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Bhagavad Gita Bhashya · Section 2 of 19

arjuna-viṣāda-yogo nāma prathamo'dhyāyaḥ

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उपोद्घाटः

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यत्-पदाम्भोरुह-ध्यान-विध्वस्ताशेष-कल्मषः।

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वस्तुताम् उपयातोऽहꣳ यामुनेयꣳ नमामि तम्॥

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श्रियः पतिर् निखिल-हेय-प्रत्यनीक-कल्याणैक-तानः स्वेतर-समस्त-वस्तु-विलक्षणानन्त-ज्ञानानन्दैक-स्वरूपः, स्वाभाविकानवधिकातिशय-ज्ञान-बलैश्वर्य-वीर्य-शक्ति-तेजः-प्रभृत्य्-असङ्ख्येय-कल्याण-गुण-गण-महोदधिः, स्वाभिमतानुरूपैक-रूपाचिन्त्य-दिव्याद्भुत-नित्य-निरवद्य-निरतिशय्ज्ज्वल्य-सौगन्ध्य-सौन्दर्य-सौकुमार्य-लावण्य-यौवनाद्य्-अनन्त-गुण-निधिर् दिव्य-रूपः, स्वोचित-विविध-विचित्रानन्ताश्चर्य-नित्य-निरवद्यापरिमित-दिव्य-भूषणः, स्वानुरूपासङ्ख्येयाचिन्त्य-शक्ति-नित्य-निरवद्य-निरतिशय-कल्याण-दिव्यायुधः, स्वाभिमतानुरूप-नित्य-निरवद्य-स्वरूप-रूप-गुण-विभवैश्वर्य-शीलाद्य्-अनवधिकातिशयासङ्ख्येय-कल्याण-गुण-गण-श्री-वल्लभः, स्व-सङ्कल्पानुविधायि-स्वरूप-स्थिति-प्रवृत्ति-भेदाशेष-शेषतैक-रति-रूप-नित्य-निरवद्य-निरतिशय-ज्ञान-क्रियैश्वर्याद्य्-अनन्त-गुण-गणापरिमित-सूरिभिर् अनवरताभिष्टुत-चरण-युगलः, वाङ्-मनसापरिच्छेद्य-स्वरूप-स्वभावः, स्वोचित-विविध-विचित्रानन्त-भोग्य-भोगोपकरण-भोग-स्थान-समृद्धानन्ताश्चर्यानन्त-महा-विभवानन्त-परिमाण- नित्य-निरवद्याक्षर-परम-व्योम-निलयः, विविध-विचित्रानन्त-भोग्य-भोक्तृ-वर्ग-परिपूर्ण-निखिल-जगद्-उदय-विभव-लय-लीलः, परꣳ ब्रह्म पुरुषोत्तओ नारायणो ब्रह्मादि-स्थावरान्तꣳ निखिलꣳ जगत् सृष्ट्वा स्वेन रूपेणावस्थितः, ब्रह्मादि-देव-मनुष्याणाꣳ ध्यानाराधनाद्य्-अगोचरोऽपार-कारुण्य-सौशील्य-वात्सल्यौदार्य-महोदधिः, स्वयम् एव रूपꣳ तत्-तत्-सजातीय-सꣳस्थानꣳ स्व-स्वभावम् अजहद् एव कुर्वꣳस् तेषु तेषु लोकेष्व् अवतीर्यावतीर्य तैस् तैर् आराधितः, तत्-तद्-इष्टानुरूपꣳ धर्मार्थ-काम-मोक्षाख्यꣳ फलꣳ प्रयच्छन्, भू-भारावतारणापदेशेनास्मद्-आदीनाम् अपि सꣳसार-दुःख-शमनाय समाश्रयणीयत्वायावतीर्योर्व्याꣳ सकल-मनुज-नयन-विषयताꣳ गतः, परावर-निखिल-जन-मनो-नयन-हारि-दिव्य-चेष्टितानि कुर्वन्, पूतना-शकट-यमलार्जुनारिष्ट-प्रलम्ब-धेनुक-कालिय-केशि-कुवलयापीड-चाणूर-मुष्टिक-तोसल-कꣳसादीन् निहत्य अनवधिक-दया-सौहार्दानुराग-गर्भावलोकनालापामृतैर् विश्वम् आप्याययन्, निरतिशय-सौन्दर्य-सौशील्यादि-गुणाविष्कारेणाक्रूर-मालाकारादीन् परम-भागवतान् कृत्वा, पाण्डु-तनय-युद्ध-प्रोत्साहन-व्याजेन परम-पुरुषार्थ-लक्षण-मोक्ष-साधनतया वेदान्तोदितꣳ स्व-विषयꣳ ज्ञान-कर्मानुगृहीतꣳ भक्ति-योगम् अवतारयामास।

