धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः ।मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय ॥
Dharmakshetre kurukshetre samaveta yuyutsavahMamakah pandavashchaiva kimakurvata sanjaya
The Gita opens with a question. Dhritarashtra, the blind king of the Kurus, asks Sanjaya what his own sons and the sons of Pandu did when they gathered at Kurukshetra, eager to fight. The verse calls Kurukshetra a dharmakṣetra, a field of dharma. Sanjaya has been given the power to see the battlefield from afar, and the whole Gita is his report to the king.
Explanation written for this site and checked against the cited edition. Free to quote with credit.
दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा ।आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत् ॥
Drishtva tu pandavanikam vyudham duryodhanastadaAcharyamupasangamya raja vachanamabravit
Sanjaya begins his report. King Duryodhana, Dhritarashtra's eldest son, sees the Pandava army drawn up in battle order. He goes to his teacher Drona and speaks to him.
पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम् ।व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता ॥
Pashyaitam panduputranamacharya mahatim chamumVyudham drupadaputrena tava shishyena dhimata
Duryodhana asks his teacher Drona to look at the great army of the Pandavas. It has been drawn up by the son of Drupada (Dhrishtadyumna), Drona's own clever pupil, who now leads the other side.
अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि ।युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः ॥
Atra shura maheshvasa bhimarjunasama yudhiYuyudhano viratashcha drupadashcha maharathah
He names the heroes on the Pandava side, great archers equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna: Yuyudhana (also called Satyaki, a kinsman of Krishna), Virata (the king at whose court the Pandavas lived in disguise), and Drupada (king of the Panchalas and father of Draupadi), a great chariot-warrior (mahāratha).
धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान् ।पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुङ्गवः ॥
Dhrishtaketushchekitanah kashirajashcha viryavanPurujitkuntibhojashcha shaibyashcha narapungavah
The list goes on: Dhrishtaketu (king of the Chedis), Chekitana (a Yadava warrior), the brave king of Kashi, Purujit and Kuntibhoja (of the family that raised Kunti, the Pandavas' mother), and Shaibya (king of the Shibis), the best of men.
युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान् ।सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः ॥
Yudhamanyushcha vikranta uttamaujashcha viryavanSaubhadro draupadeyashcha sarva eva maharathah
Also there are the bold Yudhamanyu and the brave Uttamaujas (two Panchala warriors), the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son), and the five sons of Draupadi. All of them are great chariot-warriors.
अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम ।नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान्ब्रवीमि ते ॥
Asmakam tu vishishta ye tannibodha dvijottamaNayaka mama sainyasya sanjnartham tanbravimi te
Then Duryodhana turns to his own side. He addresses Drona as the best of the twice-born (Drona is a Brahmin), and offers to name the chief commanders of their army.
भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः ।अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च ॥
Bhavanbhishmashcha karnashcha kripashcha samitinjayahAshvatthama vikarnashcha saumadattistathaiva cha
He names them: Drona himself; Bhishma (the grand elder of both families); Karna (Duryodhana's close friend); Kripa (a teacher of the princes), who wins his battles; Ashvatthama (Drona's son); Vikarna (one of Duryodhana's brothers); and the son of Somadatta (Bhurishravas).
अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः ।नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः ॥
Anye cha bahavah shura madarthe tyaktajivitahNanashastrapraharanah sarve yuddhavisharadah
Many other heroes, he says, are ready to give their lives for his sake. They carry many kinds of weapons, and all are skilled in war.
अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम् ।पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम् ॥
Aparyaptam tadasmakam balam bhishmabhirakshitamParyaptam tvidametesham balam bhimabhirakshitam
Duryodhana compares the two armies: his own, protected by Bhishma, and the Pandava army, protected by Bhima. The word aparyāpta can mean "not enough" or "beyond measure", so the verse is read in two ways. In Telang's translation his army is unlimited and the other is limited; in Besant's, his army seems not enough and the other seems enough. Besant's footnote says the commentators differ.
अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः ।भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि ॥
Ayaneshu cha sarveshu yathabhagamavasthitahBhishmamevabhirakshantu bhavantah sarva eva hi
He tells all his commanders to hold their places at every point of the army and, above all, to protect Bhishma.
