FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 1.32-35

కిం నో రాజ్యేన గోవిన్ద కిం భోగైర్జీవితేన వా । యేషామర్థే కాఙ్‍‍క్షితం నో రాజ్యం భోగాః సుఖాని చ ॥ ౩౨ ॥ త ఇమేఽవస్థితా యుద్ధే ప్రాణాంస్త్యక్త్వా ధనాని చ । ఆచార్యాః పితరః పుత్రాస్తథైవ చ పితామహాః ॥ ౩3 ॥ మాతులాః శ్వశ‍ురాః పౌత్రాః శ్యాలాః సమ్బన్ధినస్తథా । ఏతాన్న హన్తుమిచ్ఛామి ఘ్న‍తోఽపి మధుసూదన ॥ ౩౪ ॥ అపి త్రైలోక్యరాజ్యస్య హేతోః కిం ను మహీకృతే । నిహత్య ధార్తరాష్ట్రాన్నః కా ప్రీతిః స్యాజ్జ‍నార్దన ॥ ౩౫ ॥
kiṁ no rājyena govinda
[kim no raajyena govinda]
kiṁ bhogair jīvitena vā
[kim bhogair jeevitena vaa]
yeṣām arthe kāṅkṣitaṁ no
[yeshaam arthe kaankshitam no]
rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca
[raajyam bhogaah sukhaani cha]
ta ime ’vasthitā yuddhe
[ta ime ’vasthitaa yuddhe]
prāṇāṁs tyaktvā dhanāni ca
[praanaams tyaktvaa dhanaani cha]
ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrās
[aachaaryaah pitarah putraas]
tathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ
[tathaiva cha pitaamahaah]
mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ
[maatulaah shvashuraah pautraah]
śyālāḥ sambandhinas tathā
[shyaalaah sambandhinas tathaa]
etān na hantum icchāmi
[etaan na hantum ichchaami]
ghnato ’pi madhusūdana
[ghnato ’pi madhusoodana]
api trailokya-rājyasya
[api trailokya-raajyasya]
hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahī-kṛte
[hetoh kim nu mahee-krite]
nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrān naḥ
[nihatya dhaartaraashtraan nah]
kā prītiḥ syāj janārdana
[kaa preetih syaaj janaardana]
Word-for-word
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 .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kiṁ no rājyena govinda
kim
what use
naḥ
to us
kiṁ bhogair jīvitena vā
yeṣām arthe kāṅkṣitaṁ no
rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca
rājyena
is the kingdom
govinda
O Kṛṣṇa
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
kim
what
bhogaiḥ
enjoyment
jīvitena
living
vā
either
yeṣām
of whom
nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrān naḥ
arthe
for the sake
kā prītiḥ syāj janārdana
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 .
Important Words
  • govinda — O Kṛṣṇa
    *Go* (cow, also: senses, also: land) + *vinda* (one who finds, one who is found by). "He who is found by the cows / the senses / the land." An intimate Vaiṣṇava name — the cowherd-Lord. Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa with the gentle Vraja name precisely as he prepares to refuse the cosmic duty. The intimate name is summoned to soften the refusal.
  • bhogaiḥ — enjoyment
    *Bhoga* — that which is *enjoyed*. From *bhuj* — to eat, to consume, to experience. The Gītā distinguishes *bhoga* (sense-enjoyment) from *yoga* (union). Arjuna asks what use *bhoga* is when *bhogins* (those who would enjoy) are absent. He is glimpsing the dependence of *bhoga* on relations — but not yet seeing the alternative the Gītā will offer.
  • ācāryāḥ — teachers
    Plural — he names *teachers* first in his litany. Significant order: Bhīṣma is grandfather, Droṇa is teacher, and Arjuna names the *teacher* category first. *Guru-hatyā* (the killing of a teacher) is the heaviest of the great sins. He puts the worst at the head of the list.
  • ghnataḥ — being killed
    Present participle — "even while being killed [I do not wish to kill them]." The reflexivity is precise. Arjuna says he would not strike back even under attack. This is the same logic Yudhiṣṭhira would later approve and the Gītā would reject: passivity in the face of adharma is itself adharma.
  • trai - lokya — of the three worlds
    *Trai-lokya* — the three worlds (earth, atmosphere, heaven; or earth, heaven, lower worlds). The Vedic cosmic measure. Arjuna's renunciation rises to cosmic scale: not the earth, not even the three worlds, would tempt him. The hyperbole is sincere; it is also exactly the kind of sweeping renunciation the Gītā will call *phalgu-vairāgya* — dry, premature.
  • janārdana — O maintainer of all living entities
    *Jana* (living being) + *ardana* (one who agitates, one who removes affliction). Two readings — "the agitator of demons" or "the maintainer of the people." Arjuna closes his speech with the cosmic-maintainer epithet. He addresses *the maintainer of all beings* to justify *not maintaining* his own kṣatriya order. The name itself contradicts the argument.
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?
Purport

