SITE OF SRI AUROBINDO & THE MOTHER
      
Home Page | Workings | Works of Sri Aurobindo | Writings in Bengali

Sri Aurobindo

Writings in Bengali

Translated into English

The Gita: Text — Translation

Chapter One

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca

dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ

māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kimakurvata sańjaya (1. 01)

Dhritarashtra said,

O Sanjaya, gathered together for war on the holy field of Kurukshetra, what did my partisans and those of the Pandavas do?

sańjaya uvāca

dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanastadā

ācāryamupasaṃgamya rājā vacanamabravīt (1. 02)

Sanjaya said,

Thereupon, King Duryodhana on seeing the Pandava army arranged in battle order approached the preceptor and said these words:

paśyaitāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṃ camūm

vyūḍhāṃ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā (1. 03)

“Look, O Teacher, look at this huge Pandava army arranged in order of battle by your clever disciple Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Drupada.

atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi

yuyudhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ (1. 04)

dhṛṣṭaketuścekitānaḥ kāśirājaśca vīryavān

purujitkuntibhojaśca śaibyaśca narapuṃgavaḥ (1. 05)

yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān

saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ (1. 06)

In this enormous army there are courageous men and mighty wielders of bow like unto Bhima and Arjuna — Yuyudhana, Virata, and Drupada, the great chariot-warrior.

There are Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana and the man of great might, the king of Kashi, there are Purujit and Kuntibhoja and Shaibya, the best of men. The powerful Yudhamanyu is there and the mighty Uttamauja, Abhimanyu the son of Subhadra, and the sons of Draupadi, great warriors all.

asmākaṃ tu viśiṣṭā ye tānnibodha dvijottama

nāyakā mama sainyasya saṃjńārthaṃ tānbravīmi te (1. 07)

Those among us who are possessed of extraordinary strength, those who are the leaders of my troops, of them I recount the names that you may remember them, note:

bhavānbhīṣmaśca karṇaśca kṛpaśca samitiṃjayaḥ

aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca saumadattir jayadrathaḥ (1. 08)

anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥ

nānāśastrapraharaṇāḥ sarve yuddhaviśāradāḥ (1. 09)

Yourself and Bhishma, Karna and Kripa, the winner in battle, Aswatthama, Vikarna, Bhurisrava, the son of Somadatta, and Jayadratha, and many another man of courage have given up their attachment to life for my sake. All of them are skilled in warfare and are accoutred with many kinds of weapons.

aparyāptaṃ tadasmākaṃ balaṃ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam

paryāptaṃ tvidameteṣāṃ balaṃ bhīmābhirakṣitam (1. 10)

The strength of this army of ours is unlimited, on top of that Bhishma is our defender; the strength of that army of theirs is limited and Bhima alone is their hope and protection.

ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathābhāgamavasthitāḥ

bhīṣmamevābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi (1. 11)

Therefore all of you should protect Bhishma alone by remaining at your appointed stations among the troops at all the entries to the battle-field.”

tasya saṃjanayanharṣaṃ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ

siṃhanādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ śaňkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān (1. 12)

Giving rise to joy in Duryodhana's heart, grandfather Bhishma the oldest of the Kauravas uttered a loud battle-cry that resounded through the field and blew with great power into his conch.

tataḥ śaňkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānakagomukhāḥ

sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdastumulo'bhavat (1. 13)

Then suddenly there arose the sounds of conches and horns and war-drums of all kinds, the battle-field was filled with loud noises.

tataḥ śvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau

mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaňkhau pradaghmatuḥ (1. 14)

Thereupon, standing on their huge chariot drawn by white horses, Krishna and Pandu's son Arjuna blew their divine conches.

pāńcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ

pauṇḍraṃ dadhmau mahāśaňkhaṃ bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ (1. 15)

Hrishikesha blew his Pancajanya, Arjuna his conch named Devadatta, and Bhima of terrifying deeds blew his mighty conch named Paundra.

anantavijayaṃ rājā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

nakulaḥ sahadevaśca sughoṣamaṇipuṣpakau (1. 16)

King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew his conch Anantavijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew theirs named Sughosha and Manipushpaka.

kāśyaśca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ

dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiścāparājitaḥ (1. 17)

drupado draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivīpate

saubhadraśca mahābāhuḥ śaňkhāndadhmuḥ pṛthakpṛthak (1. 18)

Kashi's king, the supreme archer, the great chariot-fighter Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna and the unbeaten warrior Satyaki, Drupada and Draupadi's sons, the long-armed son of Subhadra, all blew their respective conches from every direction.

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat

nabhaśca pṛthivīṃ caiva tumulo vyanunādayan (1. 19)

That mighty report sent tumultuous echoes through earth and sky and rent asunder the hearts of Dhritarashtra's sons.

atha vyavasthitāndṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrān kapidhvajaḥ

pravṛtte śastrasaṃpāte dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ

hṛṣīkeśaṃ tadā vākyamidamāha mahīpate (1. 20)

Then, after the missiles had begun to fly, Pandu's son Arjuna raised his bow and said these words to Hrishikesha:

arjuna uvāca

senayorubhayormadhye rathaṃ sthāpaya me'cyuta

yāvadetānnirīkṣe'haṃ yoddhukāmānavasthitān (1. 21)

kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasminraṇasamudyame (1. 22)

yotsyamānānavekṣe'haṃ ya ete'tra samāgatāḥ

dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ (1. 23)

Arjuna said:

“O sinless one, place my chariot at a mid-point between the two armies, that I may gaze for sometime at these adversaries seized with the desire for battle. Let me see who are they who want a fight, who have come together here with the object of performing in the battle-field acts dear to Duryodhana, the misguided son of Dhritarashtra.”

