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The Distress of Arjuna

       Table of Contents

      Dhritirashtra:

       Ranged thus for battle on the sacred plain--

       On Kurukshetra--say, Sanjaya! say

       What wrought my people, and the Pandavas?

      Sanjaya:

       When he beheld the host of Pandavas,

       Raja Duryodhana to Drona drew,

       And spake these words: "Ah, Guru! see this line,

       How vast it is of Pandu fighting-men,

       Embattled by the son of Drupada,

       Thy scholar in the war! Therein stand ranked

       Chiefs like Arjuna, like to Bhima chiefs,

       Benders of bows; Virata, Yuyudhan,

       Drupada, eminent upon his car,

       Dhrishtaket, Chekitan, Kasi's stout lord,

       Purujit, Kuntibhoj, and Saivya,

       With Yudhamanyu, and Uttamauj

       Subhadra's child; and Drupadi's;-all famed!

       All mounted on their shining chariots!

       On our side, too,--thou best of Brahmans! see

       Excellent chiefs, commanders of my line,

       Whose names I joy to count: thyself the first,

       Then Bhishma, Karna, Kripa fierce in fight,

       Vikarna, Aswatthaman; next to these

       Strong Saumadatti, with full many more

       Valiant and tried, ready this day to die

       For me their king, each with his weapon grasped,

       Each skilful in the field. Weakest-meseems-

       Our battle shows where Bhishma holds command,

       And Bhima, fronting him, something too strong!

       Have care our captains nigh to Bhishma's ranks

       Prepare what help they may! Now, blow my shell!"

      Then, at the signal of the aged king,

       With blare to wake the blood, rolling around

       Like to a lion's roar, the trumpeter

       Blew the great Conch; and, at the noise of it,

       Trumpets and drums, cymbals and gongs and horns

       Burst into sudden clamour; as the blasts

       Of loosened tempest, such the tumult seemed!

       Then might be seen, upon their car of gold

       Yoked with white steeds, blowing their battle-shells,

       Krishna the God, Arjuna at his side:

       Krishna, with knotted locks, blew his great conch

       Carved of the "Giant's bone;" Arjuna blew

       Indra's loud gift; Bhima the terrible--

       Wolf-bellied Bhima-blew a long reed-conch;

       And Yudhisthira, Kunti's blameless son,

       Winded a mighty shell, "Victory's Voice;"

       And Nakula blew shrill upon his conch

       Named the "Sweet-sounding," Sahadev on his

       Called"Gem-bedecked," and Kasi's Prince on his.

       Sikhandi on his car, Dhrishtadyumn,

       Virata, Satyaki the Unsubdued,

       Drupada, with his sons, (O Lord of Earth!)

       Long-armed Subhadra's children, all blew loud,

       So that the clangour shook their foemen's hearts,

       With quaking earth and thundering heav'n.

      Then 'twas-

       Beholding Dhritirashtra's battle set,

       Weapons unsheathing, bows drawn forth, the war

       Instant to break-Arjun, whose ensign-badge

       Was Hanuman the monkey, spake this thing

       To Krishna the Divine, his charioteer:

       "Drive, Dauntless One! to yonder open ground

       Betwixt the armies; I would see more nigh

       These who will fight with us, those we must slay

       To-day, in war's arbitrament; for, sure,

       On bloodshed all are bent who throng this plain,

       Obeying Dhritirashtra's sinful son."

      Thus, by Arjuna prayed, (O Bharata!)

       Between the hosts that heavenly Charioteer

       Drove the bright car, reining its milk-white steeds

       Where Bhishma led,and Drona,and their Lords.

       "See!" spake he to Arjuna, "where they stand,

       Thy kindred of the Kurus:" and the Prince

       Marked on each hand the kinsmen of his house,

       Grandsires and sires, uncles and brothers and sons,

       Cousins and sons-in-law and nephews, mixed

       With friends and honoured elders; some this side,

       Some that side ranged: and, seeing those opposed,

       Such kith grown enemies-Arjuna's heart

       Melted with pity, while he uttered this:

      Arjuna.

       Krishna! as I behold, come here to shed

       Their common blood, yon concourse of our kin,

       My members fail, my tongue dries in my mouth,

       A shudder thrills my body, and my hair

       Bristles with horror; from my weak hand slips

       Gandiv, the goodly bow; a fever burns

       My skin to parching; hardly may I stand;

       The life within me seems to swim and faint;

       Nothing do I foresee save woe and wail!

       It is not good, O Keshav! nought of good

       Can spring from mutual slaughter! Lo, I hate

       Triumph and domination, wealth and ease,

       Thus sadly won! Aho! what victory

       Can bring delight, Govinda! what rich spoils

       Could profit; what rule recompense; what span

       Of life itself seem sweet, bought with such blood?

       Seeing that these stand here, ready to die,

       For whose sake life was fair, and pleasure pleased,

       And power grew precious:-grandsires, sires, and sons,

       Brothers, and fathers-in-law, and sons-in-law,

       Elders and friends! Shall I deal death on these

       Even though they seek to slay us? Not one blow,

       O Madhusudan! will I strike to gain

      The rule of all Three Worlds; then, how much less

       To seize an earthly kingdom! Killing these

       Must breed but anguish, Krishna! If they be

       Guilty, we shall grow guilty by their deaths;

       Their sins will light on us, if we shall slay

       Those sons of Dhritirashtra, and our kin;

       What peace could come of that, O Madhava?

       For if indeed, blinded by lust and wrath,

       These cannot see, or will not see, the sin

      

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