Grief

For death is certain for the born, and birth is certain for the dead. Therefore you should not grieve over what is unavoidable.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च | तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ||२-२७||

It is said to be unmanifest, unthinkable, and unchanging. Therefore, knowing it to be so, you should not grieve.

अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते | तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि ||२-२५||

The Blessed Lord said: You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead.

श्रीभगवानुवाच | अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे | गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः ||२-११||

And even if you think of it as constantly being born and constantly dying, still, mighty-armed one, you should not grieve like this.

अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम् | तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि ||२-२६||

Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus to Krishna, Arjuna, scorcher of foes, said to Govinda, I will not fight, and fell silent.

सञ्जय उवाच | एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तप | न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह ||२-९||

For I do not see what would drive away the grief that withers my senses, even were I to win unrivaled and prosperous kingship over the earth, or even lordship over the gods.

न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्याद् यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम् | अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धं राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम् ||२-८||

Sanjaya said: To him thus overcome with compassion, his eyes filled with tears and troubled, sunk in despair, Krishna spoke these words:

सञ्जय उवाच | तं तथा कृपयाविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् | विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः ||२-१||

Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus on the field of battle, Arjuna sank down onto the seat of his chariot, casting aside his bow and arrows, his mind overwhelmed with grief.

सञ्जय उवाच | एवमुक्त्वार्जुनः सङ्ख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत् | विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानसः ||१-४७||

I do not desire victory, Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures. What use to us is kingdom, Govinda, what use are enjoyments, or even life itself?

न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च | किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा ||१-३२||

The Gandiva bow slips from my hand, my skin burns all over, I cannot stand steady, and my mind seems to reel.

गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते | न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः ||१-३०||

my limbs give way and my mouth goes dry, my body trembles and my hair stands on end.

सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति | वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते ||१-२९||

Nor do we know which is better for us: that we should conquer them, or that they should conquer us. Those very sons of Dhritarashtra, after killing whom we would not wish to live, stand facing us.

न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो यद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः | यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषामस्- तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः ||२-६||

It would be better for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapons in hand, were to kill me, unresisting and unarmed, in the battle.

यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः | धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत् ||१-४६||

What joy would be ours, Janardana, from killing Dhritarashtra's sons? Only sin would fall upon us from killing these aggressors.

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन | पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः ||१-३६||

Those for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures stand here in battle, giving up their lives and their wealth:

येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च | त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च ||१-३३||

I see adverse omens, Keshava, and I foresee no good in killing my own people in battle.

निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव | न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे ||१-३१||

overcome with deep compassion, said this in despair: Arjuna said: Seeing my own people, Krishna, gathered here eager to fight,

कृपया परयाविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत् | अर्जुन उवाच | दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम् ||१-२८||

There Arjuna saw, standing in both armies, fathers and grandfathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, and friends,

तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितॄनथ पितामहान् | आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातॄन्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा ||१-२६||