Chapter 1 · Arjuna Vishada Yoga - The Yoga of Arjuna's DespondencyArjuna
Verse 37
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता अध्याय 1, श्लोक 37
Sanskrit Shloka (श्लोक)
तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान्।
स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव॥३७॥
Transliteration
Tasman-Narha Vayam Hantum Dhartarashtran Sva-Bandhavan.
Svajanam Hi Katham Hatva Sukhinah Syama Madhava.||37||
Word-by-Word Meaning (अन्वय)
तस्मात्tasmattherefore
नnanot
अर्हाःarhahjustified
वयम्vayamwe
हन्तुम्hantumto kill
धार्तराष्ट्रान्dhartarashtransons of Dhritarashtra
स्वबान्धवान्sva-bandhavanour own relatives
स्वजनम्svajanamown people
हत्वाhatvahaving killed
सुखिनःsukhinahhappy
स्यामsyamacan we be
माधवmadhavaO Krishna
Hindi Translation (हिन्दी अर्थ)
इसलिए हमें अपने बन्धु धार्तराष्ट्रों को मारना उचित नहीं है। हे माधव! अपने स्वजनों को मारकर हम कैसे सुखी हो सकते हैं?
English Translation
Therefore, it is not right for us to kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our own relatives. O Madhava, how can we be happy by killing our own kinsmen?
Commentary (टीका)
Arjuna's argument seems logical on the surface — happiness cannot come from killing family. Yet this reasoning confuses temporary emotional suffering with lasting dharmic consequences. Krishna will later explain that greater harm comes from abandoning one's righteous duty than from the pain of fulfilling it.