The first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita - Arjuna Vishada Yoga introduces the setup, the setting, the characters and the circumstances that led to the epic battle of Mahabharata, fought between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. It outlines the reasons that led to the revelation of the Bhagavad Gita.
As both armies stand ready for the battle, the mighty warrior Arjuna, on observing the warriors on both sides becomes increasingly sad and depressed due to the fear of losing his relatives and friends and the consequent sins attributed to killing his own relatives. So, he surrenders to Lord Krishna, seeking a solution. Thus, follows the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita.
Dhritarashtra said What did my people and the sons of Pandu do when they had assembled
together eager for battle on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya.
Sanjaya said Having seen the army of the Pandavas drawn up in battle-array,
King Duryodhana then approached his teacher (Drona) and spoke these words.
"Behold, O Teacher! this mighty army of the sons of Pandu,
arrayed by the son of Drupada, thy wise disciple.
Here are heroes, mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima
and Arjuna, Yuyudhana (Satyaki), Virata and Drupada, of the great car (mighty
warriors).
"Dhrishtaketu, chekitana and the valiant king of Kasi, Purujit
and Kuntibhoja and Saibya, the best men.
"The strong Yudhamanyu and the brave Uttamaujas, the son
of Subhadra (Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra and Arjuna), and the sons of
Draupadi, all of great chariots (great heroes).
"Know also, O best among the twice-born! the names of those
who are the most distinguished amongst ourselves, the leaders of my army;
these I name to thee for thy information.
"Thyself and Bhishma, and Karna and also Kripa, the victorious
in war, Asvatthama, Vikarna, and also Bhurisrava, the son of Somadatta.
"And also many other heroes who are ready to give up their
lives for my sake, armed with various weapons and missiles, all well-skilled
in battle.
"This army of ours marshalled by Bhishma is insufficient,
whereas that army of theirs marshalled by Bhima is sufficient.
"Therefore do ye all, stationed in your respective positions,
in the several divisions of the army, protect Bhishma alone."
His glorious grandsire (Bhishma), the oldest of the Kauravas,
in order to cheer Duryodhana, now roared like a lion, and blew his conch.
Then (following Bhishma), conches and kettledrums, tabors,
drums and cow horns blared forth quite suddenly (from the Kaurava side)
and the sound was tremendous.
Then, also, Madhava (Krishna) and the son of Pandu (Arjuna),
seated in the magnificent chariot, yoked with white horses, blew divine
conches.
Hrishikesha blew the Panchajanya and Arjuna blew the Devadatta
and Bhima (the wolf-bellied), the doer of terrible deeds, blew the great
conch Paundra.
The king Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew the Anantavijaya;
Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosha and the Manipushpaka.
The king of Kasi, an excellent archer, Sikhandi, the mighty
car-warrior, Dhrishtadyumna and Virata and Satyaki, the unconquered.
Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, O Lord of the earth, and
the son of Subhadra, the mighty-armed, blew their conches separately.
That tumultuous sound rent the hearts of (the members of)
Dhritarashtra's party, making both the heaven and the earth resound.
Arjuna said: In the middle between the two armies, place my chariot, O Krishna, so that I may behold those who stand here desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight when the battle is about to commence.
For I desire to observe those who are assembled here to fight, wishing to please in battle the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.
For I desire to observe those who are assembled here to fight,
wishing to please in battle the evil-minded Duryodhana (the son of Dhritarashtra).
Sanjaya said Thus addressed by Arjuna, Krishna, having stationed that
best of chariots, O Dhritarashtra, in the midst of the two armies.
In front of Bhishma and Drona, and all the rulers of the
earth, said: "O Arjuna (son of Pritha), behold these Kurus gathered together."
Then, Arjuna (son of Pritha) saw there (in the armies) stationed,
fathers and grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons
and friends too.
(He saw) fathers-in-law and friends also in both the armies.
The son of Kunti, Arjuna, seeing all those kinsmen thus standing arrayed,
spoke this, sorrowfully filled with deep pity.
Arjuna said Seeing these, my kinsmen, O Krishna, arrayed, eager to fight.
My limbs fail and my mouth is parched, my body quivers and
my hair stands on end.
The (bow) Gandiva slips from my hand, and also my skin burns
all over; I am unable even to stand and my mind is reeling, as it were.
And I see adverse omens, O Kesava. I do not see any good
in killing my kinsmen in battle.
I desire not victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures.
Of what avail is dominion to us, O Krishna, or pleasures or even life?
Those for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyments and pleasures,
stand here in battle, having renounced life and wealth.
Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers, maternal uncles,
fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives,-
These I do not wish to kill, though they kill me, O Krishna,
even for the sake of dominion over the three worlds; leave alone killing
them for the sake of the earth.
By killing these sons of Dhritarashtra, what pleasure can
be ours, O Janardana? Only sin will accrue to us from killing these felons.
Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra,
our relatives; for how can we be happy by killing our own people, O Madhava
(Krishna)?
Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see
no evil in the destruction of families, and no sin in hostility to friends,
Why should not we who clearly see evil in the destruction
of families, learn to turn away from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?
In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious
rites of that family perish; on the destruction of spirituality, impiety,
indeed, overcomes the whole family.
By the prevalence of impiety, O Krishna, the women of
the family become corrupt; and , women being corrupted, O Varshenya (descendant
of Vrishni), there arises intermingling of castes.
Confusion of castes leads to hell the slayers of the family,
for their forefathers fall, deprived of the offerings of rice-ball and
water (libations).
By these evil deeds of the destroyers of the family, which
cause confusion of castes, the eternal religious rites of the caste and
the family are destroyed.
We have heard, O Janardana, that inevitable is the dwelling
for an unknown period in hell for those men in whose families the religious
practices have been destroyed.
Alas! We are involved in a great sin, in that we are
prepared to kill our kinsmen, through greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.
If the sons of Dhritarashtra with weapons in hand should
slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.
Sanjaya said Having thus spoken in the midst of the battlefield, Arjuna,
casting away his bow and arrow, sat down on the seat of the chariot with
his mind overwhelmed with sorrow.
Then, seeing the forces of Dhritarashtra arrayed before him and the moment of battle at hand, Arjuna, son of Pandu, whose banner bore the emblem of the monkey, lifted his bow and spoke these words to Krishna, O Lord of the earth.