Bhagavad Gita BG 1.35
Chapter 1, Verse 35 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन । अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते ॥ ३५ ॥
etān na hantum icchāmi ghnato 'pi madhusūdana api trailokya-rājyasya hetoḥ kiṃ nu mahī-kṛte
Meaning
O Madhusudana, I do not wish to kill them, even though they might kill me — not even for the sovereignty of the three worlds, let alone for this earth.
Understanding
Arjuna makes his most absolute statement yet: even if they kill him first, he will not kill them. And his refusal is not for any earthly reward — not even for sovereignty over all three worlds (heaven, earth, and the underworld). The phrase 'kiṃ nu mahī-kṛte' — much less for this earth — shows he considers earthly gain trivial. Addressed to 'Madhusudana' (killer of the demon Madhu), this is Arjuna at his most emotionally resolved — but Krishna will soon show that this resolution is based on incomplete understanding.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| न हन्तुम् इच्छामि | na hantum icchāmi | I do not wish to kill |
| घ्नतः अपि | ghnataḥ api | even if (they) kill (me) |
| मधुसूदन | madhusūdana | O Madhusudana — Krishna (killer of demon Madhu) |
| त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य | trailokya-rājyasya | of sovereignty over the three worlds |
| महीकृते | mahī-kṛte | for the sake of this earth |
| एतान् | etān | these (people / kinsmen) |
| अपि | api | even / although (concessive) |
| हेतोः | hetoḥ | for the sake of / as reason for |
| किम् नु | kiṃ nu | how much less / let alone |