Bhagavad Gita

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31. And, O Kesava, I see omens foreboding evil. Nor do I see any good from

killing my kinsmen in battle.

 

32. I desire not victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures. Of what avail

is dominion to us, O Govinda ? Of what avail are pleasures and even life ?

 

33-34. They for whose sake dominion, enjoyments and pleasures are sought by us

are here standing, having staked their life and wealth; teachers, fathers, sons

as well as grandfathers; maternal uncles, father-in-law grandsons,

brothers-in-law as also (other) relatives.

 

35. These, O slayer of Madhu, I do not wish to kill, though they kill me, even

for the sake of dominion over the three worlds; how much less, for the sake of

the earth!

 

36. O Janardana, what delight shall be ours after killing the sons of

Dhritarashtra ? On killing these felons, sin only will take hold of us.

 

37. We had then better not slay our own kinsmen, the sons of Dhritarashtra; for,

how can we be happy, O Madhava, after slaying our own people ?

 

38-39. Though these, whose intelligence is stricken by greed, perceive no evil

in the extinction of families and no sin in treachery to friends, yet, O

Janardana, should not we, who clearly see evil in the extinction of a family,

learn to refrain from this sinful deed ?

 

40. On the extinction of a family, the immemorial dharmas of that family

disappear. When the dharmas disappear, impiety (adharma) overtakes the whole

family.

 

to be continued...