Bhagavad Gita
Chapter 1
Arjuna's Crisis
Arjuna Viṣāda Yoga
The armies assemble, and Arjuna's conflict about fighting brings the teaching into motion.
What this chapter does
Shankara's prologue presents the Gita as teaching the Vedic paths of action and withdrawal, with final liberation arising through renunciation and knowledge of the Self. At Kurukshetra, Duryodhana reviews the opposing forces, and Bhishma and the armies answer with conches. Arjuna asks Krishna to place the chariot between the armies and recognizes teachers, elders, relatives, and friends on both sides. Overcome by pity and fear of the ruin of family dharma, he rejects victory and combat, drops his bow, and sits grief-stricken.
- 01Commentary frames dharma and liberation
- 02Duryodhana reviews the gathered armies
- 03Conches sound across the battlefield
- 04Arjuna sees kin and despairs
- 05He drops his bow and sits
- Opens
- With Shankara's prologue on dharma and liberation.
- Closes
- With Arjuna seated in grief, his bow cast aside.
About this edition
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GRETIL Śaṅkara Bhāṣya source. Chapter 18 is absent. Verse 3.4 is present with a spaced source marker, and chapter 13 has a source-marker numbering anomaly.
atha arjuna-viṣāda-yogo nāma prathamo 'dhyāyaḥ
bhagavat-śaṅkarācārya-kṛta-bhāṣyam
upodghāṭaḥ
oṃ
nārāyaṇaḥ paro 'vyaktād aṇḍam avyakta-sambhavam |
aṇḍasyāntas tv ime lokāḥ sapta-dvīpā ca medinī
sa bhagavān sṛṣṭvedaṃ jagat | tasya ca sthitiṃ cikīrṣuḥ marīḍyādīn agre sṛṣṭvā prajāpatīn pravṛtti-lakṣaṇaṃ dharmaṃ grāhayāmāsa vedoktam | tato 'nyān ca sanaka-sanandanādīn utpādya nivṛtti-lakṣaṇaṃ dharmaṃ jñāna-vairāgya-lakṣaṇaṃ grāhayāmāsa | dvividho hi vedokto dharmaḥ pravṛtti-lakṣaṇo nivṛtti-lakṣaṇaś ca | jagataḥ sthiti-kāraṇam | prāṇināṃ sākṣād abhyudaya-niḥśreyasa-hetur yaḥ sa dharmo brāhmaṇādyair varṇibhir āśramibhiś ca śreyo 'rthibhir anuṣṭhīyamānaḥ | dīrgheṇa kālena anuṣṭhātṝṇāṃ kāmodbhavād dhīyamāna-viveka-jñāna-hetukena adharmeṇa abhibhūyamāne dharme, pravardhamāne ca adharme, jagataḥ sthitiṃ paripipālayiṣuḥ sa ādi-kartā nārāyaṇākhyo viṣṇur bhaumasya brahmaṇo brāhmaṇatvasya cābhirakṣaṇārthaṃ devakyāṃ vasudevād aṃśena kṛṣṇaḥ kila sambabhūva | brāhmaṇatvasya hi rakṣaṇena rakṣitaḥ syād vaidiko dharmaḥ tad-adhīnatvād varṇāśrama-bhedānām
sa ca bhagavān jñānaiśvarya-śakti-bala-vīrya-tejobhiḥ sadā sampannas triguṇātmikāṃ vaiṣṇavīṃ svāṃ māyāṃ mūla-prakṛtiṃ vaśīkṛtya, ajo 'vyayo bhūtānām īśvaro nitya-śuddha-buddha-mukta-svabhāvo 'pi san, sva-māyayā dehavān iva jāta iva ca lokānugrahaṃ kurvan lakṣyate | sva-prayojanābhāve 'pi bhūtānujighṛkṣayā vaidikaṃ hi dharma-dvayam arjunāya śoka-moha-mahodadhau nimagnāya upadideśa guṇādhikair hi gṛhīto 'nuṣṭhīyamānaś ca dharmaḥ pracayaṃ gamiṣyatīti | taṃ dharmaṃ bhagavatā yathopadiṣṭaṃ veda-vyāsaḥ sarvajño bhagavān gītākhyaiḥ saptabhiḥ śloka-śatair upanibabandha
tad idaṃ gītā-śāstraṃ samasta-vedārtha-sāra-saṅgraha-bhūtaṃ durvijñayārthaṃ tad-arthāviṣkaraṇāya anekair vivṛta-pada-padārtha-vākya-vākyārtha-nyāyam api atyanta-viruddhānekārthatvena laukikair gṛhyamāṇam upalabhyāhaṃ vivekato 'rtha-nirdhāraṇārthaṃ saṃkṣepato vivaraṇaṃ kariṣyāmi
tasya asya gītā-śāstrasya saṃkṣepataḥ prayojanaṃ paraṃ niḥśreyasaṃ sa-hetukasya saṃsārasya atyantoparama-lakṣaṇam | tac ca sarva-karma-sannyāsa-pūrvakād ātma-jñāna-niṣṭhā-rūpād dharmād bhavati | tathā imam eva gītārtha-dharmam uddiśya bhagavataivoktam | sa hi dharmaḥ suparyāpto brahmaṇaḥ pada-vedane [mbh 14.16.12] ity anugītāsu | tatraiva coktaṃ - naiva dharmī na cādharmī na caiva hi śubhāśubhī [mbh 14.19.7], yaḥ syād ekāyane līnas tūṣṇīṃ kiṃcid acintayan [mbh 14.19.1], jñānaṃ saṃnyāsa-lakṣaṇam [mbh 14.43.26] iti ca | ihāpi cānte uktam arjunāya - sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja [gītā 18.66] iti