Arjuna has addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa as Govinda because Kṛṣṇa is the object of all pleasures for cows and the senses. By using this significant word, Arjuna indicates that Kṛṣṇa should understand what will satisfy Arjuna’s senses. But Govinda is not meant for satisfying our senses. If we try to satisfy the senses of Govinda, however, then automatically our own senses are satisfied. Materially, everyone wants to satisfy his senses, and he wants God to be the order supplier for such satisfaction. The Lord will satisfy the senses of the living entities as much as they deserve, but not to the extent that they may covet. But when one takes the opposite way – namely, when one tries to satisfy the senses of Govinda without desiring to satisfy one’s own senses – then by the grace of Govinda all desires of the living entity are satisfied. Arjuna’s deep affection for community and family members is exhibited here partly due to his natural compassion for them. He is therefore not prepared to fight. Everyone wants to show his opulence to friends and relatives, but Arjuna fears that all his relatives and friends will be killed on the battlefield and he will be unable to share his opulence after victory. This is a typical calculation of material life. The transcendental life, however, is different. Since a devotee wants to satisfy the desires of the Lord, he can, Lord willing, accept all kinds of opulence for the service of the Lord, and if the Lord is not willing, he should not accept a farthing. Arjuna did not want to kill his relatives, and if there were any need to kill them, he desired that Kṛṣṇa kill them personally. At this point he did not know that Kṛṣṇa had already killed them before their coming into the battlefield and that he was only to become an instrument for Kṛṣṇa. This fact is disclosed in following chapters. As a natural devotee of the Lord, Arjuna did not like to retaliate against his miscreant cousins and brothers, but it was the Lord’s plan that they should all be killed. The devotee of the Lord does not retaliate against the wrongdoer, but the Lord does not tolerate any mischief done to the devotee by the miscreants. The Lord can excuse a person on His own account, but He excuses no one who has done harm to His devotees. Therefore the Lord was determined to kill the miscreants, although Arjuna wanted to excuse them.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Translation
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 Madhusudana, 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 Dhrtarastra? (cn/DS) Arjuna is calling Krsna 'the maintainer of all living entities'because "how is that, Krsna, You whose business is to maintain everyone, is desiring this fight that is going to cause the death of everyone?" Arjuna is also calling Krsna, 'Janardana' (Jana= persons + dana= killer), to tell Him: "You are the killer of all people, why don't You do the killing on this battlefield, and I just seat on the chariot, in that way I will not become involved in all this sinful reactions." Arjuna is actually detached. He is not thinking: "Let me get the kingdom! Let me get unlimited power, let me get unlimited wealth!" Rather he is saying: "I am not prepared to fight even though these people are war‑like, they want to fight. I am not prepared, it is not worthy. Better that I think of You than think of the wealth that I am going to gain by gaining the kingdom. It is not worthy. What pleasure will we derive from killing the sons of Dhrtarastra?" The Pandavas, after this great battle, they stayed in power only for 37 years. If one kills millions of people for putting himself in power and as a result of that killing gets millions and millions of years of suffering in hell (because of the reactions), is that worthy for 30 or 40 years of being a king? So, Arjuna's conclusion, knowing the philosophy that this type of wealth, this type of enjoyement that overlooks future sin, it is not worthy. "Please Krsna, O Janardana, You do the killing, I will just seat here!"
Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Arjuna exhibits “typical calculation of material life”. He feels that fighting will not give him

any enjoyment even if he is victorious because:

