yeṣhām arthe kāṅkṣhitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni cha
ta ime ’vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁs tyaktvā dhanāni cha
yeṣhām — for whose;
arthe — sake;
kāṅkṣhitam — coveted for;
naḥ — by us;
rājyam — kingdom;
bhogāḥ — pleasures;
sukhāni — happiness;
cha — also;
te — they;
ime — these;
avasthitāḥ — situated;
yuddhe — for battle;
prāṇān — lives;
tyaktvā — giving up;
dhanāni — wealth;
cha — also
In this verse, Arjuna is talking about something that is very important to him. He is saying that all the things people want in life—like kingdoms, wealth, and happiness—are usually desired because we want to share them with our loved ones. But now, he sees that those same loved ones are standing on the battlefield, ready to fight and even die. This thought makes him very upset.
He realizes that the people he loves, like family and friends, are the reason he wanted to win a kingdom or enjoy life’s pleasures in the first place. They are everything to him. So, the idea of going into battle against them is heart-wrenching. Arjuna cannot understand how he can fight for something he wanted to enjoy with them, knowing that it could lead to their deaths. It’s like trying to enjoy a meal while knowing it could make your loved ones sick—it just doesn’t make sense and feels wrong.
Arjuna's feelings show how much he cares about his relationships. He understands that true happiness doesn’t come from having lots of money or power. Instead, it comes from the love and connections we have with people. In this battle, where death is a real possibility, he starts to see that chasing after material things loses its value if it means hurting the ones he cares about.
This internal struggle reveals a deep truth about life: the things we think we want, like power and wealth, don’t mean anything if we have to sacrifice our relationships for them. Arjuna is beginning to realize that true happiness lies in the bonds we share with others, and no victory in battle can replace that emotional connection. This thought process is making Arjuna hesitant about participating in the fight because he feels it would lead to the destruction of the very things he values the most—the people he loves.