Bhagavad Gita
Chapter 1 · Verse 35

Arjuna's Dilemma

एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन। अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते
etān na hantum ichchhāmi ghnato ’pi madhusūdana api trailokya-rājyasya hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahī-kṛite

Word Meanings

etān na hantum ichchhāmi ghnataḥ api madhusūdana api trai-lokya-rājyasya hetoḥ kim nu mahī-kṛite

Translation

O Madhusudana, I do not wish to slay these men, even if they slay me, not for sovereignty over the three worlds—how much less for the sake of this earth alone.

Commentary

एतान् these? न not? हन्तुम् to kill? इच्छामि (I) wish? घ्नतःअपि even if they kill me? मधुसूदन O Madhusudana (the slayer of Madhu? a demon)? अपि even? त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य dominion over the three worlds? हेतोः for the sake of? किम् how? नु then? महीकृते for the sake of the earth.No Commentary.