Chapter 1: Arjuna Visada Yoga, verse 32
न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च।
किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा ॥
Say itna kāṅkṣhe vijayaṁ kṛiṣhṇa na cha rājyaṁ sukhāni cha
kiṁ no rājyena govinda kiṁ bhogair jīvitena vā
Translation
I desire not victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures.
What use is dominion to us, O Krishna, or pleasures or even life?
Swami Sivananda
O Govinda! What need do we have of a kingdom, or what need of enjoyments and livelihood? Those for whom kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures are desired by us—such as teachers, uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, as well as relatives—those very ones stand arrayed for battle, risking their lives and wealth.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
I desire no victory, nor empire, nor pleasures. What have we to do with empire, O Krishna, or enjoyment, or even life?
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
For whose sake we seek kingdom, its pleasures and happiness, the very same persons now stand arrayed to fight, giving up their lives and wealth.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
Ah, my Lord! I do not crave victory, nor a kingdom, nor any pleasure. What would a kingdom, happiness, or life be to me?
Shri Purohit Swami
हे कृष्ण! मैं न तो विजय चाहता हूँ, न राज्य चाहता हूँ और न सुखों को ही चाहता हूँ। हे गोविन्द! हमलोगों को राज्य से क्या लाभ? भोगों से क्या लाभ? अथवा जीने से भी क्या लाभ?
Swami Ramsukhdas
हे कृष्ण ! मैं न विजय चाहता हूँ, न राज्य और न सुखों को ही चाहता हूँ। हे गोविन्द ! हमें राज्य से अथवा भोगों से और जीने से भी क्या प्रयोजन है?।
Swami Tejomayananda
Classical commentariesFor deeper study. Most are in the original Sanskrit.
Advaita
Non-dual: the self and the absolute are one.
Vishishtadvaita
Qualified non-dual: souls are real parts of the divine.
Dvaita
Dual: the soul and God are eternally distinct.
Shuddhadvaita
Pure non-dual, centred on grace and devotion.
Kashmir Shaivism
The Gita read through Trika Shaiva philosophy.
Modern teachers
20th-century teachers writing for today's readers.