Arjuna Visada Yoga

Dhritarashtra said

धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः।
मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय ॥

dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kimakurvata sañjaya

Sanjaya, on the sacred field of Kurukshetra, my sons and the sons of Pandu gathered, eager to fight. What did they do?

Sanjaya said

दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा।
आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanastadā
ācāryamupasaṅgamya rājā vacanamabravīt

Seeing the Pandava army drawn up for battle, King Duryodhana went to his teacher Drona and spoke.

पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्।
व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता ॥

paśyaitāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṃ camūm
vyūḍhāṃ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā

Look, teacher, at this mighty army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed by your own gifted student, the son of Drupada.

अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि।
युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः ॥

atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi
yuyudhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ

Here are heroes and great archers, equal to Bhima and Arjuna in battle: Yuyudhana, Virata and the great chariot-warrior Drupada;

धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान्।
पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुङ्गवः ॥

dhṛṣṭaketuścekitānaḥ kāśirājaśca vīryavān
purujitkuntibhojaśca śaibyaśca narapuṅgavaḥ

Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana and the valiant king of Kashi; Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Shaibya, the best of men;

युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान्।
सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः ॥

yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān
saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ

the bold Yudhamanyu, the brave Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi, all of them great chariot-warriors.

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

asmākaṃ tu viśiṣṭā ye tānnibodha dvijottama
nāyakā mama sainyasya saṃjñārthaṃ tānbravīmi te

Now hear, best of the twice-born, about the leading warriors on our side. I name the commanders of my army for you.

भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः।
अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च ॥

bhavānbhīṣmaśca karṇaśca kṛpaśca samitiñjayaḥ
aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca saumadattistathaiva ca

Yourself, Bhishma, Karna and Kripa, victorious in battle; Ashvatthama, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta.

अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः।
नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः ॥

anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥ
nānāśastrapraharaṇāḥ sarve yuddhaviśāradāḥ

And many other heroes ready to give their lives for me, armed with many kinds of weapons, all skilled in war.

अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्।
पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम् ॥

aparyāptaṃ tadasmākaṃ balaṃ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam
paryāptaṃ tvidameteṣāṃ balaṃ bhīmābhirakṣitam

Our army, guarded by Bhishma, is beyond measure; theirs, guarded by Bhima, is limited. (Readings of this verse differ: some take it to mean the opposite.)

अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः।
भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि ॥

ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathābhāgamavasthitāḥ
bhīṣmamevābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi

So all of you, holding your positions at every point of entry, must protect Bhishma above all.

तस्य संजनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः।
सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान् ॥

tasya saṃjanayanharṣaṃ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ
siṃhanādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān

Then Bhishma, the mighty grandsire and eldest of the Kurus, roared like a lion and blew his conch, filling Duryodhana with joy.

ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः।
सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत् ॥

tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānakagomukhāḥ
sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdastumulo'bhavat

At once conches and kettledrums, cymbals, drums and horns blared together, and the sound was tremendous.

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

tataḥ śvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ

Then, standing in their great chariot yoked to white horses, Krishna and Arjuna blew their divine conches.

पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनंजयः।
पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः ॥

pāñcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ
pauṇḍraṃ dadhmau mahāśaṅkhaṃ bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ

Krishna blew Panchajanya, Arjuna blew Devadatta, and Bhima, doer of fearsome deeds, blew his great conch Paundra.

अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः।
नकुलः सहदेवश्च सुघोषमणिपुष्पकौ ॥

anantavijayaṃ rājā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
nakulaḥ sahadevaśca sughoṣamaṇipuṣpakau

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

काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः।
धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः ॥

kāśyaśca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ
dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiścāparājitaḥ

The king of Kashi, a supreme archer; Shikhandi, the great chariot-warrior; Dhrishtadyumna, Virata and the unconquered Satyaki;

द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते।
सौभद्रश्च महाबाहुः शङ्खान्दध्मुः पृथक्पृथक् ॥

drupado draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivīpate
saubhadraśca mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhāndadhmuḥ pṛthakpṛthak

Drupada, the sons of Draupadi and the mighty-armed son of Subhadra each blew their own conch, O lord of the earth.

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

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat
nabhaśca pṛthivīṃ caiva tumulo vyanunādayan

That roar echoed through earth and sky and tore at the hearts of Dhritarashtra's sons.

अथ व्यवस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः।
प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसंपाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः ॥

atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrānkapidhvajaḥ
pravṛtte śastrasaṃpāte dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ

Then, seeing Dhritarashtra's sons arrayed for battle and the weapons about to fly, Arjuna, whose banner bore Hanuman, lifted his bow

हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते।
Arjuna saidसेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत ॥

hṛṣīkeśaṃ tadā vākyamidamāha mahīpate
senayorubhayormadhye rathaṃ sthāpaya me'cyuta

and spoke to Krishna. Arjuna said: Achyuta, draw my chariot up between the two armies,

यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान्।
कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन्रणसमुद्यमे ॥

yāvadetānnirīkṣe'haṃ yoddhukāmānavasthitān
kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasminraṇasamudyame

so that I can look at those who stand here eager to fight, and see whom I must face in this battle.

योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः।
धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः ॥

yotsyamānānavekṣe'haṃ ya ete'tra samāgatāḥ
dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ

Let me see the men gathered here to fight, wanting to please the ill-minded son of Dhritarashtra.

