Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1

In Chapter 1 of the Bhagavad Gita, Verses 1 to 19, Sanjay describes to Dhritarashtra the formation of the armies and gives information about the distinguished and renowned warriors present on both sides.

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verses 20 to 23, Arjun says, “O Lord! Please place my chariot between the two armies so that I may see who the warriors are who stand ready to fight against me.”

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verses 24–25, it is described that Lord Krishna positioned the chariot between the two armies and said to Arjun, “Look at the kings and the members of the Kuru dynasty standing before you.”

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verses 26 to 45, Arjun sees his own relatives—brothers, sons, grandsons, brothers-in-law, fathers-in-law, companions, and other family members—standing ready for battle. Upon seeing his own people prepared to kill and be killed, Arjun speaks with deep discernment to Krishna. He says that upon seeing innocent children, companions, cousins, and relatives standing before him, his body trembles, his bow slips from his hand, and he is unable to stand. He does not feel right about killing his own people.

Arjun says, “O Krishna! I do not desire victory, nor do I desire a kingdom or its pleasures. Those who have come ready to die, without concern for their lives or their kingdom, should not be killed by me just to gain a kingdom. I do not wish to kill my relatives, sons, and grandsons. Even if I were offered sovereignty over all three worlds, why would I commit such a sin for the sake of the Earth alone? By killing them, I would incur only sin. How can we be happy after committing such sinful acts? These kings standing before us are blinded by attachment and illusion. But we possess knowledge—why should we act in such a way that, after the destruction of the family lineage, immoral people will harass our women, leading to mixed progeny? Family traditions and righteous conduct will be destroyed, and by abandoning righteous duties, we will become destined for hell. In truth, we are committing a great sin by being ready to kill our own relatives out of selfish desire.”

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 46, Arjun says, “O Lord, to save myself from this sin, even if the sons of Dhritarashtra kill me while I am unarmed and without fighting, I would consider it better to die. By my death, millions of sisters would be saved from becoming widows, and millions of innocent children would be saved from becoming orphans.”

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 47, having spoken thus, Arjun sits down in the middle of the chariot with a sorrowful heart and lays aside his bow.

This chapter contains a total of 47 verses. Out of these, two verses (24–25) are spoken by Shri Krishna, while the remaining verses are spoken by Sanjay and Arjun.