sańjaya uvāca

evamukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata

senayorubhayormadhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam (1. 24)

bhīṣmadroṇapramukhataḥ sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām

uvāca pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti (1. 25)

Sanjaya said:

On hearing these words of Arjuna, Hrishikesha placed that excellent chariot at a mid-point between the two armies, and arriving in front of Bhishma, Drona and all the other princes, said, “O Partha, watch all the Kurus gathered here.”

tatrāpaśyatsthitānpārthaḥ pitṝnatha pitāmahān

ācāryānmātulānbhrātṝnputrānpautrānsakhīṃstathā

śvaśurānsuhṛdaścaiva senayorubhayorapi (1. 26)

In that field of battle, Partha saw standing among the two opposing forces, fathers and grandfathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons and grandsons, friends, fathers-in-law and intimate companions, all his kith and kin.

tānsamīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvānbandhūnavasthitān

kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo viṣīdannidamabravīt (1. 27)

On seeing all those friends and relations thus standing before him, Kunti's son was overtaken by an acute sense of pity and said these words, his heart stricken with grief:

arjuna uvāca

dṛṣṭvemaṃ svajanaṃ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṃ samupasthitam

sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṃ ca pariśuṣyati (1. 28)

vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate

gāṇḍīvaṃ sraṃsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate (1. 29)

Arjuna said:

“O Krishna, on seeing all these my own people ranged for battle, the limbs of my body are feeling weary, my mouth is getting parched, all over the body there is shivering and the hairs stand on edge, the Gandiva bow is slipping out of my hand without control, my skin is as if burning with fire.

na ca śaknomyavasthātuṃ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ

nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava (1. 30)

I can no longer keep standing, my mind is beginning as if to whirl, O Keshava, I am seeing evil omens.

na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave

na kāňkṣe vijayaṃ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṃ sukhāni ca (1. 31)

I do not see any good from killing my own people in battle. O Krishna, I do not wish for victory, nor do I want a kingdom nor seek happiness either.

kiṃ no rājyena govinda kiṃ bhogairjīvitena vā

yeṣāmarthe kāňkṣitaṃ no rājyaṃ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca (1. 32)

ta ime'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṃstyaktvā dhanāni ca

ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ (1. 33)

Tell me, O Govinda, what do we gain from kingdom? what profit is there in enjoyment? of what use is life itself? Those for whom kingdom and enjoyment and life become desirable are themselves present in this battlefield after renouncing their life and wealth — they who are teachers and fathers, sons and grandfathers,

mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinastathā

etānna hantumicchāmi ghnato'pi madhusūdana (1. 34)

api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kiṃ nu mahīkṛte

nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana (1. 35)

uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives. O Madhusudana, if they kill me, even then I do not wish to kill them, not even for the sake of dominion over the three worlds, what to say of the lordship of earth. What, O Janardana, can be our happiness of mind by killing the sons of Dhritarashtra?

pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ

tasmānnārhā vayaṃ hantuṃ dhārtarāṣṭrānsvabāndhavān

svajanaṃ hi kathaṃ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava (1. 36)

They are out to kill, nevertheless, to kill them would be to give shelter in our mind to sin. Therefore, since the sons of Dhritarashtra are our kin, we are not the persons fit to destroy them. In what way, O Madhava, shall we be happy by killing our own people?

yadyapyete na paśyanti lobhopahatacetasaḥ

kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ mitradrohe ca pātakam (1. 37)

Under the influence of greed they have lost their understanding, and they do not appreciate the evils arising from a deterioration of the clans and the heinous sin of doing harm to one's friends.

kathaṃ na jńeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum

kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana (1. 38)

But we, O Janardana, realise the harm caused by the deterioration of clans. Why should we not wake to the knowledge, why should we not desist from this sin?

kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ

dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnam adharmo'bhibhavatyuta (1. 39)

With a deterioration of the clan, all the established laws of right living come to an end, and with that, unrighteousness overtakes the entire clan.

adharmābhibhavātkṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kulastriyaḥ

strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇasaṃkaraḥ (1. 40)

Under the influence of unrighteousness, O Krishna, the women of the clan lose their virtue; when the women lose their virtue, there is admixture of castes.

saṃkaro narakāyaiva kulaghnānāṃ kulasya ca

patanti pitaro hyeṣāṃ luptapiṇḍodakakriyāḥ (1. 41)

The admixture of castes is the cause of the clansmen and the destroyers of clans going to hell, because the ancestors are thereby deprived of the food and water given them as offerings and they fall from the world of the fathers.

doṣairetaiḥ kulaghnānāṃ varṇasaṃkarakārakaiḥ

utsādyante jātidharmāḥ kuladharmāśca śāśvatāḥ (1. 42)

As a result of all these evils caused by the destroyers of clans and leading to the admixture of castes, the old established laws of the nation and the clan come to naught.

utsannakuladharmāṇāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ janārdana

narake niyataṃ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma (1. 43)

In hell is assigned the abode of those the laws of whose clans have come to naught; this is what we have heard from of old.

aho bata mahat pāpaṃ kartuṃ vyavasitā vayam

yad rājyasukhalobhena hantuṃ svajanam udyatāḥ (1. 44)

Lo! the extremely heinous sin we had determined to commit, that we were making efforts to kill our own people out of greed for the pleasure of dominion.

yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṃ śastrapāṇayaḥ

dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṃ bhavet (1. 45)

It were better for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra accoutred in arms should kill me when I am without arms and make no effort to resist.”

sańjaya uvāca

evamuktvārjunaḥ saṅkhye rathopastha upāviśat

visṛjya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ śokasaṃvignamānasaḥ (1. 46)

Sanjaya said:

With these words, his mind stained by the upsurge of grief, Arjuna threw away his bow with the arrow fixed on it and sat down in his chariot.