के पूर्वं प्राहरंस्तत्र युद्धे हृदयकम्पने । मामकाः पाण्डवेया वा तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय
Who struck first in that battle, causing hearts to tremble? Were they mine or the sons of Pāṇḍu? Tell me, Sañjaya.
कस्य सेनासमुदये गन्धो माल्यसमुद्भवः । वायुः प्रदक्षिणश्चैव योधानामभिगर्जताम्
In whose army did the fragrance of garlands arise, and the wind circle around, as the warriors roared?
उभयोः सेनयोस्तत्र योधा जहृषिरे तदा। स्रजः समाः सुगन्धानामुभयत्र समुद्भवः
Then, the warriors in both armies rejoiced; garlands of fragrant flowers appeared equally on both sides.
संहतानामनीकानां व्यूढानां भरतर्षभ । संसर्गात्समुदीर्णानां विमर्दः सुमहानभूत्
O bull among the Bharatas, as the tightly arrayed divisions assembled and pressed together, a great clash arose from their contact.
वादित्रशब्दस्तुमुलः शङ्खभेरीविमिश्रितः। शूराणां रणशूराणां गर्जतामितरेतरम्
The tumultuous sound of instruments, mingled with conches and drums, resounded as the valiant warriors roared at one another in battle.
उभयोः सेनयो राजन्महान्व्यतिकरोऽभवत्। अन्योन्यं वीक्षमाणानां योधानां भरतर्षभ। कुञ्जराणां च नदतां सैन्यानां च प्रहृष्यताम्
O king, a great encounter took place between the two armies, as the warriors gazed at each other, the elephants trumpeted, and the troops exulted.
तं तथा कृपयाविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् । विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः
Seeing him thus overwhelmed by compassion, his eyes filled with tears and troubled, Madhusudana spoke these words to the despondent one.
कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम् । अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन
From where has this dejection come upon you in this crisis, Arjuna—unworthy of the noble, leading neither to heaven nor to fame?
क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते। क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परंतप
Do not yield to weakness, Partha; it does not befit you. Cast off this petty faintness of heart and arise, scorcher of foes.
कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्ख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन । इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन
How shall I fight with arrows in battle against Bhishma and Drona, O Madhusudana, who are worthy of reverence, O destroyer of enemies?
गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान् श्रेयो भोक्तुं भेक्षमपीह लोके। हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव भुञ्जीय भोगान्रुधिरप्रदिग्धान्
It would be better in this world to live on alms than to slay these great-souled teachers; by killing my teachers, even if they desire wealth, I would enjoy pleasures stained with blood.
न चैतद्वीद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो यद्वा जयम यदि वा नो जयेयुः। यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषाम- स्तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः
Nor do we know which is better for us—whether we should conquer them or they should conquer us; those very sons of Dhritarashtra, after killing whom we would not wish to live, stand before us in battle.
कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसंमूढचेताः। यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्
My nature, afflicted by the fault of weakness, is confused about my duty; I ask you—tell me decisively what is truly best. I am your disciple; instruct me, for I have taken refuge in you.
न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्या- द्यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम्। अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धं राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम्
I do not see what could dispel this grief that dries up my senses, even if I were to obtain a prosperous, unrivaled kingdom on earth or sovereignty over the gods.
एवमुकत्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशं परंतप । न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह
Having spoken thus to Hrishikesha, Gudakesha, the scorcher of foes, declared, 'I will not fight,' and became silent, O Govinda.
तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत। सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः
To him, Hrishikesha spoke these words, as if smiling, O Bharata, to the despondent one, standing between the two armies.
अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे। गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पाण्डिताः
You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of wisdom; the wise do not mourn for the living or for the dead.
नत्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः। न चैव नभविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम्
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor these rulers of men; nor shall we ever cease to exist hereafter.
देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा। तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति
Just as in this body the embodied soul passes through childhood, youth, and old age, so also does it pass into another body; the wise are not deluded by this.
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः । आगमापायिनोऽनित्स्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत
O son of Kunti, contacts with sense objects produce cold and heat, pleasure and pain; they come and go and are impermanent—endure them, O Bharata.
यं हि व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ। समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते
O best of men, that person whom these do not disturb—who is steady, the same in pain and pleasure—he is fit for immortality.
नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः। उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिःक
There is no existence for the unreal, nor is there non-existence for the real; the end of both has been seen by those who perceive the truth.
अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्। विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति
But know that to be indestructible by which all this is pervaded; no one can bring about the destruction of this imperishable.
अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः । अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत
These bodies are said to have an end, but the embodied one is eternal, indestructible, and immeasurable; therefore, fight, O Bharata.
य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम्। उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते
He who thinks this (self) is a killer, and he who thinks it is killed—both do not understand; this does not kill, nor is it killed.
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि- न्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः । अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्तये हन्यमाने शरीरे
It is never born, nor does it ever die; having come into being, it does not cease to be again. It is unborn, eternal, everlasting, and ancient; it is not slain when the body is slain.
वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम्। कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम्
O Pārtha, knowing this self to be indestructible, eternal, unborn, and unchanging, how can a person kill or cause anyone to be killed?
वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय नवानि गृह्णानि नरोऽपराणि। तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा- न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही
Just as a man, casting off worn-out garments, takes up new ones, so the embodied one, leaving behind worn-out bodies, enters new ones.
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः। न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः
Weapons do not cut this, fire does not burn it, waters do not wet it, and wind does not dry it.
अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च। नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः
This is uncuttable, unburnable, unwettable, and undryable; it is eternal, all-pervading, stable, immovable, and everlasting.