तस्य सञ्जनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः ।सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान् ॥
Tasya sanjanayanharsham kuruvriddhah pitamahahSinhanadam vinadyochchaih shankham dadhmau pratapavan
Sanjaya goes on. To cheer Duryodhana, the mighty Bhishma, eldest of the Kurus and grandsire of the princes, gives a loud lion's roar and blows his conch.
ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः ।सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत् ॥
Tatah shankhashcha bheryashcha panavanakagomukhahSahasaivabhyahanyanta sa shabdastumulobhavat
Then conches, kettledrums, drums and horns all sound at once, and the noise is tremendous.
ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ ।माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः ॥
Tatah shvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitauMadhavah pandavashchaiva divyau shankhau pradadhmatuh
Then, standing in their great chariot drawn by white horses, Krishna (called here Madhava) and Arjuna (the son of Pandu) blow their divine conches.
पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनञ्जयः ।पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः ॥
Panchajanyam hrishikesho devadattam dhananjayahPaundram dadhmau mahashankham bhimakarma vrikodarah
Krishna (Hrishikesha, lord of the senses) blows Panchajanya; Arjuna (Dhananjaya, winner of wealth) blows Devadatta; and Bhima (Vrikodara, the wolf-bellied), of mighty deeds, blows the great conch Paundra. Besant's footnote says Panchajanya was made from the bones of the giant Panchajana, whom Krishna slew.
अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः ।नकुलः सहदेवश्च सुघोषमणिपुष्पकौ ॥
Anantavijayam raja kuntiputro yudhishthirahNakulah sahadevashcha sughoshamanipushpakau
King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blows Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadeva blow Sughosha and Manipushpaka. Besant's footnote gives the names as "Endless Victory", "Honey-tone" and "Jewel-blossom". With Bhima and Arjuna, these are the five Pandava brothers.
काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः ।धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः ॥
Kashyashcha parameshvasah shikhandi cha maharathahDhrishtadyumno viratashcha satyakishchaparajitah
On the Pandava side, conches are also blown by the king of Kashi, a great archer; Shikhandi (a son of Drupada), a great chariot-warrior; Dhrishtadyumna; Virata; and the unconquered Satyaki.
द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते ।सौभद्रश्च महाबाहुः शङ्खान्दध्मुः पृथक्पृथक् ॥
Drupado draupadeyashcha sarvashah prithivipateSaubhadrashcha mahabahuh shankhandadhmuh prithakprithak
Drupada, the sons of Draupadi and the strong-armed son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu) also blow their own conches, on every side. Sanjaya addresses King Dhritarashtra as "lord of the earth".
स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत् ।नभश्च पृथिवीं चैव तुमुलो व्यनुनादयन् ॥
Sa ghosho dhartarashtranam hridayani vyadarayatNabhashcha prithivim chaiva tumulo vyanunadayan
The tremendous sound echoes through sky and earth and tears at the hearts of Dhritarashtra's sons.
अथ व्यवस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः ।प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसम्पाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः ॥
Atha vyavasthitandrishtva dhartarashtrankapidhvajahPravritte shastrasampate dhanurudyamya pandavah
Arjuna, whose banner bears a monkey (kapidhvaja), sees Dhritarashtra's sons standing in battle order. As the clash of weapons begins, he lifts his bow.
हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते ।अर्जुन उवाच ।सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत ॥
Hrishikesham tada vakyamidamaha mahipateArjuna uvachaSenayorubhayormadhye ratham sthapaya mechyuta
Sanjaya tells the king that Arjuna then speaks to Krishna (Hrishikesha). Arjuna asks him to place the chariot between the two armies, and calls him Achyuta, "the one who does not fall". The edition prints "Arjuna said" in the middle of this verse, where Arjuna's own words begin.
यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान् ।कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन्रणसमुद्यमे ॥
Yavadetanniriksheham yoddhukamanavasthitanKairmaya saha yoddhavyamasminranasamudyame
Arjuna wants to look at the warriors who stand there eager to fight, and to see whom he must fight in this battle.
योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः ।धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः ॥
Yotsyamananaveksheham ya etetra samagatahDhartarashtrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyachikirshavah
He wants to see those who have gathered here to fight because they wish to please Duryodhana, the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.
एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत ।सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम् ॥
Evamukto hrishikesho gudakeshena bharataSenayorubhayormadhye sthapayitva rathottamam
Sanjaya tells the king, whom he calls Bharata (descendant of Bharata), that Krishna does as Arjuna (Gudakesha, the one who has conquered sleep) asks, and stops that finest of chariots between the two armies.
भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् ।उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति ॥
Bhishmadronapramukhatah sarvesham cha mahikshitamUvacha partha pashyaitansamavetankuruniti
Krishna places the chariot in front of Bhishma, Drona and all the kings, and says: "Partha (son of Pritha), look at these Kurus gathered here."
तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितॄनथ पितामहान् ।आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातॄन्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा ॥
Tatrapashyatsthitanparthah pitrinatha pitamahanAcharyanmatulanbhratrinputranpautransakhinstatha
There Arjuna sees who is standing in the two armies: elders of his father's generation, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends. Telang's footnote says each word covers all relatives of that kind, so "brothers" includes cousins.
श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि ।तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान् ॥
Shvashuransuhridashchaiva senayorubhayorapiTansamikshya sa kaunteyah sarvanbandhunavasthitan
In both armies he also sees fathers-in-law and dear friends. Arjuna, the son of Kunti (Kaunteya), looks at all these relatives standing ready for battle.
कृपया परयाऽऽविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत् ।अर्जुन उवाच ।दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम् ॥
Kripaya parayavishto vishidannidamabravitArjuna uvachaDrishtvemam svajanam krishna yuyutsum samupasthitam
Arjuna is filled with deep compassion, and in sorrow he speaks. He tells Krishna what happens to him when he sees his own people gathered, eager to fight. His grief is the grief of anyone who loves his family: the people he must face are the people he grew up with. The edition prints "Arjuna said" in the middle of this verse, where his own words begin.
सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति ।वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते ॥
Sidanti mama gatrani mukham cha parishushyatiVepathushcha sharire me romaharshashcha jayate
Arjuna describes what is happening to his body: his limbs give way, his mouth is dry, his body trembles and his hair stands on end. Grief is felt in the body, not only in the mind.
गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते ।न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः ॥
Gandivam sransate hastattvakchaiva paridahyateNa cha shaknomyavasthatum bhramativa cha me manah
His bow, Gandiva, slips from his hand, and his skin burns. He cannot stand steady, and his mind seems to spin.
निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव ।न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे ॥
Nimittani cha pashyami viparitani keshavaNa cha shreyonupashyami hatva svajanamahave
He tells Krishna (Keshava) that he sees adverse omens, and that he can see no good in killing his own people in battle.
न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च ।किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा ॥
Na kankshe vijayam krishna na cha rajyam sukhani chaKim no rajyena govinda kim bhogairjivitena va
Arjuna says he does not want victory, or a kingdom, or pleasures. He asks Krishna (Govinda) what use a kingdom, enjoyment or even life would be to them.
येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च ।त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च ॥
Yeshamarthe kankshitam no rajyam bhogah sukhani chaTa imevasthita yuddhe prananstyaktva dhanani cha
The very people for whose sake they want a kingdom, enjoyments and pleasures are standing here in battle, ready to give up their lives and their wealth.
आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः ।मातुलाः श्वशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा ॥
Acharyah pitarah putrastathaiva cha pitamahahMatulah shvashurah pautrah shyalah sambandhinastatha
He names them: teachers, fathers, sons and grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives.
एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन ।अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते ॥
Etanna hantumichchhami ghnatopi madhusudanaApi trailokyarajyasya hetoh kim nu mahikrite
Arjuna says he does not want to kill them, even if they kill him: not even to rule the three worlds, let alone for this earth. He calls Krishna Madhusudana (slayer of the demon Madhu).
निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन ।पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः ॥
Nihatya dhartarashtrannah ka pritih syajjanardanaPapamevashrayedasmanhatvaitanatatayinah
He asks Krishna (Janardana) what joy could come from killing the sons of Dhritarashtra. They are aggressors (ātatāyin), he says, yet killing them would bring only sin. Telang's footnote lists the six kinds of aggressor: one who sets fire, one who poisons, one who attacks with a weapon in hand, one who destroys property, and one who takes away another's wife or fields.
तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान् ।स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव ॥
Tasmannarha vayam hantum dhartarashtransvabandhavanSvajanam hi katham hatva sukhinah syama madhava
So, Arjuna says, it is not right for them to kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, their own kinsmen. He asks Krishna (Madhava) how they could be happy after killing their own people.
यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः ।कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम् ॥
Yadyapyete na pashyanti lobhopahatachetasahKulakshayakritam dosham mitradrohe cha patakam
Arjuna grants that the other side, their minds clouded by greed, see no wrong in destroying a family and no sin in betraying friends.
कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम् ।कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन ॥
Katham na jneyamasmabhih papadasmannivartitumKulakshayakritam dosham prapashyadbhirjanardana
But, he asks Krishna (Janardana), why should those who can see the harm in destroying a family not turn away from this wrong?
कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः ।धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥
Kulakshaye pranashyanti kuladharmah sanatanahDharme nashte kulam kritsnamadharmobhibhavatyuta
Arjuna explains his worry: when a family is destroyed, he says, its age-old family dharma (its traditions and rites) is lost, and when dharma is lost, adharma (the absence of dharma) takes over the whole family.
अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः ।स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय जायते वर्णसङ्करः ॥
Adharmabhibhavatkrishna pradushyanti kulastriyahStrishu dushtasu varshneya jayate varnasankarah
He goes on: when adharma prevails, the women of the family are led astray, and then the varṇas become mixed (varṇa-saṅkara). He calls Krishna Varshneya (of the Vrishni clan). These are Arjuna's own worries, spoken in grief; Krishna answers him from chapter 2 on.
सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च ।पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रियाः ॥
Sankaro narakayaiva kulaghnanam kulasya chaPatanti pitaro hyesham luptapindodakakriyah
In Arjuna's argument, this mixing leads both the family and those who destroyed it to naraka (hell), and their ancestors fall, because no one is left to give them the offerings of rice-balls and water (piṇḍa and udaka) of the family rites.
दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः ।उत्साद्यन्ते जातिधर्माः कुलधर्माश्च शाश्वताः ॥
Doshairetaih kulaghnanam varnasankarakarakaihUtsadyante jatidharmah kuladharmashcha shashvatah
Arjuna goes on. Through these wrongs of those who destroy families, which cause the mixing of varṇas, he says, the lasting dharma of the community (jāti-dharma) and of the family (kula-dharma) is uprooted.
उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन ।नरकेऽनियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम ॥
Utsannakuladharmanam manushyanam janardanaNarakeniyatam vaso bhavatityanushushruma
Arjuna says he has heard that people whose family dharma is destroyed live in naraka (hell) for a time without limit. The 1922 printing reads "niyatam" here: they live in hell without fail. The verse ends with anuśuśruma, "so we have heard": he is repeating what tradition says. All these reasons come from his love for his family and from his grief.
अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम् ।यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः ॥
Aho bata mahatpapam kartum vyavasita vayamYadrajyasukhalobhena hantum svajanamudyatah
Arjuna cries out in sorrow: out of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom, they are getting ready to kill their own people, and so to do a great wrong.
यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः ।धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत् ॥
Yadi mamapratikaramashastram shastrapanayahDhartarashtra rane hanyustanme kshemataram bhavet
He says it would be better for him if the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapons in hand, killed him in battle while he stood unarmed and did not fight back.
एवमुक्त्वाऽर्जुनः सङ्ख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत् ।विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानसः ॥
Evamuktvarjunah sankhye rathopastha upavishatVisrijya sasharam chapam shokasanvignamanasah
Sanjaya tells the king that, having said this on the battlefield, Arjuna puts down his bow and arrows and sinks down on the seat of his chariot, his mind overwhelmed by grief. The chapter is called Arjuna Vishada Yoga, the yoga of Arjuna's despondency. Krishna's teaching, which begins in chapter 2, is his answer to this grief.