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तत्र पाण्डवानाꣳ करुणाꣳ च युद्धे प्रारब्धे स भगवान् पुरुषोत्तमः सर्वेश्वरेश्वरो जगद्-उपकृति-मर्त्य आश्रितवात्स्यल-विवशः पार्थꣳ रथिनम् आत्मानꣳ च सारथिꣳ सर्व-लोक-साक्षिकꣳ चकार। एवम् अर्जुनस्योत्कर्षꣳ ज्ञात्वापि सर्वात्मनान्धो धृतराष्ट्रः सुयोधन-विजय-बुभुत्सया सञ्जयꣳ पप्रच्छ---

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धर्म-क्षेत्रे कुरु-क्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः

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मामकाः पाण्डवाश् चैव किम् अकुर्वत सञ्जय

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सञ्जय उवाच

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दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकꣳ व्यूढꣳ दुर्योधनस् तदा

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आचार्यम् उपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनम् अब्रवीत्

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पश्यैताꣳ पाण्डु-पुत्राणाम् आचार्य महतीꣳ चमूम्

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व्यूढाꣳ द्रुपद-पुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता

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अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुन-समा युधि

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युयुधानो विराटश् च द्रुपदश् च महारथः

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धृष्टकेतुश् चेकितानः काशिराजश् च वीर्यवान्

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पुरुजित् कुन्तिभोजश् च शैब्यश् च नर-पुङ्गवः

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युधामन्युश् च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश् च वीर्यवान्

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सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश् च सर्व एव महा-रथाः

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अस्माकꣳ तु विशिष्टा ये तान् निबोध द्विजोत्तम

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नायका मम सैन्यस्य सꣳज्ञार्थꣳ तान् ब्रवीमि ते

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भवान् भीष्मश् च कर्णश् च कृपश् च समितिञ्जयः

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अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश् च सौमदत्तिर् जयद्रथः

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अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मद्-अर्थे त्यक्त-जीविताः

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नाना-शस्त्र-प्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्ध-विशारदाः

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अपर्याप्तꣳ तद् अस्माकꣳ बलꣳ भीष्माभिरक्षितम्

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पर्याप्तꣳ त्व् इदम् एतेषाꣳ बलꣳ भीमाभिरक्षितम्१०

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अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथा-भागम् अवस्थिताः

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भीष्मम् एवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि११

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दुर्योधनः स्वयम् एव भीमाभिरक्षितꣳ पाण्डवानाꣳ बलम्, आत्मीयꣳ च भीष्माभिरक्षितꣳ बलम् अवलोक्य आत्म-विजये तस्य बलस्य पर्याप्तताम् आत्मीयस्य बलस्य तद्-विजये चापर्याप्तताम् आचार्याय निवेद्य, अन्तर् विषण्णोऽभवत्॥१।२-११॥

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तस्य सञ्जनयन् हर्षꣳ कुरु-वृद्धः पितामहः

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सिꣳह-नादꣳ विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खꣳ दध्मौ प्रतापवान्१२

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ततः शङ्खाश् च भेर्यश् च पणवानक-गोमुखाः

