निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव।
न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे।।1.31।।
न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च।
किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा।।1.32।।
येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च।
त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च।।1.33।।
Besides, I do not see any good to be derived from killing my own people in battle. O Krsna, I do not hanker after victory, nor even a kingdom, nor pleasures.
O Govinda! What need do we have of a kingdom, or what need of enjoyments and livelihood? Those for whom kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures are desired by us—such as teachers, uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, as well as relatives—those very ones stand arrayed for battle, risking their lives and wealth.
- O Govinda! What need do we have of a kingdom, or what need of enjoyments and livelihood? Those for whom kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures are desired by us—such as teachers, uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, as well as relatives—those very ones stand arrayed for battle, risking their lives and wealth.
Osho’s Commentary
Arjuna’s logic now comes to the surface. And his logic is the logic of every worldly man. He says, “What is the point of a victory that is won over the bodies of my own people? I do not desire such a victory, such a kingdom, such pleasures.” But is he truly free from the desire for pleasure? No, my friend. His argument is conditional. He is saying, “The pleasure that comes from killing my own people is not worth it.” If the kingdom could be had without this great price, he would be the first to take it. His renunciation is not born of a deep understanding of the futility of all worldly things. It is born of a conflict between two desires: the desire for the kingdom and the desire to protect his loved ones. He is not a Buddha, seeing the whole world as a house on fire. He is a man caught in a dilemma, trying to calculate the profit and loss. And in his calculation, the pain of killing his own people seems greater than the pleasure of gaining a kingdom. His argument is of the mind, not of the soul.