Verse 1:

Dhṛtarāṣṭra¹ inquired,

his words taking flight,

O Sañjaya²,

tell,

after assembling for the fight,

My sons and those of Pāṇḍu³,

on Kurukṣetra's⁴ sacred ground,

What deeds unfolded there,

what actions could be found?

Verse 2:

Sañjaya² then spoke,

his voice serene and deep,

O King (Dhṛtarāṣṭra),

Duryodhana⁵,

his watchful vigil to keep,

Observed the Pāṇḍava³ force,

in battle lines arrayed,

And to his trusted teacher (Droṇa),

these very words he conveyed.

Verse 3:

O my respected guru (Droṇa),

did Duryodhana⁵ declare,

Behold the mighty army,

beyond compare,

Of Pāṇḍu's³ noble sons,

so skillfully aligned,

By your own brilliant student,

of Drupada's⁶ mind.

Verse 4:

Within this grand formation,

brave archers stand with might,

As strong as Bhīma³,

Arjuna³,

prepared to fiercely fight.

Great warriors also gather:

Yuyudhāna⁷,

bold and true,

With Virāṭa⁸ and Drupada⁶,

a valiant,

noble crew.

Verse 5:

And heroes strong and potent,

their prowess well-renowned,

Like Dhṛṣṭaketu⁹,

Cekitāna¹⁰,

on battlefields are found.

With Kāśirāja,

Purujit,

and Kuntibhoja brave,

And Śaibya,

ready for the war,

their lives they freely gave.

Verse 6:

The mighty Yudhāmanyu,

of strength that knows no end,

With Uttamaujā powerful,

their loyal support they lend.

The son of Subhadrā,

with courage shining bright,

And Draupadī's valiant sons,

all skilled in chariot fight.

Verse 7:

But for your kind attention,

O Brahmin of great fame,

The captains of my forces,

I shall now distinctly name,

Those specially qualified,

their leadership to show,

To guide our mighty warriors,

wherever they may go.

Verse 8:

There are such noble figures,

like you,

revered and wise,

With Bhīṣma,

Karṇa,

Kṛpa,

whose valor never dies.

And Aśvatthāmā,

Vikarṇa,

of great renown and might,

With Bhūriśravā,

son of Somadatta,

ever victorious in fight.

Verse 9:

And many other heroes,

with courage burning bright,

Prepared to sacrifice their lives,

for me and for my right.

With weapons armed,

and skill in warfare keen,

In military science,

their expertise has been.

Verse 10:

Our strength is vast,

unmeasured,

a boundless,

surging tide,

By Grandfather Bhīṣma protected,

our forces stand with pride.

But the strength of the Pāṇḍavas,

though guarded by Bhīma's hand,

Is limited and finite,

across this sacred land.

Verse 11:

(Duryodhna addressing his ranks at large)

Now,

all of you assembled,

your steadfast support must lend,

To Grandfather Bhīṣma's guidance,

your energies extend.

As you stand at your positions,

strategic and defined,

At the entry points and pathways,

within our battle line.

Verse 12:

Then Bhīṣma,

grandsire valiant,

of Kuru's noble race,

The grandfather of warriors,

in that momentous place,

Blew his great conchshell loudly,

a lion's mighty roar,

And filled Duryodhana's spirit with joy unknown before.

Verse 13:

Then conchshells and kettle drums,

with bugles,

trumpets high,

And horns resounded suddenly,

throughout the earth and sky.

A tumultuous vibration,

a deafening,

mighty sound,

Upon the Kurukṣetra battlefield,

did powerfully abound.

Verse 14:

Upon the other side then,

their conchshells did resound,

Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna,

on chariot holy ground,

Drawn by white steeds of glory,

their sacred duty bound,

Their transcendental instruments,

their victory did propound.

Verse 15:

Lord Kṛṣṇa blew His Pāñcajanya,

a sound divine and grand,

Arjuna blew Devadatta,

across the waiting land.

And Bhīma,

the great eater,

of herculean might and main,

His Pauṇḍra,

a terrific blast,

upon the battle plain.

Verses 16-18:

King Yudhiṣṭhira,

Kuntī's son,

his Ananta-vijaya blew,

Nakula and Sahadeva,

their Sughoṣa,

strong and new,

And Maṇipuṣpaka sounded,

a vibrant,

echoing call.

The archer King of Kāśī,

renowned by one and all,

Śikhaṇḍī,

mighty fighter,

with Dhṛṣṭadyumna near,

And Virāṭa,

unconquerable,

dispelling every fear.

Sātyaki,

of valor great,

and Drupada the bold,

Draupadī's sons,

united,

their conchshells did unfold.

And he,

the mighty-armed one,

Subhadrā's noble son,

Each warrior present there,

his sacred duty done.

Verse 19:

The blowing of these conchshells,

a clamorous,

rising tide,

Vibrating through the heavens,

and earth on every side.

It shattered the very hearts,

of Dhṛtarāṣṭra's proud array,

As omens of their downfall,

unfolded on that day.

Verse 20:

Then Arjuna,

son of Pāṇḍu,

in his chariot did reside,

His banner marked with Hanumān,

with valor and with pride.

He took his mighty bow then,

and arrows made him ready,

And seeing Dhṛtarāṣṭra's sons,

his voice grew firm and steady.

To Lord Kṛṣṇa then he spoke,

his heart with purpose fraught,

The words that Arjuna uttered,

with deep emotion fraught.

Verses 21-22:

Arjuna spoke,

O Krishna,

infallible and true,

Pray draw my chariot forward,

these armies to review.

Between the ranks of battle,

let it swiftly glide,

That I may see those present,

who have come to fight with pride,

And those with whom in this great war,

my strength I must employ,

In this momentous trial of arms,

where fates we shall deploy.

Verse 23:

Let me behold those warriors,

who gather on this field,

With hearts intent on battle,

their destinies revealed.

Those who have come to please him,

the evil-minded one,

The son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra,

whose wicked deeds are done.

Verse 24:

Sañjaya then recounted,

to Bharata's noble line,

Lord Kṛṣṇa,

by Arjuna's words,

did swiftly now incline.

He drove the splendid chariot,

with skill beyond compare,

Right in the midst of armies,

suspended in the air.

Verse 25:

In presence of great Bhīṣma,

and Droṇa,

wise and old,

And all the other chieftains,

their stories to be told,

The Lord then gently uttered,

Behold,

O son of Pṛthā,

The Kurus all assembled here,

awaiting cruel war's path.

Verse 26:

There Arjuna then witnessed,

a sight that caused him pain,

Within the opposing forces,

again and yet again,

His fathers,

grandfathers present,

teachers of great skill,

Maternal uncles,

brothers too,

his heart began to chill.

His sons and grandsons gathered,

with friends he held so dear,

And fathers-in-law also stood,

with well-wishers held near.

Verse 27:

When Kuntī's noble son,

Arjuna,

cast his gaze,

On all these different kinsmen,

in battle's fierce displays,

His heart was overwhelmed with compassion's gentle sway,

And thus to Lord Kṛṣṇa,

these words he did convey.

Verse 28:

Arjuna said,

O Kṛṣṇa dear,

as I behold this sight,

My friends and close relations,

prepared to fiercely fight,

The limbs upon my body,

begin to quake and reel,

And in my parched and anxious mouth,

no moisture can I feel.

Verse 29:

My very frame is trembling,

my hair stands on its end,

The Gāṇḍīva,

my mighty bow,

its grip I can't defend,

It slips from my weakening hand,

my skin with fever burns,

As dread and apprehension,

to every nerve returns.

Verse 30:

I cannot stand here longer,

my strength has ebbed away,

My memory is fading,

in this distressing day.

Misfortune's signs surround me,

O Kṛṣṇa,

slayer of the foe,

In this impending conflict,

where seeds of sorrow grow.

Verse 31:

No good can I envision,

from slaying my own kin,

In this destructive battle,

where loss will soon begin.

Nor can I wish for victory,

or kingdom's fleeting claim,

Nor happiness that follows,

this act of cruelest aim.

Verses 32-35:

O Govinda,

tell me truly,

of what avail to me,

Are kingdom,

joy,

or even life,

in this calamity? When those for whom we long ,

stand ready here to die,

O Madhusūdana,

as moments swiftly fly.

Our teachers,

fathers,

grandsons,

maternal uncles too,

And fathers-in-law assembled,

a sorrowful review.

Brothers-in-law and kinsmen,

prepared to face their fate,

To give up life and fortune,

before my eyes they wait.

Why should I wish to kill them,

though they might strike me down? O maintainer of all life,

no pleasure can be found.

Not even for the three worlds,

would I engage in fight,

What joy in killing Dhṛtarāṣṭra's sons,

in morning's fading light?

Verse 36:

Sin will surely overcome us,

if we these men should slay,

These aggressors who confront us,

upon this fateful day.

Therefore it is not proper,

to spill their precious blood,

What gain,

O Kṛṣṇa,

husband of fortune's gentle flood? How could we find true happiness,

by kin's untimely end,

On this Kurukṣetra battlefield,

where sorrows now descend?

Verses 37-38:

O Janārdana,

though these men,

by greed's dark force possessed,

See no fault in family strife,

or friendships dispossessed,

Why should we,

who clearly see,

the crime of family's fall,

Engage in such vile actions,

and answer to sin's call?

Verse 39:

With the destruction of the clan,

tradition fades away,

The ancient family customs,

in utter disarray.

And when the dynasty is lost,

and ancient ways are gone,

The rest of the afflicted house,

in irreligion is drawn.

Verse 40:

When irreligion flourishes,

O Kṛṣṇa,

dark and deep,

The women of the household,

their purity can't keep.

And from this degradation,

O Vṛṣṇi's noble heir,

Unwanted progeny arises,

causing deep despair.

Verse 41:

An increase in unwanted births,

brings hellish life's domain,

To families and those who break,

tradition's binding chain.

The ancestors then suffer,

their spirits find no rest,

Because the rites and offerings,

are utterly suppressed.

Verse 42:

By evil deeds committed,

by those who wreck the clan,

And cause the birth of unwanted ones,

a most unholy plan,

All community projects fail,

and welfare's gentle hand,

And family's cherished harmony,

are ruined across the land.

Verse 43:

O Kṛṣṇa,

sustainer of all,

the people's guiding light,

Through disciplic succession,

I've heard with all my might,

That those whose family customs,

are utterly destroyed,

Forever in the hellish realms,

their wretchedness employed.

Verse 44:

Alas,

how strange this seems to me,

that we are now prepared,

To perpetrate such sinful acts,

our conscience unprepared.

Driven by the craving for a kingdom's fleeting bliss,

We stand intent on killing,

our own dear kith and kiss.

Verse 45:

Better for me if Dhṛtarāṣṭra's sons,

with weapons in their hold,

Should slay me unarmed,

unresisting,

my story to be told,

Upon this field of battle,

where fates will soon align,

Than I should raise my hand against,

this family of mine.

Verse 46:

Sañjaya then recounted,

Thus spoke Arjuna brave,

Upon the Kurukṣetra field,

where warriors sought their grave.

He cast aside his mighty bow,

with arrows sharp and keen,

And sank down on his chariot,

with sorrow's painful scene,

His mind overwhelmed with anguish,

his spirit filled with grief,

As war's grim reality,

brought him no relief.

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