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सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस् तुमुलोऽभवत्१३

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तस्य विषादम् आलोक्य भीष्मस् तस्य हर्षꣳ जनयितुꣳ सिꣳह-नादꣳ शङ्खाध्मानꣳ च कृत्वा शङ्ख-भेरी-निनादैश् च विजयाभिशꣳसिनꣳ घोषꣳ चाकरयत्॥१।१२-१३॥

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ततः श्वेतैर् हयैर् युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ

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माधवः पाण्डवश् चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः१४

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ततस् तꣳ घोषम् आकर्ण्य सर्वेश्वरेश्वरः पार्थ-सारथी रथी च पाण्डु-तनयस् त्रैलोक्य-विजयोपकरण-भूते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ त्रैलोक्यꣳ कम्पयन्तौ श्रीमत्-पाञ्चजन्य-देवदत्तौ दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः॥१।१४॥

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पाञ्चजन्यꣳ हृषीकेशो देवदत्तꣳ धनञ्जयः

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पौण्ड्रꣳ दध्मौ महा-शङ्खꣳ भीम-कर्मा वृकोदरः१५

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अनन्त-विजयꣳ राजा कुन्ती-पुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः

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नकुलः सहदेवश् च सुघोष-मणिपुष्पकौ१६

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काश्यश् च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महा-रथः

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धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश् च सात्यकिश् चापराजितः१७

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द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश् च सर्वशः पृथिवी-पते

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सौभद्रश् च महाबाहुः शङ्खान् दध्मुः पृथक् पृथक्१८

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स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणाꣳ हृदयानि व्यदारयत्

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नभश् च पृथिवीꣳ चैव तुमुलो व्यनुनादयन्१९

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ततो युधिष्ठिरो वृकोदरादयश् च स्वकीयान् शङ्खान् पृथक् पृथक् प्रदध्मौः। स घोषो दुर्योधन-प्रमौखानाꣳ सर्वेषाम् एव भवत्-पुत्राणाꣳ हृदयानि बिभेद। अदयैव नष्टꣳ कुरूणाꣳ बलम् इति धार्तराष्ट्रा मेनिरे। एवꣳ तद्-विजयाभिकङ्क्षिणे धृतराष्ट्राय सञ्जयोऽकथयत्॥१।१५-१।१९॥

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अथ व्यवस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान् कपि-ध्वजः

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प्रवृत्ते शस्त्र-सम्पाते धनुर् उद्यम्य पाण्डवः२०

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हृषीकेशꣳ तदा वाक्यम् इदम् आह मही-पते

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सेनयोर् उभयोर् मध्ये रथꣳ स्थापय मेऽच्युत२१

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यावद् एतान् निरीक्षेऽहꣳ योद्धु-कामान् अवस्थितान्

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कैर् मया सह योद्धव्यम् अस्मिन् रण-समुद्यमे२२

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योत्स्यमानान् अवेक्षेऽहꣳ य एतेऽत्र समागताः

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धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर् युद्धे प्रिय-चिकीर्षवः२३

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एवम् उक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत

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सेनयोर् उभयोर् मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम्२४

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भीष्म-द्रोण-प्रमुखतः सर्वेषाꣳ च महीक्षिताम्

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उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान् समवेतान् कुरून् इति२५

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स च तेन चोदितस् तत्-क्षणाद् एव भीष्म-द्रोणादीनाꣳ सर्वेषाम् एव महीक्षिताꣳ पश्यताꣳ यथा चोदितम् अकरोत्। ईदृशी भवदीयानाꣳ विजय-स्थितिर् इति चावोचत्॥१।२५॥

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तत्रापश्यत् स्थितान् पार्थः पितॄन् अथ पितामहान्

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आचार्यान् मातुलान् भ्रातॄन् पुत्रान् पौत्रान् सखीꣳस् तथा२६

