Bg. 1.31 · Bhagavad-gita As It Is

Devanagari

न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे । न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च ॥ ३१ ॥

Verse text

na ca śreyo ’nupaśyāmi hatvā sva-janam āhave na kāṅkṣe vijayaṁ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṁ sukhāni ca

Synonyms

na — nor ; ca — also ; śreyaḥ — good ; anupaśyāmi — do I foresee ; hatvā — by killing ; sva-janam — own kinsmen ; āhave — in the fight ; na — nor ; kāṅkṣe — do I desire ; vijayam — victory ; kṛṣṇa — O Kṛṣṇa ; na — nor ; ca — also ; rājyam — kingdom ; sukhāni — happiness thereof ; ca — also.

Translation

I do not see how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in this battle, nor can I, my dear Kṛṣṇa, desire any subsequent victory, kingdom or happiness.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

31. I do not see any good result, after killing my own people in war. I do not desire victory, kingdom or happiness, O Kṛṣṇa. 32-35. What is the use of kingdom, enjoyment or even living? Those for whom we desire kingdom, enjoyment and happiness—teachers, fathers , sons and grandfathers, maternaluncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and relatives— are standing on the battlefiled, risking their lives and wealth. I do not desire to kill them, even if I were to be killed by them, O Madhusūdana, even for sovereigntiy over the three worlds, what to speak of this earth. O Janārdana, what happiness will we achieve, having killed the sons of Dhṛtarāṣtṛa?

Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

31. I do not see any good result, after killing my own people in war. I do not desire victory, kingdom or happiness, O Kṛṣṇa. 32-35. O Govinda, what is the use of kingdom, enjoyment or even living? Those for whom we desire kingdom, enjoyment and happiness— teachers, fathers, sons and grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, gransons, brothers-in-law and relativs— are standing on the battlefiled, giving up deire for their lives and wealth. I do not desire to kill them, even if they attack me, O Madhusūdana, even for sovereigntiy over the three worlds, what to speak of this earth. O Janārdana, what happiness will we achieve, having killed the sons of Dhṛtarāṣtṛa?

Translation (Bhurijana Dasa)

I do not see how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in this battle, nor can I, my dear Krsna, desire any subsequent victory, kingdom, or happiness. (cn/DS) He is seeing that the people that he may kill in this battle will cause him so much misery to his own life, after their death, that will be any sense or point of enjoying the kingdom. "There is no happiness awaiting for me. I am going to be alive and miserable!" It is also interesting to note that in this verse, Arjuna, uses the word 'Krsna'. Krsna means the 'all‑attractive', and one way of looking the 'all‑attractive' is: "because He is so‑ attractive everyone is coming towards Him. Whichever Krsna does, whichever Krsna moves, He is pulling everyone towards Him. So, in this way Arjuna is using the name Krsna, showing that Krsna is actually the One pulling him around in this battlefield and therefore there is Krsna's purpose to be served by the actual battle.

Purport

Without knowing that one’s self-interest is in Viṣṇu (or Kṛṣṇa), conditioned souls are attracted by bodily relationships, hoping to be happy in such situations. In such a blind conception of life, they forget even the causes of material happiness. Arjuna appears to have even forgotten the moral codes for a kṣatriya. It is said that two kinds of men, namely the kṣatriya who dies directly in front of the battlefield under Kṛṣṇa’s personal orders and the person in the renounced order of life who is absolutely devoted to spiritual culture, are eligible to enter into the sun globe, which is so powerful and dazzling. Arjuna is reluctant even to kill his enemies, let alone his relatives. He thinks that by killing his kinsmen there would be no happiness in his life, and therefore he is not willing to fight, just as a person who does not feel hunger is not inclined to cook. He has now decided to go into the forest and live a secluded life in frustration. But as a kṣatriya, he requires a kingdom for his subsistence, because the kṣatriyas cannot engage themselves in any other occupation. But Arjuna has no kingdom. Arjuna’s sole opportunity for gaining a kingdom lies in fighting with his cousins and brothers and reclaiming the kingdom inherited from his father, which he does not like to do. Therefore he considers himself fit to go to the forest to live a secluded life of frustration.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

“I do not see any benefit in killing in this manner (na śreyo paśyāmi). The scriptures state beneficial results for the person killed: dvāv imau puruṣau loke sūrya-maṇḍala-bhedinau parivrāḍ yoga-yuktaś ca raṇe cābhimukhe hataḥ The sannyāsī engaged in yoga and the warrior who dies facing the enemy attain the sun planet. Parāśara Smṛti 3.30 However, there is no piety for the person engaged in the killing. (Thus it is better that I die rather than kill them.) ” “But by fighting you gain tangible results in the form of kingdom and fame.” “But I do not desire victory, kingdom or happiness.”

Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

Having expressed his lamentation which was unfavorable for knowledge of truth (tattva-jṣāna), he now expresses his contrary intelligence which was unfavorable to knowledge of the truth. “Having killed my relatives in this war (āhave), I do not see any benefit at all. dvāv imau puruṣau loke sūrya-maṇḍala-bhedinau parivrāḍ yoga-yuktaś ca raṇe cābhimukhe hataḥ The saṁnyāsī engaged in yoga and the warrior who dies facing the enemy attain the sun planet. Parāśara Smṛti 3.30 We see from the scriptures that being killed is beneficial. But killing my relatives is not at all beneficial for me.” If the saṅdhi is analyzed to form the word asvajanam, then the meaning is, “ Since killing non-relatives has no benefit, how much more sinful will it be to kill relatives?” “But you will gain fame, kingdom and wealth. These are the visible results of fighting.” “I do not desire these things. Because of giving up desire for kingdom and wealth, I have no interest in attaining victory to attain it. Just as a person who has lost interest in food has no interest in cooking. Therefore living in the forest would be a more commendable means of maintaining my life.” Bg 1.32, Bg 1.33, Bg 1.34, Bg 1.35, Bg 1.32-35 ik&- Naae raJYaeNa GaaeivNd ik&- >aaeGaEJas„ivTaeNa va ) YaezaMaQaeR k-ax(i+aTa& Naae raJYa& >aaeGaa" Sau%aiNa c )) 32 )) Ta wMae_viSQaTaa YauṬe Pa[a<aa&STYa¤-a DaNaaiNa c ) AacaYaaR" iPaTar" Pau}aaSTaQaEv c iPaTaaMaha" )) 33 )) MaaTaul/a" ṅīura" PaaE}aa" XYaal/a" SaMbiNDaNaSTaQaa ) WTaaṁ hNTauiMaC^aiMa ganTaae_iPa MaDauSaUdNa )) 34 )) AiPa }aEl/aeKYaraJYaSYa heTaae" ik&- Nau Mahqk*-Tae ) iNahTYa DaaTaRraí\aṁ" k-a Pa[qiTa" SYaaÂNaadRNa )) 35 )) kiṁ no rājyena govinda kiṁ bhogair jīvitena vā yeṣām arthe kāṅkṣitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca ta ime 'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁs tyaktvā dhanāni ca ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrās tathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinas tathā etān na hantum icchāmi ghnato 'pi madhusūdana api trailokya-rājyasya hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahī-kṛte nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrān naḥ kā prītiḥ syāj janārdana 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—killing; 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. Arjuna addressing the Lord as Govinda means “You know (vindati) the functions of all my senses (go). Therefore, please understand what I am thinking.” He tells his reasons for not wanting a kingdom. “Having given up the desire for life (prāṇān) and wealth (dhanāni), they are standing ready to fight. (The word “desire” should be supplied in order to complete the meaning.) In giving up their lives they should have desire for kingdom (wealth) in order to give happiness to their friend. But their inclination to fight is useless, since since this kingdom will be destroyed.” “If you being very mericful will not kill them, they will certainly kill you and obtain your kingdom without opposition.” “I have no desire to kill them, even if they attack me, even if I attain a kingdom of the three worlds, what to speak of attaining just this earth.” “Apart from others, at least these sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra should be killed, because it is possible to be happy, having killed those that give so much trouble.” “Having killed Duryodhana and others, what peace would we Pāṇḍavas who remain have? None at all. It is not proper to kill brothers for a temporary semblance of happiness, but which would lead to long term suffering in hell. O Janārdana (destroyer of people), if they are to be killed, then you, who come to relieve the earth of its burden, should kill them. It is not possible for you, the Supreme Lord, to suffer the effects of sin at all in killing them.”