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The Yoga of Arjuna's Despair
अर्जुनविषादयोगः · Arjuna-viṣāda-yoga · 47 verses
Arjuna, the finest archer of his age, stands between two armies and freezes. This chapter is about the moment when fear, grief and confusion make action impossible. Almost everyone meets that moment once in life, and the Gita begins by giving it a name.
Traditionally linked with Saturn and Rahu: the heavy, fearful stretches of Sade Sati or a Rahu Maha Dasha, when duty feels paralysing, the mind spirals and everything seems at stake. Reading this chapter is a way to name that state honestly before trying to leave it. It is a reflective practice, not a prediction.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच
धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः ।
मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय ॥
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ |
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kimakurvata sañjaya ||
Blind King Dhritarashtra asks his minister Sanjaya what his sons and the Pandavas are doing on the sacred field of Kurukshetra, where they have gathered to fight. The Gita's very first word calls the battlefield a field of dharma.
सञ्जय उवाच
दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा ।
आचार्यमुपसंगम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत् ॥
sañjaya uvāca
dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanastadā |
ācāryamupasaṃgamya rājā vacanamabravīt ||
पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम् ।
व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता ॥
paśyaitāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṃ camūm |
vyūḍhāṃ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā ||
Duryodhana sees the Pandava army drawn up for battle and goes to his teacher Drona. He points out the great force arranged by Dhrishtadyumna, son of Drupada and Drona's own former student.
अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि ।
युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः ॥
atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi |
yuyudhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ ||
धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान् ।
पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुंगवः ॥
dhṛṣṭaketuścekitānaḥ kāśirājaśca vīryavān |
purujitkuntibhojaśca śaibyaśca narapuṃgavaḥ ||
युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान् ।
सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः ॥
yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān |
saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ ||
He lists the mighty warriors on the Pandava side, heroes equal to Bhima and Arjuna in battle, among them Yuyudhana, Virata, Drupada, Dhrishtaketu, Kashiraja, Yudhamanyu, Uttamauja and the sons of Subhadra and Draupadi.
अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम ।
नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान्ब्रवीमि ते ॥
asmākaṃ tu viśiṣṭā ye tānnibodha dvijottama |
nāyakā mama sainyasya saṃjñārthaṃ tānbravīmi te ||
भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः ।
अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च ॥
bhavānbhīṣmaśca karṇaśca kṛpaśca samitiñjayaḥ |
aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca saumadattistathaiva ca ||
अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः ।
नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः ॥
anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥ |
nānāśastrapraharaṇāḥ sarve yuddhaviśāradāḥ ||
Then he names the commanders on his own side: Drona, Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, Ashwatthama, Vikarna and others. Many heroes, skilled with many weapons, he says, are ready to give up their lives for him.
अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम् ।
पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम् ॥
aparyāptaṃ tadasmākaṃ balaṃ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam |
paryāptaṃ tvidameteṣāṃ balaṃ bhīmābhirakṣitam ||
अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः ।
भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि ॥
ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathābhāgamavasthitāḥ |
bhīṣmamevābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi ||
He judges his own army, guarded by Bhishma, to be aparyāpta, a word that can mean 'unlimited' or 'insufficient', hinting at his hidden worry; the Pandava army, guarded by Bhima, he calls the opposite. He urges every commander to hold their post and protect Bhishma above all.
तस्य सञ्जनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः ।
सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान् ॥
tasya sañjanayanharṣaṃ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ |
siṃhanādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān ||
ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः ।
सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत् ॥
tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānakagomukhāḥ |
sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdastumulo’bhavat ||
To cheer Duryodhana, the aged grandsire Bhishma roars like a lion and blows his conch. At once conches, kettledrums, tabors and horns sound together, and the noise becomes tumultuous.
ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ ।
माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः ॥
tataḥ śvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau |
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ ||
पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनञ्जयः ।
पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः ॥
pāñcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṃ dhanañjayaḥ |
pauṇḍraṃ dadhmau mahāśaṅkhaṃ bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ ||
अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः ।
नकुलः सहदेवश्च सुघोषमणिपुष्पकौ ॥
anantavijayaṃ rājā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
nakulaḥ sahadevaśca sughoṣamaṇipuṣpakau ||
काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः ।
धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः ॥
kāśyaśca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ |
dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiścāparājitaḥ ||
द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते ।
सौभद्रश्च महाबाहुः शङ्खान्दध्मुः पृथक्पृथक् ॥
drupado draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivīpate |
saubhadraśca mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhāndadhmuḥ pṛthakpṛthak ||
स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत् ।
नभश्च पृथिवीं चैव तुमुलोऽभ्यनुनादयन् ॥
sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat |
nabhaśca pṛthivīṃ caiva tumulo’bhyanunādayan ||
Seated on a splendid chariot drawn by white horses, Krishna and Arjuna answer by blowing their divine conches. Each Pandava hero then blows his own named conch, among them Panchajanya, Devadatta, Paundra and Anantavijaya, and the sound shakes the hearts of Dhritarashtra's sons.
अथ व्यवस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान् कपिध्वजः ।
प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसम्पाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः ।
हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते ॥
atha vyavasthitāndṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrān kapidhvajaḥ |
pravṛtte śastrasampāte dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ |
hṛṣīkeśaṃ tadā vākyamidamāha mahīpate ||
अर्जुन उवाच
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत ॥
arjuna uvāca
senayorubhayormadhye rathaṃ sthāpaya me’cyuta ||
Seeing the Kauravas arrayed and the first arrows about to fly, Arjuna, whose banner bears Hanuman, lifts his bow and says to Krishna: Achyuta, please place my chariot between the two armies.
यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान् ।
कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन् रणसमुद्यमे ॥
yāvadetānnirīkṣe’haṃ yoddhukāmānavasthitān |
kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasmin raṇasamudyame ||
योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः ।
धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः ॥
yotsyamānānavekṣe’haṃ ya ete’tra samāgatāḥ |
dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ ||
I want to see clearly those who stand eager to fight, and the ones I must do battle with, those who have gathered here to please the wicked-minded son of Dhritarashtra.
सञ्जय उवाच
एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत ।
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम् ॥
sañjaya uvāca
evamukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata |
senayorubhayormadhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam ||
भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् ।
उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति ॥
bhīṣmadroṇapramukhataḥ sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām |
uvāca pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti ||
Krishna drives the finest of chariots into the space between the armies, in front of Bhishma, Drona and all the kings, and says: Partha, look at the Kurus gathered here.
तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितॄनथ पितामहान् ।
आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातॄन्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा ॥
tatrāpaśyatsthitānpārthaḥ pitṝnatha pitāmahān |
ācāryānmātulānbhrātṝnputrānpautrānsakhīṃstathā ||
श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि ।
तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान् ॥
śvaśurānsuhṛdaścaiva senayorubhayorapi |
tānsamīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvānbandhūnavasthitān ||
Arjuna sees, standing on both sides, fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, fathers-in-law and well-wishers. The enemy he came to fight is his own family.
कृपया परयाविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत् ।
अर्जुन उवाच
दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम् ॥
kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo viṣīdannidamabravīt |
arjuna uvāca
dṛṣṭvemaṃ svajanaṃ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṃ samupasthitam ||
सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति ।
वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते ॥
sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṃ ca pariśuṣyati |
vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate ||
Overcome by deep compassion and sorrow, Arjuna speaks. Seeing his own people ready to fight, his limbs grow weak, his mouth goes dry, his body trembles and his 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 bow Gandiva slips from his hand, his skin burns, he cannot stay standing, and his mind seems to spin. This is the body's honest response to a moral crisis.
निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव ।
न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे ॥
nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava |
na ca śreyo’nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave ||
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 ||
Arjuna sees bad omens and can find no good in killing his own people. He says he wants neither victory, nor a kingdom, nor pleasures. What use, Govinda, are kingship, enjoyment, 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 ||
आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः ।
मातुलाः श्वशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा ॥
ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ |
mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinastathā ||
एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन ।
अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते ॥
etānna hantumicchāmi ghnato’pi madhusūdana |
api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kiṃ nu mahīkṛte ||
Those for whose sake we want kingdom and pleasure stand here ready to give up life and wealth: teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, uncles, in-laws. Madhusudana, I do not wish to kill them even if they kill me, not even to rule the three worlds, let alone this earth.
निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन ।
पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः ॥
nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana |
pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ ||
तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान् ।
स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव ॥
tasmānnārhā vayaṃ hantuṃ dhārtarāṣṭrānsvabāndhavān |
svajanaṃ hi kathaṃ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava ||
What joy can come from killing Dhritarashtra's sons? Sin would cling to us, even though they are aggressors. So we should not kill our own kin; how, Madhava, could we be happy after destroying our own family?
यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः ।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम् ॥
yadyapyete na paśyanti lobhopahatacetasaḥ |
kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ mitradrohe ca pātakam ||
कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम् ।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन ॥
kathaṃ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum |
kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana ||
Their minds are clouded by greed, so they do not see the fault in destroying a family or in betraying friends. But we can see it, Janardana, so why should we not turn back from this sin?
कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः ।
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥
kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ |
dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnamadharmo’bhibhavatyuta ||
अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः ।
स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय जायते वर्णसङ्करः ॥
adharmābhibhavātkṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kulastriyaḥ |
strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇasaṅkaraḥ ||
Arjuna now speaks from the worldview of his time: when a family is destroyed, its ancient traditions die; when dharma is lost, disorder overwhelms the whole family, and the social fabric frays into confusion of duties.
सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च ।
पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रियाः ॥
saṅkaro narakāyaiva kulaghnānāṃ kulasya ca |
patanti pitaro hyeṣāṃ luptapiṇḍodakakriyāḥ ||
दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः ।
उत्साद्यन्ते जातिधर्माः कुलधर्माश्च शाश्वताः ॥
doṣairetaiḥ kulaghnānāṃ varṇasaṅkarakārakaiḥ |
utsādyante jātidharmāḥ kuladharmāśca śāśvatāḥ ||
उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन ।
नरके नियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम ॥
utsannakuladharmāṇāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ janārdana |
narake niyataṃ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma ||
He fears this confusion drags down both the destroyers and the family itself, and that ancestors lose the rites that honour them. We have heard, he says, that those whose family traditions are destroyed must live a long time in hell.
अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम् ।
यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः ॥
aho bata mahatpāpaṃ kartuṃ vyavasitā vayam |
yadrājyasukhalobhena hantuṃ svajanamudyatāḥ ||
यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः ।
धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत् ॥
yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṃ śastrapāṇayaḥ |
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṃ bhavet ||
Alas, how strange that we are ready to commit a great sin, driven by greed for the pleasure of a kingdom to kill our own people! It would be better for me if the Kauravas, weapons in hand, killed me unarmed and unresisting in battle.
सञ्जय उवाच
एवमुक्त्वार्जुनः सङ्ख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत् ।
विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानसः ॥
sañjaya uvāca
evamuktvārjunaḥ saṅkhye rathopastha upāviśat |
visṛjya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ śokasaṃvignamānasaḥ ||
Sanjaya says: having spoken, Arjuna cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down in the chariot, his mind overwhelmed by grief. Chapter 1 ends here; Krishna's teaching begins in chapter 2.
The verses are the traditional Sanskrit text. The explanations are original summaries, not a particular translator's words. The astrology guide is a devotional, reflective practice, not a prediction and not a substitute for professional advice.