Bhagavad Gita

न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च। किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा।।1.32।।

I do not desire victory, Krishna, nor kingdom nor pleasures. What is the use of a kingdom, O Govinda, or enjoyment, or even life?

येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च। त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च।।1.33।।

Those for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyment, and happiness, are here, standing in battle, ready to give up their lives and wealth.

आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः। मातुलाः श्चशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा।।1.34।।

Teachers, fathers, sons, and grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, and other relatives as well.

एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन। अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते।।1.35।।

I do not wish to kill them, O Madhusudana, even if they attack me, not even for the sovereignty of the three worlds, let alone for the sake of this earth.

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन। पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः।।1.36।।

By killing the sons of Dhritarashtra, what joy would be ours, O Janardana? Only sin would befall us if we slay these aggressors.

तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान्। स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव।।1.37।।

Therefore, we ought not to kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our own kinsmen; for, O Madhava, how could we be happy after killing our own people?

यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः। कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम्।।1.38।।

Even if these, whose minds are overpowered by greed, do not see the wrong in destroying the family or the sin in betraying friends,

कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्। कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन।।1.39।।

Why should we not, O Janardana, who clearly see the evil in destroying a family, turn away from this sin?

कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः। धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत।।1.40।।

When a family is destroyed, its ancient duties perish; with the loss of duty, lawlessness overwhelms the entire family.

अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः। स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय जायते वर्णसङ्करः।।1.41।।

With the rise of lawlessness, O Krishna, the women of the family become corrupted; when women are corrupted, O descendant of Vrishni, there arises confusion of castes.

सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च। पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रियाः।।1.42।।

Such confusion leads only to hell for the destroyers of the family and the family itself; their ancestors fall, deprived of the offerings of food and water.

दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः। उत्साद्यन्ते जातिधर्माः कुलधर्माश्च शाश्वताः।।1.43।।

By these faults of the destroyers of the family, causing confusion of castes, the eternal duties of caste and family are uprooted.

उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन। नरकेऽनियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम।।1.44।।

For those men whose family duties are lost, O Janardana, we have heard that their dwelling in hell is unending.

अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्। यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः।।1.45।।

Alas, what a great sin we are resolved to commit, driven by the greed for the pleasure of a kingdom, as we prepare to kill our own people.

यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः। धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत्।।1.46।।

If the sons of Dhritarashtra, armed with weapons, should kill me in battle while I am unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.

सञ्जय उवाच एवमुक्त्वाऽर्जुनः संख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्। विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानसः।।1.47।।

Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus on the battlefield, Arjuna sat down on the seat of the chariot, casting aside his bow and arrows, his mind overwhelmed by sorrow.

सञ्जय उवाच तं तथा कृपयाऽविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम्। विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः।।2.1।।

Sanjaya said: To him, thus overwhelmed by compassion, his eyes filled with tears and troubled, and who was despondent, Madhusudana spoke these words.

श्री भगवानुवाच कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम्। अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन।।2.2।।

The Blessed Lord said: From where has this dejection come upon you in this crisis, Arjuna? It is unworthy of the noble, leads not to heaven, and brings infamy.

क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते। क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप।।2.3।।

Yield not to impotence, O Partha; it does not befit you. Cast off this petty weakness of heart and arise, O scorcher of foes.

अर्जुन उवाच कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन। इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन।।2.4।।

Arjuna said: How shall I fight with arrows in battle against Bhishma and Drona, O Madhusudana, who are worthy of my reverence, O destroyer of enemies?

गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान् श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके। हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान्।।2.5।।

It would be better for me to live in this world on alms than to slay these great-souled teachers; if I kill my teachers, even though they desire wealth, I would enjoy pleasures stained with their blood.

न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो यद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः। यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषाम स्तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः।।2.6।।

We do not know which is better for us: whether we should conquer them, or they should conquer us. Those sons of Dhritarashtra, after killing whom we do not wish to live, stand before us in battle.

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसंमूढचेताः। यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्िचतं ब्रूहि तन्मे शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्।।2.7।।

My nature is overcome by the weakness of pity; my mind is confused about what is right. I ask you: tell me clearly what is best for me. I am your disciple; instruct me, for I have taken refuge in you.

न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्या द्यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम्। अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धम् राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम्।।2.8।।

I do not see what could dispel my sorrow, which dries up my senses, even if I were to gain a prosperous, unrivaled kingdom on earth, or even sovereignty over the gods.

सञ्जय उवाच एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तप। न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह।।2.9।।

Sañjaya said: Having spoken thus to Hrishikesha, Gudakesha, the scorcher of foes, declared to Govinda, 'I will not fight,' and then became silent.

तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत। सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः।।2.10।।

Hrishikesha spoke to him, smiling as it were, O Bharata, as he was despondent between the two armies, these words.

श्री भगवानुवाच अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे। गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः।।2.11।।

The Blessed Lord said: You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, and yet you speak words of wisdom. The wise do not mourn for the dead or the living.

न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः। न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम्।।2.12।।

Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor these rulers of men; nor will any of us cease to be hereafter.

देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा। तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति।।2.13।।

Just as, in this body, the embodied soul passes through childhood, youth, and old age, so also it attains another body; the wise are not deluded by this.