Chapter 2, Verse 5 (Bhagavad Gita 2.5)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान् श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके। हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान्
Transliteration
gurūnahatvā hi mahānubhāvān śhreyo bhoktuṁ bhaikṣhyamapīha loke hatvārtha-kāmāṁstu gurūnihaiva bhuñjīya bhogān rudhira-pradigdhān
Word Meanings
gurūn—teachers; ahatvā—not killing; hi—certainly; mahā-anubhāvān—noble elders; śhreyaḥ—better; bhoktum—to enjoy life; bhaikṣhyam—by begging; api—even; iha loke—in this world; hatvā—killing; artha—gain; kāmān—desiring; tu—but; gurūn—noble elders; iha—in this world; eva—certainly; bhuñjīya—enjoy; bhogān—pleasures; rudhira—blood; pradigdhān—tainted with
Translation
It is better to live by begging in this world than to slay these noble teachers. By killing them, even if I gain worldly wealth and desires, I would be enjoying fruits stained with their blood.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse captures the profound internal conflict between worldly ambition and moral integrity. Arjuna realizes that external success, when achieved through the destruction of those who nurtured his growth and values, loses its essence and sanctity. It teaches us that true happiness cannot coexist with a compromised conscience, as achievements stained by moral failure become sources of sorrow rather than joy. Spiritually, this marks the beginning of the shift from a pursuit of personal gain to a pursuit of Dharma. Ultimately, it reminds us that the price of material victory is far too high if it requires the sacrifice of our own nobility.