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स तु पार्थो महा-मनाः परम-कारुणिको दीर्घ-बन्धुः परम-धार्मिकः स-भ्रातृको भवद्भिः अतिघोरैर् मारणैर् जतु-गृह-दाहादिभिर् असकृद्-वञ्चितोऽपि परम-पुरुष-सहायोऽपि हनिष्यमाणान् भवदीयान् विलोक्य बन्धु-स्नेहेन परया कृपया धर्माधर्म-भयेन चातिमात्र-स्विन्न-सर्व-गात्रः॥१।२६॥

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श्वशुरान् सुहृदश् चैव सेनयोर् उभयोर् अपि

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तान् समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान् बन्धून् अवस्थितान्२७

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कृपया परयाविष्टो विषीदन्न् इदम् अब्रवीत्

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दृष्ट्वेमꣳ स्वजनꣳ कृष्ण युयुत्सुꣳ समुपस्थितम्२८

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सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखꣳ च परिशुष्यति

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वेपथुश् च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश् च जायते२९

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गाण्डीवꣳ स्रꣳसते हस्तात् त्वक् चैव परिदह्यते

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न च शक्नोम्य् अवस्थातुꣳ भ्रमतीव च मे मनः३०

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निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव

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न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनम् आहवे३१

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न काङ्क्षे विजयꣳ कृष्ण न च राज्यꣳ सुखानि च

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किꣳ नो राज्येन गोविन्द किꣳ भोगैर् जीवितेन वा३२

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येषाम् अर्थे काङ्क्षितꣳ नो राज्यꣳ भोगाः सुखानि च

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त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणाꣳस् त्यक्त्वा धनानि च३३

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आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास् तथैव च पितामहाः

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मातुलाः श्वशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस् तथा३४

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एतान् न हन्तुम् इच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन

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अपि त्रैलोक्य-राज्यस्य हेतोः किꣳ नु मही-कृते३५

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निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान् नः का प्रीतिः स्याज् जनार्दन

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पापम् एवाश्रयेद् अस्मान् हत्वैतान् आततायिनः३६

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तस्मान् नार्हा वयꣳ हन्तुꣳ धार्तराष्ट्रान् स्व-बान्धवान्

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स्वजनꣳ हि कथꣳ हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव३७

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यद्य् अप्य् एते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहत-चेतसः

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कुल-क्षय-कृतꣳ दोषꣳ मित्र-द्रोहे च पातकम्३८

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कथꣳ न ज्ञेयम् अस्माभिः पापाद् अस्मान् निवर्तितुम्

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कुल-क्षय-कृतꣳ दोषꣳ प्रपश्यद्भिर् जनार्दन३९

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कुल-क्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुल-धर्माः सनातनाः

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धर्मे नष्टे कुलꣳ कृत्स्नम् अधर्मोऽभिभवत्य् उत४०

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अधर्माभिभवात् कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुल-स्त्रियः

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स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय जायते वर्ण-सङ्करः४१

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सङ्करो नरकायैव कुल-घ्नानाꣳ कुलस्य च

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पतन्ति पितरो ह्य् एषाꣳ लुप्त-पिण्डोदक-क्रियाः४२

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दोषैर् एतैः कुल-घ्नानाꣳ वर्ण-सङ्कर-कारकैः

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उत्साद्यन्ते जाति-धर्माः कुल-धर्माश् च शाश्वताः४३

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उत्सन्न-कुल-धर्माणाꣳ मनुष्याणाꣳ जनार्दन

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नरके नियतꣳ वासो भवतीत्य् अनुशुश्रुम४४

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अहो बत महत् पापꣳ कर्तुꣳ व्यवसिता वयम्

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यद् राज्य-सुख-लोभेन हन्तुꣳ स्वजनम् उद्यताः४५

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यदि माम् अप्रतीकारम् अशस्त्रꣳ शस्त्र-पाणयः

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धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस् तन् मे क्षेमतरꣳ भवेत्४६

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एवम् उक्त्वार्जुनः सङ्ख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्

