Bhagavad Gita 1.36

Sanskrit

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन । पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः ॥1.36॥

Transliteration

nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana | pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ ‖1.36‖

Meaning

“What joy could be ours, O Krishna, in killing the sons of Dhritarashtra? Only sin would attach to us were we to slay these aggressors.”

Key learning

Arjuna senses that this act will leave a mark on him: "only wrongdoing would stick to us." He's right that what we do leaves traces inside us. But he can't yet see what Krishna will teach: the weight of an action depends on the spirit and duty behind it, not just the outer act. The same deed can trap you or free you depending on your inner attitude.

How to apply this today

Care about the mark your actions leave on you, not just the results. A win earned by cheating leaves a stain that outlasts the profit. But hard, necessary things, like letting go of someone who must be let go, or holding a fair boundary, don't have to leave guilt if you do them without cruelty or selfishness. It's not just whether you act, but the attitude you act from, that shapes what it does to you.

Theme: The Yoga of Arjuna's Despair

This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1: Arjuna Vishada Yoga , read all verses in this chapter.

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