Gita Chapter One

Chapter One provides the context in which Lord Krishna revealed the Ultimate Truth to Arjuna. Arjuna was afflicted suddenly by serious mental agony over the desirability of fighting the Great War between the Kauravas and Pandavas when both the armies gathered at the battlefield of Kurukshtra. The main hero of the Pndavas and the third brother among the Pandava princes felt completely dejected, confused and demoralized, lamenting that he was faced with a fight against and attempt to annihilate his own teachers, relatives and friends in the Karava side and be the cause of death of millions of warriors on both sides. Thus, fighting the war would amount to him as an act of great sin. He was distressed to visualize the adverse consequences of the War on the society and him and therefore was about to withdraw from the battlefield laying down the arms.

Verses 1.1 - 1.46
After looking over the army gathered by the sons of Pandu, King Duryodhana went to his teacher, Drona, and told them to behold the great army of the sons of Pandu, so expertly arranged by their intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada and observe the many heroic bowmen equal in fighting to Bhima and Arjuna including great fighters like Yuyudhana, Virata, Drupada, Dhrstaketu, Cekitana, Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, Saibya, Yudhamanyu, Uttamauja, the son of Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi who are great chariot fighters. Then he described about his own army line-up that included, besides Drona, Bhisma, Karna, Kripa, Asvatthama, Vikarna and Bhurisrava the son of Somadatta, who were always victorious in battle. There were many other heroes well equipped with different kinds of weapons, experienced in military science and prepared to lay down their lives for Duryodhana’s sake. He considered the strength of his army immeasurable and perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhisma, whereas the strength of the Pandavas, protected by Bhima, is limited. He sought full support to Grandfather Bhisma. Then, Bhisma, the great valiant grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, blew his conchshell very loudly like the sound of a lion. The conchshells, bugles, trumpets, drums and horns combined to create a tumultuous sound.
On the other side, both Lord Krishna and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses, blew their transcendental conchshells. Lord Krsna blew His conchshell, called Pancajanya, Arjuna blew his Devadatta and Bhima, blew his Paundram. King Yudhisthira blew his conchshell Ananta-vijaya, Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosa and Manipuspaka. The great archer King of Kasi, the great fighter Sikhandi, Dhrstadyumna, Virata and the unconquerable Satyaki, Drupada, the sons of Draupadi and Subhadra, blew their respective conchshells. The blowing of these different conchshells became uproarious, vibrating both in the sky and on the earth, shattering the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarastra.
Arjunav seated in his chariot, his flag marked with Hanuman, took up his bow and prepared to shoot his arrows, looking at the sons of Dhrtarastra. He then requested Krishna to draw his chariot between the two armies so that he could view the warriors desirous of fighting, and with whom he would have to contend in the battle. Then, Arjuna could see, within the midst of the armies of both parties, his grandfathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, and also his father-in-law and well-wishers all present there. He became overwhelmed with compassion and sorrow. He said that his body was quivering, mouth drying up. Hair standing on end, bow Gandiva slipping from his hand and his skin burning. He was unable to stand any longer and forgetting himself with mind is reeling envisioning the consequences of the war as only evil. He could not comprehend how any good can come from killing his own kinsmen in this battle and therefore unable to desire victory, kingdom, or happiness from this war. He enquired of Krishna of what utility is kingdoms, happiness or even life itself when all those for whom these are desired - teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and all relatives are ready to give up their lives in this battle. He expressed his disinclination to fight to kill them even if the entire universe were offered for fighting. He felt it was sinful to slay such aggressors, even if these kinsmen, overtaken by greed, see no fault in killing one's family. He further anticipated destruction of dynasty and the eternal family traditions, the rise of irreligious practices, corruption, unwanted progeny and degradation of womanhood. He would rather feel better if the sons of Dhrtarastra killed him without fight unarmed than bring in the devastation by fighting the battle. Overwhelmed by grief, he then laid down his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.