न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च ।
किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा ॥
किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
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 ॥
English
I do not desire victory, Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures. What use is kingdom to us, Govinda? What use are pleasures or even life?
What this verse means
Arjuna says he no longer wants victory, a kingdom, pleasure, or even life itself. The fight has lost its meaning for him.
Context & commentary
On the Kurukshetra battlefield, Arjuna stands collapsed before Krishna. After seeing his own relatives as enemies, he rejects victory, rule, pleasure, and even survival itself. This verse deepens his crisis and shows how completely his desire to fight has broken.
Why this verse still matters
You are staring at the email that could save your career, but it asks you to betray yourself. Suddenly the promotion, the applause, even the job feel empty.
The takeaway
When the goal feels hollow, even success stops mattering.
Word-by-word translation
न काङ्क्षे (I do not desire) / विजयम् (victory) / कृष्ण (Krishna) / न (nor) / च (and) / राज्यम् (kingdom) / सुखानि (pleasures) / च (and) / किम् (what) / नः (to us) / राज्येन (with kingdom) / गोविन्द (Govinda) / किम् (what) / भोगैः (with pleasures) / जीवितेन (with life) / वा (or)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1: Arjuna Vishada Yoga — The Yoga of Arjuna's Despair, which contains 47 verses.
Explore related themes: kurukshetra (95 verses), vairagya (51 verses), arjuna vishada (14 verses)