Chapter 1, Verse 45 (Bhagavad Gita 1.45)
Chapter 1: Arjun Viṣhād Yog – Arjuna's Dilemma
Sanskrit Shloka
अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्। यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः
Transliteration
aho bata mahat pāpaṁ kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam yad rājya-sukha-lobhena hantuṁ sva-janam udyatāḥ
Word Meanings
aho—alas; bata—how; mahat—great; pāpam—sins; kartum—to perform; vyavasitāḥ—have decided; vayam—we; yat—because; rājya-sukha-lobhena—driven by the desire for kingly pleasure; hantum—to kill; sva-janam—kinsmen; udyatāḥ—intending;
Translation
Alas! We are involved in a great sin, for we are prepared to kill our kinsmen, out of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse reveals the psychological conflict of conscience when moral values clash with selfish desires. It signifies the moment an individual recognizes that the pursuit of external material gain at the cost of fundamental human empathy leads to deep spiritual self-destruction.