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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;
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The Bhagavad…Gita; translated
(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
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The Bhagavad…Gita; translated
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 Of kingly lines o'erthrown and kinsmen slain;
How should not we; who see; shun such a crime We who perceive the
guilt and feel the shame O thou Delight of Men; Janardana? By
overthrow of houses perisheth Their sweet continuous household piety;
And…rites neglected; piety extinct Enters impiety upon that home; Its
women grow unwomaned; whence there spring Mad passions; and the
mingling…up of castes; Sending a Hell…ward road that family; And whoso
wrought its doom by wicked wrath。 Nay; and the souls of honoured
ancestors Fall from their place of peace; being bereft Of funeral…cakes and
the wan death…water。'FN#1' So teach our holy hymns。 Thus; if we slay
Kinsfolk and friends for love of earthly power; Ahovat! what an evil fault
it were! Better I deem it; if my kinsmen strike; To face them weaponless;
and bare my breast To shaft and spear; than answer blow with blow。 So
speaking; in the face of those two hosts; Arjuna sank upon his chariot…seat;
And let fall bow and arrows; sick at heart。
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The Bhagavad…Gita; translated
HERE ENDETHCHAPTER I。 OF THE BHAGAVAD…GITA; Entitled
〃Arjun…Vishad;〃 Or 〃The Book of the Distress of Arjuna。〃
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The Bhagavad…Gita; translated
CHAPTER II
Sanjaya。 Him; filled with such compassion and such grief; With eyes
tear…dimmed; despondent; in stern words The Driver; Madhusudan; thus
addressed:
Krishna。 How hath this weakness taken thee? Whence springs The
inglorious trouble; shameful to the brave; Barring the path of virtue? Nay;
Arjun! Forbid thyself to feebleness! it mars Thy warrior…name! cast off the
coward…fit! Wake! Be thyself! Arise; Scourge of thy Foes!
Arjuna。 How can I; in the battle; shoot with shafts On Bhishma; or on
Drona…O thou Chief! Both worshipful; both honourable men?
Better to live on beggar's bread With those we love alive; Than
taste their blood in rich feasts spread; And guiltily survive! Ah! were it
worse…who