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Shloka 31

Karma-Yoga, Yajña-Cakra, and the Governance of Desire (कर्मयोग–यज्ञचक्र–कामनिग्रह)

निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव । न च श्रेयोडनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्‍्वजनमाहवे,हे केशव! मैं लक्षणोंको भी विपरीत ही देख रहा हूँ तथा युद्धमें स्‍्वजन समुदायको मारकर कल्याण भी नहीं देखता

arjuna uvāca

nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava |

na ca śreyod anupaśyāmi hatvā svajanam āhave ||

阿周那说:“噢,凯沙瓦,我看见诸般凶兆相逆而来;在战场上杀戮自己的族人,我看不出有任何真正的善果。”

निमित्तानिomens, signs
निमित्तानि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनिमित्त
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
पश्यामिI see
पश्यामि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootपश्
FormPresent (Lat), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada
विपरीतानिadverse, contrary
विपरीतानि:
TypeAdjective
Rootविपरीत
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
केशवO Keshava
केशव:
TypeNoun
Rootकेशव
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
श्रेयःgood, welfare
श्रेयः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootश्रेयस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अनुपश्यामिI foresee, I perceive
अनुपश्यामि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootअनु-पश्
FormPresent (Lat), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada
हत्वाhaving slain
हत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootहन्
FormAbsolutive (Ktva), Parasmaipada (usage)
स्वजनम्one's own people/kinsmen
स्वजनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootस्वजन
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आहवेin battle
आहवे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआहव
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular

अजुन उवाच

A
Arjuna
K
Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

Arjuna articulates an ethical objection: even if victory is possible, he cannot recognize ‘śreyas’—true welfare or moral good—in an act that requires killing his own kin. The verse frames the conflict between external success and inner righteousness, highlighting that outcomes must be judged by dharma, not merely by gain.

On the battlefield, just before the war begins, Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa (Keśava). Overwhelmed by the prospect of fighting relatives and elders, he reports seeing inauspicious omens and concludes that slaughtering his own people in battle cannot lead to any genuine good.