Chapter 1: Arjuna Visada Yoga, verse 35
एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन।
अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते ॥
Say itetān na hantum ichchhāmi ghnato ’pi madhusūdana
api trailokya-rājyasya hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahī-kṛite
Translation
These I do not wish to kill, O Krishna, even though they kill me, for the sake of dominion over the three worlds; leave alone killing them for the sake of the earth."
Swami Sivananda
O Madhusudana, even if I am killed, I do not want to kill these even for the sake of a kingdom extending across the three worlds; let alone doing so for the earth!
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
I would not slay them, even if they might slay me, for the sovereignty of the three worlds—how much less for this earth, O Krsna?
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
What joy would we gain by slaying Dhrtarastra's sons, O Janardana?
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
I would not kill them, even for three worlds; why then for this earth alone? It matters not if I myself am killed.
Shri Purohit Swami
(टिप्पणी प0 24.1) आचार्य, पिता, पुत्र और उसी प्रकार पितामह, मामा, ससुर, पौत्र, साले तथा अन्य जितने भी सम्बन्धी हैं, मुझपर प्रहार करने पर भी मैं इनको मारना नहीं चाहता, और हे मधुसूदन! मुझे त्रिलोकी का राज्य मिलता हो, तो भी मैं इनको मारना नहीं चाहता, फिर पृथ्वीके लिये तो (मैं इनको मारूँ ही) क्या?
Swami Ramsukhdas
हे मधुसूदन ! इनके मुझे मारने पर अथवा त्रैलोक्य के राज्य के लिये भी मैं इनको मारना नहीं चाहता, फिर पृथ्वी के लिए कहना ही क्या 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.