Verse 1.36
Speaker: Arjuna
Sanskrit
तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान् | स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव ||३६||
Transliteration (IAST)
tasmānnārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ dhārtarāṣṭrānsvabāndhavān | svajanaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava ||36||
Word-by-Word Meanings
तस्मात्-therefore
अर्हाः-justified
हन्तुम्-to kill
स्वबान्धवान्-our own relatives
स्वजनम्-our own people
हत्वा-having killed
सुखिनः-happy
Translation
Therefore, we are not justified in killing the sons of Dhritarashtra, our own relatives. How can we be happy by killing our own kinsmen, O Madhava?
Commentary
Arjuna's argument moves from emotion to ethics - he claims killing relatives can never lead to happiness. While his compassion is genuine, Krishna will show that true happiness (ānanda) comes from fulfilling one's dharma, not from avoiding difficult duties.
Themes
dharmadutysurrender
Related Verses
duty1 verse