Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 34

Chapter 1 – Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit verse

आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः ।
मातुलाः श्वशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा ॥

Transliteration

ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ .
mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinastathā ॥

Meaning

Teachers, fathers, sons, and grandfathers too; maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other kinsmen (all stand here in battle).

Word meanings

आचार्याः – teachers
पितरः – fathers (elders of the father's generation)
पुत्राः – sons
तथा एव च – and likewise
पितामहाः – grandfathers
मातुलाः – maternal uncles
श्वशुराः – fathers-in-law
पौत्राः – grandsons
श्यालाः – brothers-in-law
सम्बन्धिनः – other relatives
तथा – also

Anvaya (word order)

आचार्याः, पितरः, पुत्राः, तथा एव च पितामहाः, मातुलाः, श्वशुराः, पौत्राः, श्यालाः तथा सम्बन्धिनः (युद्धे अवस्थिताः) ।

Explanation

Arjuna names, one by one, the relatives standing face to face in this war. The list matches Sanjaya's description in verses 26-27, but here Arjuna himself is speaking, and so every word carries his pain. Beginning with acharyas, teachers, is no accident; his reverence for Drona and Kripa was the deepest of all.

Three generations appear in the list: grandfathers and fathers (the elder generation), brothers, uncles and brothers-in-law (his own), and sons and grandsons (the younger). Both blood relations and relations by marriage are included. Arjuna sees that this war will tear apart the whole fabric of a family and a society. No generation, no bond will be left untouched.

Shyalah, 'brothers-in-law', includes Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi, Draupadi's brothers, who stood on Arjuna's own side. This again makes clear that his grief is not only for the enemy side but for both.

Repeating the list is a natural symptom of grief. When the mind is sunk in pain, it returns again and again to the same thought. Arjuna's mind circles around these bonds, and that very circling carries him away from his duty.

Context

In the previous verse Arjuna said that those for whose sake he wanted a kingdom stand in battle; here he names those relationships. In the next verse he declares he would not kill them even for the sovereignty of the three worlds.

Life lesson

A mind in pain repeats the same thought over and over and sinks deeper into it. At such times we need to listen to a wise guide in order to break the cycle.

Key terms

Acharya: teacher; here Drona and Kripa
Shyala: wife's brother, brother-in-law
Sambandhi: relatives by marriage and other ties