Chapter 2, Verse 8 (Bhagavad Gita 2.8)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्या द्यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम्। अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धम् राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम्
Transliteration
na hi prapaśhyāmi mamāpanudyād yach-chhokam uchchhoṣhaṇam-indriyāṇām avāpya bhūmāv-asapatnamṛiddhaṁ rājyaṁ surāṇāmapi chādhipatyam
Word Meanings
na—not; hi—certainly; prapaśhyāmi—I see; mama—my; apanudyāt—drive away; yat—which; śhokam—anguish; uchchhoṣhaṇam—is drying up; indriyāṇām—of the senses; avāpya—after achieving; bhūmau—on the earth; asapatnam—unrivalled; ṛiddham—prosperous; rājyam—kingdom; surāṇām—like the celestial gods; api—even; cha—also; ādhipatyam—sovereignty
Translation
I do not see any means to remove this sorrow which is drying up my senses, even if I were to obtain an unrivaled, prosperous kingdom on earth or even lordship over the celestials.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse marks Arjuna’s complete admission of inner defeat, highlighting the limits of material success. It teaches that external acquisitions—no matter how grand—cannot heal a fundamental psychological or spiritual crisis. When one’s conscience or sense of duty is in conflict, worldly power becomes an insignificant distraction rather than a remedy. True peace cannot be manufactured through status or wealth; it requires a resolution of the inner turmoil and a realignment with higher wisdom. Ultimately, it reminds us that all external 'solutions' are superficial when the soul itself is in agony.