Chapter 1 • Verse 37

Arjuna Vishada Yoga

The Yoga of Arjuna's Dejection

Sanskrit Verse

tasman narha vayam hantum dhartarashtraan sva-bandhavan, sva-janam hi katham hatva sukhinah syama madhava

Translation & Meaning

Arjuna reasons: therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our kinsmen — how can we be happy by killing our own people? He seeks the endorsement of happiness as a criterion for right action, but Krishna will teach that duty-aligned action, not emotional happiness, is the true standard.

Key Teachings

  • •Happiness is a fruit of right action, not its criterion
  • •Confusing emotional comfort with moral rightness leads to wrong decisions
  • •The pursuit of personal happiness at the cost of one's duty is itself a form of attachment

Topics

moral dilemmaattachmentfamilyconfusiongrief
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