Timeless Wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita

1.31. And I see adverse omens, O Kesava. I do not see any good in killing my kinsmen in battle.

निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव | न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे ||१-३१||

1.32. I desire not victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures. Of what avail is dominion to us, O Krishna, or pleasures or even life?

न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च | किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा ||१-३२||

1.33. Those for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyments and pleasures, stand here in battle, having renounced life and wealth.

येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च | त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च ||१-३३||

1.34. Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives,-

आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः | मातुलाः श्वशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा ||१-३४||

1.35. These I do not wish to kill, though they kill me, O Krishna, even for the sake of dominion over the three worlds; leave alone killing them for the sake of the earth.

एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन | अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते ||१-३५||

1.36. By killing these sons of Dhritarashtra, what pleasure can be ours, O Janardana? Only sin will accrue to us from killing these felons.

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन | पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः ||१-३६||

1.37. Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our relatives; for how can we be happy by killing our own people, O Madhava (Krishna)?

तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान् | स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव ||१-३७||

1.38. Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of families, and no sin in hostility to friends,

यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः | कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम् ||१-३८||

1.39. Why should not we who clearly see evil in the destruction of families, learn to turn away from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?

कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम् | कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन ||१-३९||

1.40. In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious rites of that family perish; on the destruction of spirituality, impiety, indeed, overcomes the whole family.

कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः | धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ||१-४०||