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Chapter 1 · Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra · 46 verses

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Questions & crisisChapter 1 · Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra
1.301.32

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 1.31

The fear of family destruction and sin

न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे ।

न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च ॥ ३१ ॥

na ca śreyo ’nupaśyāmi

hatvā sva-janam āhave

na kāṅkṣe vijayaṁ kṛṣṇa

na ca rājyaṁ sukhāni ca

Translation

I do not see how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in this battle, nor can I, my dear Kṛṣṇa, desire any subsequent victory, kingdom or happiness.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Arjuna Sees No Happiness

  1. 1Arjuna sees no good in killing his relatives and wants no victory, kingdom or happiness afterward.
  2. 2Conditioned souls seek happiness in bodily relationships, forgetting that their true self-interest is in Kṛṣṇa.
  3. 3Arjuna appears to forget his moral duties as a kṣatriya, or warrior.
  4. 4He needs a kingdom to support himself, but reclaiming it requires fighting his relatives.
  5. 5Rather than fight, Arjuna plans to live alone in the forest in frustration.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 1, Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra: the fear of family destruction and sin.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Honest questions open the way to wisdom.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: saṁśaya, viṣāda.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 1.31 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to questions & crisis?

Practice

Write down the real question behind your current dilemma.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 1 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 1.32The fear of family destruction and sinBG 1.33The fear of family destruction and sinBG 2.7The moment Arjuna becomes a discipleBG 6.34The restless mind

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

Ask the study guide

Ask about BG 1.31 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.