tumult rent the hearts of the sons of Dhritarashtra, and violently shook heaven and earth with
its echo.
Then beholding the sons of Dhritarashtra, drawn up on the battle- field, ready to fight, Arjuna,
whose flag bore the Hanuman,
Raising his bow, spoke this to the Lord Shri Krishna: O Infallible! Lord of the earth! Please
draw up my chariot betwixt the two armies,
So that I may observe those who must fight on my side, those who must fight against me;
And gaze over this array of soldiers, eager to please the sinful sons of Dhritarashtra.”
Sanjaya said: “Having listened to the request of Arjuna, Lord Shri Krishna drew up His bright
chariot exactly in the midst between the two armies,
Whither Bheeshma and Drona had led all the rulers of the earth, and spoke thus: O Arjuna! Behold
these members of the family of Kuru assembled.
There Arjuna noticed fathers, grandfathers, uncles, cousins, sons, grandsons, teachers, friends;
Fathers-in-law and benefactors, arrayed on both sides. Arjuna then gazed at all those kinsmen before
him.
And his heart melted with pity and sadly he spoke: O my Lord! When I see all these, my own
people, thirsting for battle,
My limbs fail me and my throat is parched, my body trembles and my hair stands on end.
The bow Gandeeva slips from my hand, and my skin burns. I cannot keep quiet, for my
mind is in tumult.
The omens are adverse; what good can come from the slaughter of my people on this
battlefield?
Ah my Lord! I crave not for victory, nor for the kingdom, nor for any pleasure. What were
a kingdom or happiness or life to me,
When those for whose sake I desire these things stand here about to sacrifice their
property and their lives:
Teachers, fathers and grandfathers, sons and grandsons, uncles, father-in-law, brothers-in-
law and other relatives.
I would not kill them, even for three worlds; why then for this poor earth? It matters not if
I myself am killed.
My Lord! What happiness can come from the death of these sons of Dhritarashtra? We
shall sin if we kill these desperate men.
We are worthy of a nobler feat than to slaughter our relatives – the sons of Dhritarashtra;
for, my Lord, how can we be happy of we kill our kinsmen?
Although these men, blinded by greed, see no guilt in destroying their kin, or fighting
against their friends,
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