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विसृज्य सशरꣳ चापꣳ शोक-सꣳविग्न-मानसः४७

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सर्वथाहꣳ न योत्स्यामीत्य् उक्त्वा बन्धु-विश्लेष-जनित-शोक-सꣳविग्न-मानसः पार्थः स-शरꣳ चापꣳ विसृज्य रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्॥१।४७॥

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इति श्रीमद्-रामानुजाचार्य-विरचिते गीता-भाष्ये प्रथमोऽध्यायः॥१॥

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English · simplified from Thibaut (1904)

Lecture 1 — The Theme of Arjuna's Melancholy (in Sanskrit: Arjuna-viṣāda-yoga)

The Bhagavad Gita opens not with a teaching but with a collapse. On the field of Kurukshetra, between two armies drawn up for battle, the warrior Sri Arjuna lets fall his bow and sits down in sorrow. His grief — triggered by the sight of kinsmen, teachers, and elders arrayed as enemies — is the occasion that calls forth the whole Gita. Bhagavad Ramanuja treats this collapse as a spiritual crisis: Arjuna mistakes the body for the self, he confuses rightful duty with unrighteousness, and he takes refuge in a pity that looks noble but is in truth rooted in delusion.

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Proem — Salutations and the purpose of the Gita

Bhagavad Ramanuja opens his commentary by bowing at the feet of his own preceptor-lineage, beginning with the great Yamunacharya, whose summary verse gives the keynote of the entire chapter: "The Gita was introduced to Partha who sought refuge, fearing right's wrong, by misplaced love and pity caught."

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The invocatory verse placed at the head of the commentary addresses the devotee's heart directly: "To the feet of Blessed Ramanuja, do I resort as my Refuge — Bhagavad Ramanuja, Mercy's Ocean, who, from his love of the lotus-feet of Achyuta, regarded everything else as trivial." Achyuta — "He who does not abandon those who trust Him" — is itself a theological pledge: the Lord is the One who never forsakes the soul that has taken refuge.

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Ramanuja then lays down a sublime meditation on the Lord of Sri. Sriman Narayana, consort of Sri Lakshmi, is described as the sole Reservoir of all illustrious attributes and the antithesis of all evil (heya). He possesses jñāna (wisdom), ānanda (bliss), bala (strength), aiśvarya (sovereignty), vīrya (constancy), śakti (power), and tejas (lustre) — the six chief qualities. His divine form is a mine of effulgence, beauty, and eternal youth. He is adorned with transcendental ornaments and accoutred with divine weapons, ever attended by the Nitya-sūris — the eternally free souls who sing His praise. He dwells in the imperishable firmament (akṣara), and the whole universe is but His līlā (sovereign play) in its three modes of projection, sustentation, and dissolution.

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Though the Lord, having created the cosmos from Brahma down to the immovable mineral kingdom, retired into His own Self — so that even to the meditations of Brahma and the devas He became incognizant — yet, moved by infinite mercy, He willed to assume bodies resembling those of His creatures. These are His avatāras, His descents. Never abandoning His essential divine nature, He enters our world to grant the four aspirations: dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa. The object of every incarnation is to relieve the earth of sin's burden and to make Himself accessible to people even of our sinful description.

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As Sri Krishna, He destroyed the demonic oppressors of society — Putana, Sakata, Yamala and Arjuna (the twin trees), Arishta, Pralamba, Dhenuka, Kaliya, Kesi, Kuvalayapida, Chanura, Mushtika, Thosala, Kamsa — and delighted the worlds with looks and language overflowing with the nectar of amity and love. Saints such as Akrura and Malakara became most godly — very saints — simply enraptured by His condescending deportment and presence.

