Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Bhagavad Gita 4


Anantavijayam raja
kunti-putro yudhisthirah
nakulah sahadevas ca
sughosa-manipuspakau

Kasyas ca paramesv-asah
sikhandi ca maha-rathah
dhrishtadyumno viratas ca
satyakis caparajitah

Drupado draupadeyas ca
sarvasah prithivi-pate
saubhadras ca maha-bahuh
sankhan dadhmuh prithak prithak



Meaning: King Yudhishthira, the son of kunti blew his conchshell, the Ananta-vijaya, and Nakula and Sahadev blew Sughosa and Manipuspaka. The great King of Kasi, the great fighter Sikhandi, Dhristadhyumna, Virata, the unconquerable Satyaki, Drupada, the sons of Draupadi and the others, O King, such as the mighty-armed son of Subhadra, all blew their respective conchshells.

Sa ghoso dhartarastranam
hridayani vyadarayat
nabhas ca prithivim caiva
tumulo ’bhyanunadayan

Meaning: The blowing of these different conchshells became uproarious. Vibrating both in the sky and on earth, it shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhritharashtra. 

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Bhagavad Gita 3

Ayaneshu Cha Sarveshu
Yatha-bhagam avasthitah
Bhismam evabhirakshantu
Bhavanta sarva eva hi

Meaning: All of you must give your support to Grandfather Bhishma, as you stand at your respective strategic points of entrance into the phalanx of the army.

Tasya sanjanayan harsam
kuru-vrddah pitamahah
simha-nadam vinadyoccaih
sankham dadhmau pratapavan

Meaning: Then Bhishma, the great valiant grandsire of the Kuru Dyansty, the grandfather of the fighters, blew his conchshell very loudly, making a sound like the roar of a lion, giving joy to Duryodhana.

Tatah sankhas cha bheryas cha
panavanaka-gomukhah
sahasaivabhyahanyanta
sa shabdas tumulo bhavat

Meaning: After that, the conchshells, drums, bugles, trumpets and horns were all suddenly and together played. And the sound of it all was uproarious.

Tatah svetair hayair yukte
mahati syandane sthitau
madhavah pandavas caiva
divyau sankhau pradadhmatuh

Meaning: On the other side, both Lord Krishna and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses, sounded their transcendental conhshells.

Pancajanyam hrsikeso
devadattam dhananjayah
paundram dadhmau maha-sankham
bhima-karma vrkodarah

Meaning: Lord Krishna blew his conchshell, Panchajanya; Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta; and Bhima, the voracious eater and the performer of herculean tasks, blew his terrific conchshell, the Paundra.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Bhagavad Gita 2

Bhagavad gita 1.6 to 1.10

Yudhamanyush cha Vikrantha
Uttamaujaash cha Veeryavan
Saubhadro Draupadeyaash cha
Sarva yeva Mahaarathaha

Translation: Yudhamanyu the mighty, Uttamauja the valiant, the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu) and the sons of Draupadi - are all great chariot warriors.

Asmakam tu Vishishthaa ye
Thannibodha Dvijjottama
Nayaka Mama Sainyasya
Samjnartham tan braveemi te

Translation: For your information, O best among Brahmanaas let me tell you about the chiefs of my army.

Bhavan Bheeshmascha karnas cha
Kripas cha samitim-jayah
Ashvatthama Vikarnas cha
Saumadattis tathaiva cha

Translation: There are people like you, Bheeshma, Karna, Kripa, Ashvathama, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta called Bhurisrava who are always victorious in battle.

Anye cha Bahavah sura
Madarthe tyakta-jivitah
Naana-shastra praharanah
Sarve yuddha Visaradah

Translation: There are many brave fighters who are ready to lay down their lives for me. They are all well-equipped with various kinds of weapons and are experts in military science.

Aparyaptam tad asmakam
Balam Bhismabhiraksitam
Paryaptam tv idam etesam
Balam Bhismabhiraksitam

Translation: Our strength is immense and we are protected by our (great) Grandfather Bheeshma. On the other hand the Pandavas are not well protected by our (great) Grandfather Bheeshma.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Bhagavad Gita 1

I want to start with a Vinayaka Sloka.

Vakrathunda Mahakaaya Suryakoti Samaprabha
Nirvighnam Kuru mey deva Sarva Karyeshu sarvadaa
Meaning: Oh! Lord who has long trunk, huge body and the brilliance of Millions of suns - please make all my endeavors free of any obstacles.

Bhagavad Gita starts when King Dhritharashtra (who is blind) asks Sanjaya about the occurrences on the great Kurukshethra battle field. Sanjaya is the charioteer and advisor of King Dhritharashtra. Sanjaya had a boon from Rishi Vyasa which enabled him to see events from a far distance. Here the great Bhagavad Gita starts....

Dhritharashtra uvacha "Dharma kshethre kuru kshethre
                                 Samaveta yuyutsavaha
                                 Mamakah pandavah chaiva
                                 Kim akurvata Sanjaya"

Translation:
Words of King Dhritharashtra "Oh Sanjaya, Gathered in the holy (dharma) field of kurukshethra, are my sons and sons of Pandu. What did they do?"

Sanjaya uvacha "Dristvatu Paandavaneekam
                        Vyudam Duryodhanas tada
                        Achaaryam Upasamgamya
                        Raaja Vachanam abraveet"

Transalation:
Words of Sanjaya "Oh King, after seeing the army of Pandavas in arrayed military formation in the battle field, Duryodhana, the then King of Karinagara approached his Guru and spoke."

                       "Pasyaitam pandu-putranam
                        Acharya mahatim chamum
                        Vyudham drupada-putrena
                        Tava shishyena Dheemataa"

Translation:
"Oh my teacher, behold the mighty army of Pandavas, efficiently arranged by your wise disciple, the son of Drupada."
In the above verse the teacher is Drona acharya and the disciple is Dhristadhyumna (son of Drupada). Drupada is the King of Panchala and Draupadi's father. Dhristadhyumna was appointed as the commander of the Pandava army.

                        "Atra Shoora Mahesv-asa
                        Bheemarjuna-Sama yuddhi
                        Yuyudhaano viratas cha
                        Drupadas cha maha rathah"

Translation: Here arrayed in the battle field are many great warriors, who are equal to Bhima and Arjuna in their valor in the battle field. Also great Maharathas like Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada stand here.
Maharatha means a great charioteer who is capable of fighting tens of thousands of archers by himself without any aid.

                      "Dhrishtaketus chekitanah
                       Kaasi raaja cha veeryvan
                       Purujit Kuntibhoojas cha
                       Shaibhya cha nara-pungavah"

Translation: There are also great heroic warriors like Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana, Kaashiraja the valiant, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Shaibya.