आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः।

मातुलाः श्चशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा।।1.34।।

एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन।

अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते।।1.35।।

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन।

पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः।।1.36।।

तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान्।

स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव।।1.37।।

  • 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 Madhusudana, even if I am killed, I do not want to kill these even for the sake of a kingdom extending across the three worlds; let alone doing so for the earth!

    O Janardana, what happiness will we gain by killing the sons of Dhrtarastra? We will only incur sin by killing these wrongdoers.

    Therefore, it is not proper for us to kill the sons of Dhrtarastra, who are our own relatives. For, O Madhava, how can we be happy by killing our kinsmen?

Osho’s Commentary

Arjuna lists them all. Teachers, fathers, sons… He is not seeing soldiers; he is seeing a family album. Each face evokes a memory, a relationship. And he says, “I do not wish to kill them, even for the sovereignty of the three worlds. What then for this small earth?” His argument seems noble. He is willing to renounce the whole world for the sake of his family. But look deeper. It is still an argument of attachment. His world is his family. Beyond that, he does not see. His compassion is limited to those he calls “mine.” And he says, “By killing these, only sin will accrue to us.” He is still caught in the logic of karma, of good and bad deeds. He is thinking like a businessman, calculating his spiritual profit and loss. This is not the language of a true renouncer. A true renouncer acts out of a deep seeing of the nature of reality, not out of a fear of sin or a desire for merit.