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Mahabharata
Bhagavad-gītā (002) (Sankhya Yoga and Buddhi Yoga)6.24.4-8
5415 / 15823
Mahabharata · 6.24.4-8
॥
Devanāgarī

अर्जुन उवाच
कथं भीष्मम् अहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन ॥
इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हाव् अरिसूदन ॥
गुरून् अहत्वा हि महानुभावाञ्; श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्षम् अपीह लोके ॥
हत्वार्थकामांस् तु गुरून् इहैव; भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् ॥
न चैतद् विद्मः कतरन् नो गरीयो; यद् वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः ॥
यान् एव हत्वा न जिजीविषामस्; ते ऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः ॥
कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः; पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसंमूढचेताः ॥
यच् छ्रेयः स्यान् निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन् मे; शिष्यस् ते ऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् ॥
न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्याद्; यच् छोकम् उच्छोषणम् इन्द्रियाणाम् ॥
अवाप्य भूमाव् असपत्नम् ऋद्धं; राज्यं सुराणाम् अपि चाधिपत्यम् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

arjuna uvāca
kathaṃ bhīṣmam ahaṃ saṃkhye droṇaṃ ca madhusūdana ||
iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāv arisūdana ||
gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvāñ; śreyo bhoktuṃ bhaikṣam apīha loke ||
hatvārthakāmāṃs tu gurūn ihaiva; bhuñjīya bhogān rudhirapradigdhān ||
na caitad vidmaḥ kataran no garīyo; yad vā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ ||
yān eva hatvā na jijīviṣāmas; te 'vasthitāḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ ||
kārpaṇyadoṣopahatasvabhāvaḥ; pṛcchāmi tvāṃ dharmasaṃmūḍhacetāḥ ||
yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṃ brūhi tan me; śiṣyas te 'haṃ śādhi māṃ tvāṃ prapannam ||
na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād; yac chokam ucchoṣaṇam indriyāṇām ||
avāpya bhūmāv asapatnam ṛddhaṃ; rājyaṃ surāṇām api cādhipatyam ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अर्जुन उवाचarjuna uvācaArjuna said; Arjuna spoke
कथं भीष्मम् अहं संख्येkathaṃ bhīṣmam ahaṃ saṃkhyehow shall I, in battle, against Bhishma; how am I, in the fight, to face Bhishma
द्रोणं च मधुसूदनdroṇaṃ ca madhusūdanaand Drona, Madhusudana; and against Drona, O Madhusudana
इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामिiṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmishall I contend with arrows; shall I answer with arrows
पूजार्हाव् अरिसूदनpūjārhāv arisūdanawho are worthy of worship, O queller of foes; who are venerable, O slayer of enemies
गुरून् अहत्वा हिgurūn ahatvā hifor, without slaying the teachers; for, not striking down the preceptors
महानुभावाञ्mahānubhāvāñgreat souls; exalted persons
श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्षम् अपिśreyo bhoktuṃ bhaikṣam apiit is better even to live on alms; it is preferable to live by begging
इह लोकेiha lokehere in this world; in this life
हत्वार्थकामांस् तु गुरून्hatvārthakāmāṃs tu gurūnbut having slain the teachers, who desire gain; having struck down the preceptors for the sake of ends
इहैवihaivaright here; even here
भुञ्जीय भोगान्bhuñjīya bhogānI would enjoy pleasures; I would partake of goods
रुधिरप्रदिग्धान्rudhirapradigdhānstained with blood; smeared with blood
न चैतद् विद्मःna caitad vidmaḥand this we do not know; we do not understand
कतरन् नो गरीयोkataran no garīyowhich is weightier for us; which is better for us
यद् वा जयेमyad vā jayemawhether we shall conquer; if we should win
यदि वा नो जयेयुःyadi vā no jayeyuḥor whether they will conquer us; or if they should defeat us
यान् एव हत्वाyān eva hatvāhaving slain whom; those whom, having struck down
न जिजीविषामस्na jijīviṣāmaswe should not wish to live; we would not desire life
ते ऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखेte 'vasthitāḥ pramukhethey stand before us; they are arrayed in front
धार्तराष्ट्राःdhārtarāṣṭrāḥthe sons of Dhritarashtra; the Dhartarashtras
कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावःkārpaṇyadoṣopahatasvabhāvaḥwhose nature is stricken with the flaw of weak pity; with a nature marred by faintheartedness
पृच्छामि त्वांpṛcchāmi tvāṃI ask you; I question you
धर्मसंमूढचेताःdharmasaṃmūḍhacetāḥwith a mind confused about dharma; with an understanding bewildered by duty
यच् छ्रेयः स्यान् निश्चितंyac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṃwhat would be the certain good; what good is definite
ब्रूहि तन् मेbrūhi tan metell me this; declare this to me
शिष्यस् ते ऽहंśiṣyas te 'haṃI am your disciple; I am your student
शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्śādhi māṃ tvāṃ prapannaminstruct me, who have taken refuge in you; teach me, who have come to you
न हि प्रपश्यामिna hi prapaśyāmifor I do not see; for I cannot discern
ममापनुद्याद् यच् छोकम्mamāpanudyād yac chokamwhat would drive away my grief; what would dispel my sorrow
उच्छोषणम् इन्द्रियाणाम्ucchoṣaṇam indriyāṇāmthat dries up the senses; that withers the organs of sense
अवाप्य भूमाव् असपत्नम्avāpya bhūmāv asapatnamhaving obtained on earth an unrivaled; having gained an undisputed earthly
ऋद्धं राज्यंṛddhaṃ rājyaṃa flourishing kingdom; a rich dominion
सुराणाम् अपि चाधिपत्यम्surāṇām api cādhipatyamand even sovereignty over the gods; even lordship over the celestials
Translation

Arjuna said: "O Madhusudana, how shall I, in battle, meet Bhishma and Drona with arrows — men worthy of worship, O slayer of enemies? It is better to live in this world even on alms than to slay these great-souled teachers. But having slain the teachers, however desirous of gain they may be, I would here partake of pleasures stained with blood. We do not know which is weightier for us: whether we shall conquer or be conquered. Before us stand the sons of Dhritarashtra, having slain whom we should not wish to live. My nature is stricken with the weakness of pity, and my mind is confused about dharma. I ask you: tell me with certainty what is good. I am your disciple; instruct me, who have taken refuge in you. I do not see what could dispel this grief that withers my senses, even if I were to obtain on earth an unrivaled and flourishing kingdom, or even sovereignty over the gods."

Version

ed213ab19717 · published Jul 17, 2026, 8:55:05 PM UTC

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