Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 1 · Arjuna Vishada Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 1.46 यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः
श्लोक 1.46
यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः ।
धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत् ॥
yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṃ śastrapāṇayaḥ |
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṃ bhavet ||
हिन्दी अर्थ
यदि मैं शस्त्र छोड़कर बिना प्रतिकार किए खड़ा रहूँ और हथियारबन्द धृतराष्ट्र-पुत्र मुझे युद्ध में मार डालें, तो वह भी मेरे लिए अधिक कल्याणकारी होगा।
Meaning in English
It would be better for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapons in hand, killed me in battle while I stood unarmed and did not resist.
Bhagavad Gita 1.46 — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| यदि | yadi | if |
| माम् | mām | me |
| अप्रतीकारम् | apratīkāram | unresisting |
| अशस्त्रम् | aśastram | unarmed |
| शस्त्र-पाणयः | śastra-pāṇayaḥ | weapons in hand |
| धार्तराष्ट्राः | dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ | the sons of Dhritarashtra |
| रणे | raṇe | in battle |
| हन्युः | hanyuḥ | should kill |
| तत् | tat | that |
| मे | me | for me |
| क्षेमतरम् | kṣemataram | better, more welfare-giving |
| भवेत् | bhavet | would be |
Explanation
If the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapons in hand, were to kill me in battle while I stand unarmed and unresisting, that would be better for me.
Arjuna's despair reaches its lowest point: he would rather be killed than kill. Some readers hear in this a form of nonviolence, but Gandhi, who read the Gita as an allegory of the inner battle, pointed out that Arjuna's refusal was not true ahimsa, since he had fought many times before and objected only to killing his own kin. Yet the Gita does not end here; Krishna treats this wish as a product of confusion, and shows that withdrawing from one's responsibility does not by itself make one good.
भावार्थ
यदि शस्त्रधारी धृतराष्ट्र-पुत्र युद्ध में मुझ निहत्थे और प्रतिकार न करने वाले को मार डालें, तो वह भी मेरे लिए अधिक कल्याणकारी होगा।
Living it today
Giving up entirely can feel like the only clean option in a hard situation. Before you do, ask whether it actually helps anyone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 1.46?
If the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapons in hand, were to kill me in battle while I stand unarmed and unresisting, that would be better for me.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 1.46?
Arjuna speaks this verse, in Chapter 1 (Arjuna Vishada Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 1.46 in daily life?
Giving up entirely can feel like the only clean option in a hard situation. Before you do, ask whether it actually helps anyone.
Reflected on verse 1.46?
Light a diya, add a note, or share this verse.