He wants to show off his opulence and share with the society after victory
Also if there is any need to kill his relatives, let Krishna kill them
Focus of Learning

(a) Arjuna misuses the name ‘Govinda’

Meaning of ‘Govinda’ – Krishna is the object of all pleasures for the cows and the senses
What Arjuna indicates by addressing Krishna as ‘Govinda’
He indicates that Krishna should understand what will satisfy Arjuna’s senses
Material understanding of God – Materially everyone wants to satisfy his senses and wants God to be his order supplier for such satisfaction
What is the right conception of the name ‘Govinda’
Lord will satisfy the senses of the living entities as much as they deserve, but not to the extent they may covet
Because ‘Govinda’ is not meant for satisfying our senses
Right conception – When one tries to satisfy the senses of ‘Govinda’ without desiring to satisfy one’s own senses, then by the grace of ‘Govinda’ all the desires of the living entities are satisfied

(a) Theme of this purport – Blind conception of life exhibited

Without knowing one’s self interest as Vishnu, conditioned souls are attracted by bodily relationships, hoping to be happy in such conditions
One even forgets the causes of material happiness

(b) How Arjuna exhibits “blind conception of life”

Refuses to fight – He appears to have even forgotten the moral codes of a ksatriya
Moral code of a ksatriya – For Arjuna kingdom is a must for his subsistence because ksatriyas cannot engage themselves in any other occupation
Two kinds of men enter the sun globe:

▪ Ksatriya who dies directly in front of the battlefield under Krishna’s personal

order

▪ The person in the renounced order of life who is absolutely devoted to spiritual

culture

Arjuna’s proposal
He is reluctant to kill his enemies, what to speak of his relatives – He thinks that by killing them there would be no happiness in his lives

▪ Analogy: Just like a person who does not feel hunger is not inclined to cook

He considers himself fit to go to the forest to live a secluded life of frustration

▪ He wants to escape because his sole opportunity in gaining a kingdom lies in

fighting with his cousins and brothers which he does not like to do

ARJUNA’S THIRD ARGUMENT — FEAR OF SINFUL REACTIONS (1.36 — 1.38)

REFUTATION:

Lord Krishna refutes this argument in Texts 2.33 – 2.37

Texts 1.36* — 1.38

COMMON THEME: Arjuna argues that fighting will incur sinful reactions because of the unique position of

the aggressors as seniors and relatives

(a) Six kinds of aggressors to be killed (based on grounds of politics and sociology – Artha-sastra)

Killing them does not incur any sin.

1. A Poison-giver; 2. One who sets fire to the house; 3. One who attacks with deadly weapons

4. One who plunders riches; 5.One who occupies another’s land; 6. One who kidnaps a wife

(b) Why Arjuna favors forgiveness (based on the grounds of religion and saintly behavior – Dharma-

sastra)

Because of the unique position of these aggressors as seniors and relatives
Forgiveness on account of saintliness
Arjuna considers why to risk life and eternal salvation for temporary pleasures and kingdom

Srila Prabhupada now compares typical calculation of material life and transcendental life:

(b) Typical calculation of material life

Show off tendency – Everyone wants to show off his opulence to friends and relatives, but Arjuna fears that all of them will be killed on the battlefield
To be so-called ‘good man’ – Arjuna did not want to kill his relatives, and even if there was any need to kill them,he desires that Krishna kill them and he should not be involved

