Bhagavad Gita 2.6 — We Do Not Know Which Is Better: Victory or Defeat
न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो
यद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः।
यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषामः
तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः॥ २.६॥
🔊 Listen to meaning of this shloka
Current voice: —
Ready
Text-to-speech is not supported by this browser.
We do not know which is better for us: that we should conquer them or that they should conquer us. Those very sons of Dhritarashtra, after killing whom we would not wish to live, stand arrayed before us.
Transliteration (IAST)
Word Separation
The Sanskrit verse is separated into individual words (Padched) for easier study.
Word Meanings
| Line 1 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| na | not |
| cha | and |
| etat | this |
| vidmaḥ | we know |
| kataran | which of the two |
| naḥ | for us |
| garīyaḥ | better, more important |
| yat | whether |
| vā | or |
| jayema | we may conquer |
| yadi | if |
| vā | or |
| naḥ | us |
| jayeyuḥ | they may conquer |
| Line 2 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| yān | whom |
| eva | indeed |
| hatvā | having killed |
| na | not |
| jijīviṣhāmaḥ | we wish to live |
| te | they |
| avasthitāḥ | are standing, are arrayed |
| pramukhe | in front of us |
| dhārtarāṣhṭrāḥ | the sons of Dhritarashtra |
| Line 1 | Line 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning | Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| na | not | yān | whom |
| cha | and | eva | indeed |
| etat | this | hatvā | having killed |
| vidmaḥ | we know | na | not |
| kataran | which of the two | jijīviṣhāmaḥ | we wish to live |
| naḥ | for us | te | they |
| garīyaḥ | better, more important | avasthitāḥ | are standing, are arrayed |
| yat | whether | pramukhe | in front of us |
| vā | or | dhārtarāṣhṭrāḥ | the sons of Dhritarashtra |
| jayema | we may conquer | ||
| yadi | if | ||
| vā | or | ||
| naḥ | us | ||
| jayeyuḥ | they may conquer | ||
Detailed Meaning
Introduction
In this verse Arjuna confesses something remarkable: he no longer knows what is better, to win or to lose. The confidence with which he entered the battlefield has dissolved. His honest admission of confusion is a major step, because genuine learning can only begin when a person recognises that he does not know.
Essence
The honest confession
Arjuna says, na caitad vidmaḥ kataran no garīyaḥ, 'We do not know which of the two is better for us.' Warriors are normally trained to be certain of their purpose. Here the greatest warrior admits that even victory has lost its meaning, and that he cannot judge whether it is better to conquer or to be conquered.
Yad vā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ (whether we conquer or they conquer us): Arjuna considers both outcomes and finds neither satisfying. If they win, he and his brothers will be defeated. If he wins, the cost is the destruction of the very people for whom the kingdom was meant.
Dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ (the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra): Arjuna says that after killing the Kauravas who stand in front of him, he would not wish to live. His confusion is not only about duty but about the very value of life after such an event.
Confusion as the first step
This verse has a quiet importance. Arjuna's mind is still tangled, yet he has stopped pretending to be sure. A person who thinks he already knows the answer cannot receive a teacher's words. In the Gita's own journey, Arjuna's confession of not knowing becomes the opening through which wisdom will enter.
Notice also the pattern in his reasoning. He is analysing the outcome from the standpoint of personal gain and loss, which is precisely why he finds no answer. The Gita will teach him to ask a different question: not 'What will I gain or lose?' but 'What is my dharma, and how can I act with a steady mind?'
Message for Everyday Life (The Courage to Say 'I Do Not Know')
Many people hide their confusion behind confident speech, even from themselves. Arjuna shows another way.
Admit uncertainty honestly: Saying 'I do not know what is best here' is not weakness. It is often the starting point of real guidance.
Change the question: When every option looks painful, the problem may not be the options. It may be that we are asking only about gain and loss, and not about duty, truth, and inner balance.
The honest confession
Arjuna says, na caitad vidmaḥ kataran no garīyaḥ, 'We do not know which of the two is better for us.' Warriors are normally trained to be certain of their purpose. Here the greatest warrior admits that even victory has lost its meaning, and that he cannot judge whether it is better to conquer or to be conquered.
Yad vā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ (whether we conquer or they conquer us): Arjuna considers both outcomes and finds neither satisfying. If they win, he and his brothers will be defeated. If he wins, the cost is the destruction of the very people for whom the kingdom was meant.
Dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ (the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra): Arjuna says that after killing the Kauravas who stand in front of him, he would not wish to live. His confusion is not only about duty but about the very value of life after such an event.
Confusion as the first step
This verse has a quiet importance. Arjuna's mind is still tangled, yet he has stopped pretending to be sure. A person who thinks he already knows the answer cannot receive a teacher's words. In the Gita's own journey, Arjuna's confession of not knowing becomes the opening through which wisdom will enter.
Notice also the pattern in his reasoning. He is analysing the outcome from the standpoint of personal gain and loss, which is precisely why he finds no answer. The Gita will teach him to ask a different question: not 'What will I gain or lose?' but 'What is my dharma, and how can I act with a steady mind?'
Message for Everyday Life (The Courage to Say 'I Do Not Know')
Many people hide their confusion behind confident speech, even from themselves. Arjuna shows another way.
Admit uncertainty honestly: Saying 'I do not know what is best here' is not weakness. It is often the starting point of real guidance.
Change the question: When every option looks painful, the problem may not be the options. It may be that we are asking only about gain and loss, and not about duty, truth, and inner balance.
Next Topic
Arjuna has admitted that he cannot tell what is better for him. Having reached the limit of his own understanding, he does something decisive in the next verse. He stops arguing with Lord Krishna as a friend and approaches Him as a disciple seeking refuge.
Hidden Messages In This Shloka
Reflect on this verse from different perspectives and see which deeper message opens up for you.
Wisdom Nuggets
Not knowing is not weakness; refusing to find out is.
Some victories feel like losses.
We rarely know which result is truly best.
Wisdom starts with an honest 'I don't know.'
The fiercest battles are fought against those we love.
Success needs a purpose beyond winning.
When the map ends, ask the guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Arjuna uncertain about in this verse?
Who are the 'dhārtarāṣhṭra' (sons of Dhritarashtra)?
What does 'na jijīviṣhāmaḥ' (we do not wish to live) show?
Is Arjuna being irrational here?
What is the practical lesson of this verse?
Explore related topics
More shlokas on the themes this verse touches: