Gita : Ch-1. Slo-26 & 27.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita : 


Chapter-1.( Arjuna-vishadha-yogam )


Slokam-26 & 27. ( Thereafter Arjuna situated therein could observe in both armies fatherly elders, grand-fatherly elders, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, fathers in laws, and well wishers. After seeing all his kinsmen present, Arjuna became overwhelmed with compassion and then stricken by grief spoke thus : )


26.
tatrapasyat     sthitan    parthah    pitrnatha     pitamahan 

acaryan    matulan     bhratrn    putran    pautran     sakhimstatha 

svasuran    suhrdaacaiva     senayorubhayorapi


27.
tan    samikshya    sa    kaunteyah   sarvan    bandhunavasthitan 

krpaya    parayavishto     vishidannidamabravit




26.

atha   parthah    tatra   =   later   Arjuna    there;

ubhayoh    senayoh    api   =   there   in   the    two   armies;

pitrn     pitamahan    =   fathers    and    grand   fathers;

acaryan    matulan    =   teachers    and    uncles;

bhratrn    putran    =   brothers   and   sons;

pautran     sakhin   =   grand   sons   and    friends;

tatha    svasuran    =   and   likewise   father-in-laws   too;

suhrdah   eva    ca   apasyat   =   seen   friends   too;




27.
sah   kaunteyah   =   that    Arjuna!

avasthitan    tan   =   there   stand;

sarvan   bandhun   samikshya   =    seeing   all    ( kinds )   relatives;

paraya    krpaya    avishtah   =   overwhelmed   by   a   high   grade   compassion;

vishidan   idam    abravit   =    while    lamenting    thus    spoke  :




There he indeed could see standing both parties of the armies: his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends and also his fathers-in-law and well-wishers.

And there at Kurukshetra, the original place of pilgrimage of the Kuru dynasty, Arjuna saw indeed standing both the parties of his fathers, grandfathers, uncles, nephews, friends, well-wishers and alike.

Seeing all kinds of relatives he, the son of Kuntî got overwhelmed by a high degree of compassion and lamenting he thus spoke.

Right in the middle of them faced with the huge gathering of his family, the son of aunt Prithâ wasoverwhelmed by an avalanche of conflicting feelings and he stood perplexed, unable to move one more step.

There Arjuna could see, within the midst of the armies of both parties, his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, and also his father-in-law and well-wishers-all present there.

On the battlefield Arjuna could see all kinds of relatives. He could see persons like Bhurisrava, who were his father's contemporaries, grandfathers Bhisha and Somadatta, teachers like Dronacharya and Kripacharya, maternal uncles like Salya and Sakuni, brothers like Duryodhana, sons like Lakshmana, friends like Asvatthama, well-wishers like Krtavarma, etc. He could see also the armies which contained many of his friends.

When the son of Kunti, Arjuna, saw all these different grades of friends and relatives, he became overwhelmed with compassion and spoke thus:


What happened after that? To answer this the verse states: There he saw fathers, uncles, sons and grandsons; that is to say the sons and grandsons of Duryodhana and others as well as associates, friends, and well wishers who had rendered some favour in the past. 

Arjuna saw so many of his friends and associates opposing him in battle. It should be understood that those mentioned as fathers are ones who were from the same generation as his father such as Bhurisrava and those grandfathers are similarly from the same generation as his grandfather such as Bhishma. The teachers referred to are like Drona and Kripa, maternal uncles are like Salya, brothers are like Bhima and Duryodhana, sons are like the age of his own son Abhimanyu, grandsons are like Laksmana and friends are like Asvatthama as well as others. 


What did Arjuna do then? In answer to this the verse states: seeing, responding, overwhelmed, overcome, besieged with or possessed by despondency. Visidan means grief stricken or greatly despondent.

In answer to the question what did Arjuna do next? Sanjaya replies with a mood to console the blind Dhritarastra whose mind was visibly disturbed by the doubt that his son Duryodhana might not be victorious but could indeed lose the entire kingdom. Dhritarastra previously had not the slightest intention of giving back to the Pandavas, the children of his deceased brother Pandu, their rightful share of the kingdom. Then when the Pandavas had to suffer further miseries in the forest for 13 years did he consider giving them a reprieve. But in the process of undergoing various trails and tribulations of forest life, Arjuna received many divine weapons from Siva and Indra and his mighty Gandiva bow bestowed upon him by Agni. Arjuna although being protected by Lord Krishna and fully capable of defeating the belligerent warriors of the Kaurava army when he saw so many of his family and friends arrayed against him he became overwhelmed with compassion for them. 

One might wonder how is it possible that just before battle such a mighty warrior as Arjuna is smitten so untimely with feelings of compassion. Arjuna is being referred to as Kaunteya the son of Kunti who is the exalted sister of Vasudeva who Lord Krishna accepted as His father. Vasudeva was so magnanimous and compassionate that he forgave Kamsa who was an incurable sinner. So feeling some pity for them Arjuna forlornly spoke the words found in the next slokam. 

To be continued ...