(c) Transcendental life

Transcendental life – Devotee wants to satisfy the Lord’s desire
He can, Lord willing, accept all kinds of opulences for the service of the Lord
What is the Lord’s desire here – He wants Arjuna to fight
Why Lord is so determined to fight – He can excuse a person on His own account, but he excuses no-one who has done harm to his devotees
By the Lord’s plan they were already killed; He just wants Arjuna to be an instrument
If the Lord is not willing, he should not accept a farthing (One should give up all selfish likes and dislikes)
Similarly Arjuna is told to execute the Lord’s desire and not to exhibit his own desires
Of course Arjuna’s own desires do reflect the following qualities:

▪ Arjuna’s deep affection for community and family is exhibited here partially

due to his natural compassion for them

▪ As a natural devotee Arjuna did not like to retaliate against his miscreant

cousins and brothers

ARJUNA’S FOURTH ARGUMENT — DESTRUCTION OF FAMILY TRADITIONS (1.39 — 1.43)

REFUTATION:

Lord Krishna refutes this argument in Texts 2.45, 2.46 & 3.24

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
1.32 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
1.26 - 1.47 Arjuna said - Sanjaya said Sanjaya continued: The high-minded Arjuna, extremely kind, deeply friendly, and supremely righteous, having brothers like himself, though repeatedly deceived by the treacherous attempts of your people like burning in the lac-house etc., and therefore fit to be killed by him with the help of the Supreme Person, nevertheless said, 'I will not fight.' He felt weak, overcome as he was by his love and extreme compassion for his relatives. He was also filled with fear, not knowing what was righteous and what unrighteous. His mind was tortured by grief, because of the thought of future separation from his relations. So he threw away his bow and arrow and sat on the chariot as if to fast to death.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
1.30 1.34 Na ca sreyah, etc., upto mahikrte. Those who are wrongly conceived as object of slaying, with the individualizing idea that 'these are my teachers etc.'8 would necessarily generate sin. Similarly, the act of slaying even of those deserving to be slain in the battle-if undertaken with the idea that 'This battle is to be fought for the apparent results like pleasures, happiness etc.'- then it generates sin necessarily. This idea lurks in the objection [of Arjuna]. That is why a reply is going to be given [by Bhagavat] as 'You must undertake actions simply as your own duty, and not with an individualizing idea'.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
1.32. I desire not victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures. Of what avail is dominion to us, O Krishna, or pleasures or even life?
Commentary

1.32 न not? काङ्क्षे (I) desire? विजयम् victory? कृष्ण O Krishna? न not? च and? राज्यम् kingdom? सुखानि pleasures? च and? किम् what? नः to us? राज्येन by kindom? गोविन्द O Govinda? किम् what? भोगैः by pleasures? जीवितेन life? वा or.No Commentary.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
1.32 1.34 O Govinda! What need do we have of a kingdom, or what (need) of enjoyments and livelihood? Those for whom kingdom, enjoyments and pleasures ae desired by us, viz teachers, uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law as also relatives-those very ones stand arrayed for battle risking their lives and wealth.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
1.32 Ah my Lord! I crave not for victory, nor for the kingdom, nor for any pleasure. What were a kingdom or happiness or life to me,
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Arjava (Simplicity / Straightforwardness)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 2.11 BG 18.7 BG 18.66 SB 7.15.35 SB 5.5.8 SB 11.19.27 CC Madhya 16.238 CC Madhya 22.89 CC Madhya 23.105 BRS 1.2.255 BRS 1.2.256
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Renouncing the fruits of action without spiritual purpose is not vairāgya — it is just exhausted attachment.
Practical Applications
  • Examine your renunciations: are you giving up something for Kṛṣṇa, or just because it tired you?
  • Distinguish between yukta-vairāgya (renunciation in service of Kṛṣṇa) and phalgu-vairāgya (dry, escapist renunciation).
  • Bring even your renunciations into Kṛṣṇa's service rather than treating them as personal achievements.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of my 'renunciations' are actually just preferences in disguise?
  • Where am I abandoning duty under the cover of detachment?
Analogy

Arjuna's long list of relatives — teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, kinsmen — is the auditor of his own life. He is reading aloud who he is, by *whom he is connected to*. The Gītā will not contradict the love; it will redirect it: the same soul has another, deeper kinship with Kṛṣṇa.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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