Sanjaya said

एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत।
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम् ॥

evamukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata
senayorubhayormadhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam

Asked this by Arjuna, Krishna drove the finest of chariots between the two armies,

भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम्।
उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति ॥

bhīṣmadroṇapramukhataḥ sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām
uvāca pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti

in front of Bhishma, Drona and all the kings of the earth, and said: Partha, see all these Kurus gathered here.

तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितॄनथ पितामहान्।
आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातॄन्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा ॥

tatrāpaśyatsthitānpārthaḥ pitṝnatha pitāmahān
ācāryānmātulānbhrātṝnputrānpautrānsakhīṃstathā

There Arjuna saw, standing in both armies, fathers and grandfathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends,

श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि।
तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान् ॥

śvaśurānsuhṛdaścaiva senayorubhayorapi
tānsamīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvānbandhūnavasthitān

fathers-in-law and well-wishers. Seeing all these kinsmen arrayed before him, Arjuna, son of Kunti,

कृपया परयाऽऽविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत्।
Arjuna saidदृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम् ॥

kṛpayā parayā''viṣṭo viṣīdannidamabravīt
dṛṣṭvemaṃ svajanaṃ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṃ samupasthitam

was overcome by deep compassion and spoke in sorrow. Arjuna said: Krishna, seeing my own people eager to fight,

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

sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṃ ca pariśuṣyati
vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate

my limbs give way, my mouth goes dry, my body trembles and my hair stands on end.

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

gāṇḍīvaṃ sraṃsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate
na ca śaknomyavasthātuṃ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ

The Gandiva slips from my hand and my skin is burning. I cannot stand steady; my mind is reeling.

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

nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava
na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave

I see evil omens, Keshava, and I see no good in killing my own kin in battle.

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

na kāṅkṣe vijayaṃ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṃ sukhāni ca
kiṃ no rājyena govinda kiṃ bhogairjīvitena vā

I do not want victory, Krishna, nor a kingdom, nor pleasures. What use is a kingdom to us, Govinda, or pleasure, or even life itself?

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

yeṣāmarthe kāṅkṣitaṃ no rājyaṃ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca
ta ime'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṃstyaktvā dhanāni ca

Those for whose sake we want a kingdom, enjoyment and pleasure stand here in battle, ready to give up their lives and their wealth:

आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः।
मातुलाः श्चशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा ॥

ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ
mātulāḥ ścaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinastathā

teachers, fathers, sons and grandfathers, uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other kinsmen.

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

etānna hantumicchāmi ghnato'pi madhusūdana
api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kiṃ nu mahīkṛte

I do not want to kill them, Madhusudana, even if they kill me; not for rule over the three worlds, let alone for this earth.

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन।
पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः ॥

nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana
pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ

What joy could we have from killing the sons of Dhritarashtra, Janardana? Only sin would come to us from slaying these aggressors.

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

tasmānnārhā vayaṃ hantuṃ dhārtarāṣṭrānsvabāndhavān
svajanaṃ hi kathaṃ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava

So it is not right for us to kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our own kinsmen. How could we be happy, Madhava, after killing our own people?

यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम् ॥

yadyapyete na paśyanti lobhopahatacetasaḥ
kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ mitradrohe ca pātakam

Even if they, their minds overcome by greed, see no wrong in destroying a family or in betraying friends,

कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन ॥

kathaṃ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum
kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana

why should we, who see clearly the evil of destroying a family, not learn to turn away from this sin, Janardana?

कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः।
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥

kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ
dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta

When a family is destroyed, its timeless traditions perish; and when tradition perishes, disorder overtakes the whole family.

अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः।
स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय जायते वर्णसङ्करः ॥

adharmābhibhavātkṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kulastriyaḥ
strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇasaṅkaraḥ

When disorder prevails, Krishna, the women of the family are led astray, and from that comes the mixing of social orders.

सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च।
पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रियाः ॥

saṅkaro narakāyaiva kulaghnānāṃ kulasya ca
patanti pitaro hyeṣāṃ luptapiṇḍodakakriyāḥ

That confusion drags the family and its destroyers down to hell, and their ancestors fall too, deprived of the offerings of food and water.

दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः।
उत्साद्यन्ते जातिधर्माः कुलधर्माश्च शाश्वताः ॥

doṣairetaiḥ kulaghnānāṃ varṇasaṅkarakārakaiḥ
utsādyante jātidharmāḥ kuladharmāśca śāśvatāḥ

Through these wrongs of those who destroy families and cause the mixing of orders, the age-old duties of community and family are lost.

उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन।
नरकेऽनियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम ॥

utsannakuladharmāṇāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ janārdana
narake'niyataṃ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma

We have heard, Janardana, that people whose family traditions are destroyed live in hell for a long time.

अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्।
यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः ॥

aho bata mahatpāpaṃ kartuṃ vyavasitā vayam
yadrājyasukhalobhena hantuṃ svajanamudyatāḥ

Alas, how strange that we are set on committing a great sin, ready to kill our own kin out of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.

यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः।
धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत् ॥

yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṃ śastrapāṇayaḥ
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṃ bhavet

It would be better for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapons in hand, killed me in battle, unarmed and not fighting back.

Sanjaya said

एवमुक्त्वाऽर्जुनः संख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्।
विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानसः ॥

evamuktvā'rjunaḥ saṃkhye rathopastha upāviśat
visṛjya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ śokasaṃvignamānasaḥ

Having spoken this on the battlefield, Arjuna put aside his bow and arrows and sank down on the seat of the chariot, his mind overwhelmed by grief.