Bhagavad Gita 1.37 — Arjuna Argues It Is Not Right to Kill His Own Kinsmen

This verse turns Arjuna's feelings into a clear decision.

A. Tasmān nārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ (therefore we are not fit to kill)

The word tasmāt, 'therefore', marks a conclusion. Arjuna has laid out his grief, his doubts and his reasons, and now he states the result. The word arhāḥ means worthy or fit. He says, in effect, 'It is not proper for us to do this.' His statement is not just about preference but about what he thinks is right.

B. Dhārtarāṣṭrān sva-bāndhavān (the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, our own relatives)

Arjuna stresses sva-bāndhavān, 'our own kinsmen'. Notice how his language has changed. Earlier he called Duryodhana durbuddhi, evil-minded. Now the same people are simply his relatives. The moral clarity that he expressed in verse 23 has been replaced by the weight of kinship.

C. Svajanaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava (how could we be happy after killing our own people, O Mādhava?)

The question is about sukha, happiness. Arjuna evaluates the war by asking whether it will bring joy. This is a revealing standard. The Gita will gradually teach that dharma is not decided by whether an act makes us happy or unhappy, but by what is right and by the spirit in which it is done.

Notice also that Arjuna calls Krishna Mādhava, the Lord of Lakṣmī, a name of good fortune. He is asking the very source of auspiciousness how such an act could bring welfare.

Message for Everyday Life (Is Happiness the Right Measure?)

We often judge our choices by how they will make us feel. This is natural, but it is not always a reliable guide. Some right actions are uncomfortable, and some pleasant actions are harmful. The Gita invites us to add another question: not only 'Will this make me happy?' but 'Is this right, and am I acting in the right spirit?'