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Ramanuja's language here is deliberately theologically dense. The Lord has five aspects: para (transcendent), vyūha (emanatory), vibhava (incarnational), antaryāmin (indweller), and arcāvatāra (the icon-presence at consecrated shrines). Incarnations as Sri Rama and Sri Krishna belong to the vibhava aspect. The sūris who ever sing His praise correspond to what the Gnostic Christian tradition called the "Eternal Inheritances." His beloved Sri — Sri Lakshmi — is śraddhā herself: the mediatrix by whom the soul approaches the Lord.

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Under the pretext of persuading Sri Arjuna to fight, Sri Krishna now promulgates the doctrine of bhakti-yoga — the path of loving devotion which is the burden of all Vedanta teaching, led up to by jñāna (wisdom) and karma (works). Through bhakti, the Lord is revealed as the sole Object of love and also the Means by which devotees attain the climax of their ambition: mokṣa, final liberation from all conditioned existence. This is why, when Kauravas and Pandavas faced each other in war, Bhagavan — God of gods — appeared as the Charioteer of Sri Arjuna, allowing Himself to be overpowered by love for His faithful dependent, so that the whole universe might witness His condescension.

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Verses 1–11 (The armies assemble; the conches sound)

Verse 1.1. Dhritarashtra said: "O Sanjaya! What did my people and the Pandavas do, assembled on the plains of Kurukshetra, the land of dharma, to carry on war?"

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Though blind both physically and spiritually, Dhritarashtra inquires anxiously about the fortunes of his son Duryodhana.

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Verse 1.2–11. Sanjaya narrates how Duryodhana, surveying the Pandava forces marshalled by Dhrishtadyumna, approaches his teacher Drona and points out the great heroes: Yuyudhana, Virata, Drupada, Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana, the king of Kasi, Purujit, Kunti-bhoja, Saibya, Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadra, and the sons of Draupadi. He then names his own commanders: Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, Asvatthama, Vikarna, and Saumadatti, asking them all to fortify Bhishma.

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Duryodhana's anxiety is visible. Perceiving this, Bhishma lets out a lion's roar and blows his conch, setting off a tumult of drums, trumpets, and cowhorns.

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Verses 12–19 (The divine conches answer)

Verse 1.14–19. Thereupon Sri Krishna (Madhava) and Sri Arjuna (Pandava), seated in their great war-chariot drawn by white horses, blow their divine conches. Hrishikesa sounds the Pāñcajanya — made from the bones of the giant Pancajana of the ocean; Dhananjaya sounds the Devadatta; Bhima the Paundra; Yudhishthira the Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadeva the Sughosha and Manipushpaka. Kasya, Sikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, Satyaki, Drupada, the Draupadeyas, and the son of Subhadra each blew their conches. The din rent the hearts of Dhritarashtra's men and filled earth and sky.

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Ramanuja notes the theological weight: the Charioteer is no ordinary man but the Lord of all lords, the Treasury of wisdom, strength, lordliness, constancy, power, and lustre; Him, to whom the triple cosmos is but sport; Him, the Supreme Governor — who, out of condescending love for His faithful, took the role of Charioteer and stationed the car between the two armies at Sri Arjuna's bidding.

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Verses 20–30 (Arjuna's request and his weakening)

Verse 1.20–25. Sri Arjuna asks Hrishikesa to draw up the chariot between the two armies so that he may see those who stand ready to fight. Krishna complies and says: "See then, Partha, these Kurus assembled here."

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Verse 1.26–27. Sri Arjuna sees there his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, comrades, fathers-in-law, friends, and kinsmen arrayed in both armies.

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Ramanuja pauses here on the full weight of this survey. Sri Arjuna is no ordinary warrior observing a strange enemy; he is the intimate of every man on both sides. Every face he sees is the face of a relation. The Charioteer who has stationed the car between the armies has done so precisely that this recognition might dawn — and, with it, the crisis that will call forth the entire teaching of the Gita.

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Verse 1.28–30. Overcome by compassion, Sri Arjuna speaks in sorrow: "Beholding my own people standing to fight, O Krishna, my limbs quake, my mouth dries up, my frame quivers, my hair stands on end. The Gandiva bow slips from my hand; my skin burns; my legs totter; my head swims."

