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Verse 1.31

Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit

न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे | न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च ||३१||

Transliteration (IAST)

na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave | na kāṅkṣe vijayaṁ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṁ sukhāni ca ||31||

Word-by-Word Meanings

श्रेयः-good/welfare
हत्वा-by killing
स्वजनम्-my own people
आहवे-in battle
विजयम्-victory
राज्यम्-kingdom
सुखानि-pleasures

Translation

I do not see any good in killing my own kinsmen in battle. I desire neither victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures.

Commentary

Arjuna rejects the three conventional motivations for war: victory, kingdom, and pleasure. This renunciation, while seemingly noble, is born of attachment and confusion rather than true wisdom. Krishna will later teach that true renunciation is giving up the fruits of action, not action itself.

Themes

dharmadutysurrender

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