Bhagavad Gita for Modern World: Chapter 1 Verses 31, 32 & 33
Verses 1.31, 1.32 and 1.33 explained
Translation
Hey Krishna, I can see beforehand that there is no good in killing my own family in this war. Neither I desire victory, nor I desire a kingdom and its pleasures.
Hey Govinda, what happiness do we obtain in getting a kingdom and enjoying the pleasures of it, when the people we seek it for are standing on this very battlefield?
All our relatives, be they Teachers (Guru), Fathers, grandfathers and sons are standing on this very battlefield, ready to give away their wealth and their lives
Commentary:
Arjun is now in a state of denial. He sees no purpose for the war. He realises that the war will only lead to destruction and the death of his own family. He is able to see through the futility of war. He reasons that the only benefit of winning the war is getting control of the kingdom, but what value will this power have, if the people he is seeking it for are themselves dead?
His questions highlight his state of mind, which is under the grip of fear.
When a person is in fear, he unconsciously thinks of what can go wrong and his mind only highlights the negative consequences.
Thus, Arjun at this moment only notices the negative consequences of war, which is also a reflection of the fear present in his mind.
