Bhagavad Gita 2.5
Chapter 2, verse 5
Meaning
Arjuna says: better to live on alms, even in this world, than to kill these great-hearted teachers. If I kill my elders, whatever pleasures I enjoy here, wealth and comfort included, would be stained with their blood.
The Sanskrit
गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान्
श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके ।
हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् ॥ ५ ॥
gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvāñ / śreyo bhoktuṃ bhaikṣyam apīha loke
hatvārthakāmāṃs tu gurūn ihaiva / bhuñjīya bhogān rudhirapradigdhān
Say it
goo-roon uh-hut-vaa hi muh-haa-noo-bhaa-vaan
shray-yo bhok-toom bhaik-shyum uh-pee-huh lo-kay
hut-vaar-thuh-kaa-maams too goo-roon i-hai-vuh
bhoon-jee-yuh bho-gaan roo-dhi-ruh-pruh-dig-dhaan
Word by word
- gurūn ahatvā
- without killing the teachers / elders
- hi
- indeed
- mahānubhāvān
- the great-souled / highly esteemed ones
- śreyaḥ
- better / more wholesome
- bhoktum bhaikṣyam
- to eat by begging
- api iha loke
- even here in this world
- hatvā artha-kāmān
- having killed those who seek wealth and desire
- hatvā artha-kāmān tu gurūn
- but having killed the elders, (though) bent on gain
- bhuñjīya bhogān
- I would enjoy pleasures
- rudhira-pradigdhān
- smeared with blood
Read it in context: verses 2.5–8I am your student: teach meWith the story so far, commentary, and today's lesson: Stop arguing your case and ask to be taught
Another translation and audio recitation: verse 2.5 on holy-bhagavad-gita.org.
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