Bhagavad Gita 1.33
Sanskrit
त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च
Transliteration
ta ime ’vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁs tyaktvā dhanāni cha
Synonyms
kim: what use;
naḥ: to us;
rājyena: is the kingdom;
govinda: O Kṛṣṇa;
kim: what;
bhogaiḥ: enjoyment;
jīvitena: living;
vā: either;
yeṣām: of whom;
arthe: for the sake;
kāṅkṣitam: is desired;
naḥ: by us;
rājyam: kingdom;
bhogāḥ: material enjoyment;
sukhāni: all happiness;
ca: also;
te: all of them;
ime: these;
avasthitāḥ: situated;
yuddhe: on this battlefield;
prāṇān: lives;
tyaktvā: giving up;
dhanāni: riches;
ca: also;
ācāryāḥ: teachers;
pitaraḥ: fathers;
putrāḥ: sons;
tathā: as well as;
eva: certainly;
ca: also;
pitāmahāḥ: grandfathers;
mātulāḥ: maternal uncles;
śvaśurāḥ: fathers-in-law;
pautrāḥ: grandsons;
śyālāḥ: brothers-in-law;
sambandhinaḥ: relatives;
tathā: as well as;
etān: all these;
na: never;
hantum: to kill;
icchāmi: do I wish;
ghnataḥ: being killed;
api: even;
madhusūdana: O killer of the demon Madhu (Kṛṣṇa);
api: even if;
trai: lokya — of the three worlds;
rājyasya: for the kingdom;
hetoḥ: in exchange;
kim nu: what to speak of;
mahī: kṛte — for the sake of the earth;
nihatya: by killing;
dhārtarāṣṭrān: the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra;
naḥ: our;
kā: what;
prītiḥ: pleasure;
syāt: will there be;
janārdana: O maintainer of all living entities .;
English Meaning
O Govinda, of what avail to us are a kingdom, happiness or even life itself when all those for whom we may desire them are now arrayed on this battlefield? O Madhusūdana, when teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives are ready to give up their lives and properties and are standing before me, why should I wish to kill them, even though they might otherwise kill me? O maintainer of all living entities, I am not prepared to fight with them even in exchange for the three worlds, let alone this earth. What pleasure will we derive from killing the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra?
Life Theme
Moral Conflict
Life Application
Facing a difficult decision where emotions clash with responsibilities, reminding us to pause and reflect before acting.