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Verses 31–46 (The lament: caste, ancestors, the web of consequence)

Verse 1.31–35. "Kesava, I perceive inauspicious omens; what good can come from slaughtering my own people? I desire no victory, no empire, no delights. What use, Govinda, is rule or enjoyment, or even life, when those for whom we would enjoy them stand risking their lives for this contest — teachers, sires, sons, grandsons, uncles, brothers-in-law, cousins? Madhusudana, I would rather be killed by them than kill them, even if the three worlds were my reward."

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Verse 1.36–38. "Janardana, what satisfaction comes from slaying the hosts of Dhritarashtra? To slay them would only bring sin upon us. Though their hearts, overrun with greed, fail to see the ruin of their race and the treachery of betraying friends, how should we — who can see the danger of the extinction of a clan — not know to avoid this sin?"

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Verse 1.40–44. Sri Arjuna develops the elaborate social argument: when a race declines, so does its dharma; when dharma declines, unrighteousness (adharma) spreads; when unrighteousness holds sway, family women become corrupted; from corruption of women comes the intermingling of castes (varṇa-saṅkara); such intermingling is damnation to both the caste-breakers and the castes themselves. Deprived of the offerings of food, water, and rites, the manes (pitaraḥ) of these men fall. By such faults, the ancient dharmas of race and caste are disregarded and broken. For those from whom clan-laws have departed, the scripture teaches that naraka (hell) is the inevitable residence.

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Verse 1.45–47. "Alas! Coveting possessions and enjoyments, how strange that we were about to commit an atrocious sin by massacring our kinsmen. It would be a far greater benefit if, unresisting and unarmed, I were killed on the battlefield by the armed hosts of Dhritarashtra." So saying, agitated with grief, Sri Arjuna let go his arrowed bow and sat down in his chariot between the two armies.

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Ramanuja observes the subtle inversion of wisdom inside this lament. Sri Arjuna speaks of ancestors falling from their spiritual stations, of the collapse of clan-dharma, of the intermingling of castes, of hell — language that seems to presuppose a clear spiritual vision. He speaks, in fact, as if he knew the difference between body and soul. Yet his whole action — the dropping of the bow, the refusal of rightful kṣatriya duty, the flight from his own ordained svadharma — belongs to a man who does not know this distinction. He is confusing body with ātman; he imagines that bodies dying means souls perishing; he imagines that withholding his bow is itself a virtue when it is in truth the abdication of a righteous duty. This is why the Lord, in the next lecture, will begin precisely at this point — the nature of the ātman — rather than with any immediate advice about the battle.

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Ramanuja's summation

Sanjaya reports Partha's condition to Dhritarashtra. Bhagavad Ramanuja's commentary crystallises the spiritual picture here: Sri Arjuna is the most noble-minded, the most compassionate, the eternal kinsman, the most virtuous — and yet, though he knows that with Paramapurusha Himself present beside him the destruction of Dhritarashtra's people is certain, he still looks on them with feelings of friendship, overcome by pity and by fear that righteousness may suffer. Shrinking within himself, he declares: "In no case whatsoever shall I fight." He then becomes most dejected, grieved at the thought of separation from kin, letting go his arrowed bow, and sits down in his chariot.

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This is the crisis that Sri Krishna will meet. Sri Arjuna's pity is not the compassion of a sage but the confusion of a man who does not yet know the distinction between body and ātman, nor the scope of lawful kṣatriya duty, nor the proper orientation of action towards mokṣa. His lament sounds wise — he speaks of ancestors, castes, clan-law, hell — but it is spoken out of delusion. Sri Krishna's smile in the next lecture will answer it.

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Thus closes the First Lecture, the Book of Sri Arjuna's Mood of Melancholy, in the colloquy between Sri Krishna and Sri Arjuna, in the Science of Yoga, in the Divine Knowledge of the Upanishads — the Bhagavad Gita — with the commentary of Bhagavad Ramanuja.

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