Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 46

Chapter 1 – Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit verse

यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः ।
धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत् ॥

Transliteration

yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṃ śastrapāṇayaḥ .
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṃ bhavet ॥

Meaning

If the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapons in hand, were to kill me in battle, unarmed and unresisting, that would be better for me.

Word meanings

यदि – if
माम् – me
अप्रतीकारम् – unresisting
अशस्त्रम् – unarmed
शस्त्रपाणयः – with weapons in hand
धार्तराष्ट्राः – the sons of Dhritarashtra
रणे – in battle
हन्युः – should kill
तत् – that
मे – for me
क्षेमतरम् – better, more beneficial
भवेत् – would be

Anvaya (word order)

यदि शस्त्रपाणयः धार्तराष्ट्राः अप्रतीकारम् अशस्त्रं मां रणे हन्युः, तत् मे क्षेमतरं भवेत् ।

Explanation

This is the climax of Arjuna's despair and his last statement in the first chapter. He declares that if the Kauravas kill him unarmed and unresisting, it would be kshemataram, 'better', for him. Arjuna now prefers dying to killing.

The word kshematara deserves attention. Arjuna is speaking of his own safety and welfare. He feels it is better to die himself than to live by killing his kin, for then he would escape sin. It is a kind of moral self-preservation, an attempt to keep his soul from the stain of sin.

Outwardly this looks like a lofty ideal of non-violence and sacrifice. But traditional commentators make clear that it is not ahimsa but an escape born of delusion. True non-violence springs from a mind free of attachment and aversion, not from attachment to one's own people. And if a kshatriya warrior, responsible for the justice and safety of countless people, lays down his arms on the battlefield, he gives free rein to adharma. His 'sacrifice' would in fact be a betrayal of all who depend on him.

Notice that even here Arjuna says me, 'for me'. His whole argument revolves around his own sin and merit, his own joy and sorrow. The teaching of the Gita will lift him above this 'I' and 'mine' to the wider ground of duty.

Context

After the remorse of the previous verse, Arjuna here announces his final decision. These are his last words in the first chapter; in the next verse Sanjaya relates how Arjuna cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down in the chariot.

Life lesson

Sometimes, to avoid a hard duty, the mind takes shelter in lofty ideals like renunciation and non-violence. We must ask whether our decision springs from true discernment or merely from a wish to escape pain.

Key terms

Apratikara: one who offers no resistance
Ashastra: unarmed
Kshematara: more beneficial, safer