Chapter 1, Verse 31 (Bhagavad Gita 1.31)
Chapter 1: Arjun Viṣhād Yog – Arjuna's Dilemma
Sanskrit Shloka
निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव। न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे
Transliteration
nimittāni cha paśhyāmi viparītāni keśhava na cha śhreyo ’nupaśhyāmi hatvā sva-janam āhave
Word Meanings
nimittāni—omens; cha—and; paśhyāmi—I see; viparītāni—misfortune; keśhava—Shree Krishna, killer of the Keshi demon; na—not; cha—also; śhreyaḥ—good; anupaśhyāmi—I foresee; hatvā—from killing; sva-janam—kinsmen; āhave—in battle
Translation
And I see ill omens, O Kesava. I do not see any good in slaying my kinsmen in battle.
Meaning & Commentary
Arjuna's internal conflict manifests as a projection of fear onto the external environment, symbolizing how attachment to worldly relationships clouds one's sense of duty. His preoccupation with ill omens reveals the psychological paralysis that occurs when the ego prioritizes personal comfort over the objective necessity of dharma.