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in this battle, ror can I , my dear Krsna, desire any subsequent victory, kingdom, or happinedss.
Text 32-35
O Govinda, of what avail to us ar a kingdom, happiness or even life itself when all those for whom we may desire them are now arrayed on this battlefield? O Mandhusudana, when teachers, fathers, sons,grandfathers, maternal uncles,fathers-in-law, gradsons,brothers-in-law and other relatives are ready to give up their lives and properties and are standing before me,why should I wish to kill them,even though they might otherwise kill me? O maintiner of all living entities, I am not prepared to fight with them even in exchange for the three worlds, let alone this earth. What pleasure will we derive from killing the sons of Dhrtarastra?
Text 36
Sin will overcome us if we slay such aggressors. Thgerefore it is not proper for us to kill the sons of Dhrtarastra and our friends. What should we again, O krsna, husband of the goddess of fortune, and how could we be happy by killing our own kinsmen?
Text 37-38
O Janardana, although these men, their hearts overtaken by greed, see no fault in killing one's family or equarreling with friends, why should we, who can see the crime in destroying a family, engage in these acts of sin?
Text 39
With the destruction of dynasty, the eternal family tradition is vanquished and thus the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligion.
Text 40
When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Krsna, the women of the family become polluted and from the degradation of woman-hood, O descendant of Virsni, comes unwanted progeny.
Text 41
An increase of unwanted population certainly caused helish life both for the family and for those who destroy the family tradition The ancestors of such corrupt families fall down, because the performances for offering them food and water are entirely stopped.
Text 42
By the evil deeds of those who destroy the family traditon and thus give rise to unwanted children, all kind's of community projects and family welfare activities and devastated.
Text 43
O Krsna maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those who destroy family traditions dwell always in hell.
Text 44
Alas,how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts. Driveen by the deisire to enjoy royal happines, we are intent on killing our own kinsmen.
Text 45
Better for me if the sons of Dhrtarastra, weapons in hand, were to kill me unarmed and unresisting on the battlefield.
Text 46
Sanjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoked on the battlefield, cast aside his how and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.