abhyudayārtho 'pi yaḥ pravṛtti-lakṣaṇo dharmo varṇān āśramāṃś coddiśya vihitaḥ sa devādi-sthāna-prāpti-hetur api san, īśvarārpaṇa-buddhyānuṣṭhīyamānaḥ sattva-śuddhaye bhavati phalābhisandhi-varjitaḥ | śuddha-sattvasya ca jñāna-niṣṭhāyogyatā-prāpti-dvāreṇa jñānotpatti-hetutvena ca niḥśreyasa-hetutvam api pratipadyate | tathā cemam evārtham abhisandhāya vakṣyati brahmaṇy ādhāya karmāṇi [gītā 5.10], yoginaḥ karma kurvanti saṅgaṃ tyaktvātma-śuddhaye [gītā 5.11] iti
imaṃ dviprakāraṃ dharmaṃ niḥśreyasa-prayojanam | paramārtha-tattvaṃ ca vāsudevākhyaṃ para-brahmābhidheya-bhūtaṃ viśeṣataḥ abhivyañjayad viśiṣṭa-prayojana-sambandhābhidheyavad gītā-śāstram | yatas tad-artha-vijñānena samasta-puruṣārtha-siddhiḥ | ataḥ tad-vivaraṇe yatnaḥ kriyate mayā
1.1
dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ |
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva kim akurvata saṃjaya
1.2
saṃjaya uvāca
dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanas tadā |
ācāryam upasaṃgamya rājā vacanam abravīt
1.3
paśyaitāṃ pāṇḍu-putrāṇām ācārya mahatīṃ camūm |
vyūḍhāṃ drupada-putreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā
1.4
atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjuna-samā yudhi |
yuyudhāno virāṭaś ca drupadaś ca mahārathaḥ
1.5
dhṛṣṭaketuś cekitānaḥ kāśirājaś ca vīryavān |
purujit kuntibhojaś ca śaibyaś ca nara-puṃgavaḥ
1.6
yudhāmanyuś ca vikrānta uttamaujāś ca vīryavān |
saubhadro draupadeyāś ca sarva eva mahā-rathāḥ
1.7
asmākaṃ tu viśiṣṭā ye tān nibodha dvijottama |
nāyakā mama sainyasya saṃjñārthaṃ tān bravīmi te
1.8
bhavān bhīṣmaś ca karṇaś ca kṛpaś ca samitiṃjayaḥ |
aśvatthāmā vikarṇaś ca saumadattir jayadrathaḥ
1.9
anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā mad-arthe tyakta-jīvitāḥ |
nānā-śastra-praharaṇāḥ sarve yuddha-viśāradāḥ
1.10
aparyāptaṃ tad asmākaṃ balaṃ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam |
paryāptaṃ tv idam eteṣāṃ balaṃ bhīmābhirakṣitam
1.11
ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathā-bhāgam avasthitāḥ |
bhīṣmam evābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi
1.12
tasya saṃjanayan harṣaṃ kuru-vṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ |
siṃha-nādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān
1.13
tataḥ śaṅkhāś ca bheryaś ca paṇavānaka-gomukhāḥ |
sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdas tumulo 'bhavat
1.14
tataḥ śvetair hayair yukte mahati syandane sthitau |
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaś caiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ
1.15
pāñcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ |
pauṇḍraṃ dadhmau mahā-śaṅkhaṃ bhīma-karmā vṛkodaraḥ
1.16
ananta-vijayaṃ rājā kuntī-putro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca sughoṣa-maṇipuṣpakau
1.17
kāśyaś ca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahā-rathaḥ |
dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaś ca sātyakiś cāparājitaḥ
1.18
drupado draupadeyāś ca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivī-pate |
saubhadraś ca mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhān dadhmuḥ pṛthak pṛthak
1.19
sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat |
nabhaś ca pṛthivīṃ caiva tumulo vyanunādayan
1.20
atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrān kapi-dhvajaḥ |
pravṛtte śastra-saṃpāte dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ
1.21
hṛṣīkeśaṃ tadā vākyam idam āha mahī-pate |
senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṃ sthāpaya me 'cyuta
1.22
yāvad etān nirīkṣe 'haṃ yoddhu-kāmān avasthitān |
kair mayā saha yoddhavyam asmin raṇa-samudyame
1.23
yotsyamānān avekṣe 'haṃ ya ete 'tra samāgatāḥ |
dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddher yuddhe priya-cikīrṣavaḥ
1.24
evam ukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata |
senayor ubhayor madhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam
1.25
bhīṣma-droṇa-pramukhataḥ sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām |
uvāca pārtha paśyaitān samavetān kurūn iti
1.26
tatrāpaśyat sthitān pārthaḥ pitṝn atha pitāmahān |
ācāryān mātulān bhrātṝn putrān pautrān sakhīṃs tathā
1.27
śvaśurān suhṛdaś caiva senayor ubhayor api |
tān samīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvān bandhūn avasthitān
1.28
kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo viṣīdann idam abravīt |
dṛṣṭvemaṃ svajanaṃ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṃ samupasthitam
1.29
sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṃ ca pariśuṣyati |
vepathuś ca śarīre me romaharṣaś ca jāyate
1.30
gāṇḍīvaṃ sraṃsate hastāt tvak caiva paridahyate |
na ca śaknomy avasthātuṃ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ
1.31
nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava |
na ca śreyo 'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanam āhave
1.32
na kāṅkṣe vijayaṃ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṃ sukhāni ca |
kiṃ no rājyena govinda kiṃ bhogair jīvitena vā
1.33
yeṣām arthe kāṅkṣitaṃ no rājyaṃ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca |
ta ime 'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṃs tyaktvā dhanāni ca
1.34
ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrās tathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ |
mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ saṃbandhinas tathā
1.35
etān na hantum icchāmi ghnato 'pi madhusūdana |
api trailokya-rājyasya hetoḥ kiṃ nu mahī-kṛte
1.36
nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrān naḥ kā prītiḥ syāj janārdana |
pāpam evāśrayed asmān hatvaitān ātatāyinaḥ
1.37
tasmān nārhā vayaṃ hantuṃ dhārtarāṣṭrān sva-bāndhavān |
svajanaṃ hi kathaṃ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava
1.38
yady apy ete na paśyanti lobhopahata-cetasaḥ |
kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṃ doṣaṃ mitra-drohe ca pātakam
1.39
kathaṃ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ pāpād asmān nivartitum |
kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṃ doṣaṃ prapaśyadbhir janārdana
1.40
kula-kṣaye praṇaśyanti kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ |
dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnam adharmo 'bhibhavaty uta
1.41
adharmābhibhavāt kṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kula-striyaḥ |
strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇa-saṃkaraḥ
1.42
saṃkaro narakāyaiva kula-ghnānāṃ kulasya ca |
patanti pitaro hy eṣāṃ lupta-piṇḍodaka-kriyāḥ
1.43
doṣair etaiḥ kula-ghnānāṃ varṇa-saṃkara-kārakaiḥ |
utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāś ca śāśvatāḥ
1.44
utsanna-kula-dharmāṇāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ janārdana |
narake niyataṃ vāso bhavatīty anuśuśruma
1.45
aho bata mahat pāpaṃ kartuṃ vyavasitā vayam |
yad rājya-sukha-lobhena hantuṃ svajanam udyatāḥ
1.46
yadi mām apratīkāram aśastraṃ śastra-pāṇayaḥ |
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyus tan me kṣemataraṃ bhavet
1.47
evam uktvārjunaḥ saṃkhye rathopastha upāviśat |
visṛjya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ śoka-saṃvigna-mānasaḥ