Chapter II · Śloka 5
गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान्
श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके |
हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् ||
श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके |
हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् ||
gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān
śreyo bhoktuṃ bhaikṣyam apīha loke |
hatvārtha-kāmāṃs tu gurūn ihaiva
bhuñjīya bhogān rudhira-pradigdhān ||
śreyo bhoktuṃ bhaikṣyam apīha loke |
hatvārtha-kāmāṃs tu gurūn ihaiva
bhuñjīya bhogān rudhira-pradigdhān ||
It is better to live in this world on alms than to slay these noble gurus. Having killed them, even if they are greedy for gain, I would be enjoying pleasures smeared with blood.
Arjuna reaches an extreme conclusion: begging is preferable to kingship bought with the blood of one's teachers. The image of wealth 'smeared with blood' captures his revulsion at a victory that would poison every pleasure it enables.