त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च। आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः॥
ta ime 'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṃs tyaktvā dhanāni ca / ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrās tathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ
The people who shaped him — teachers, father-figures, sons — are on the field, ready to die.
Word by word (4)
- yeṣām arthe kāṅkṣitaṃ naḥ
- — for whose sake we desire · Arjuna's most personal argument: the purpose of winning collapses because those for whom victory was desired are on the other side.
- rājyaṃ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca
- — kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures
- ta ime 'vasthitā yuddhe
- — they stand here in battle ready to fight
- prāṇāṃs tyaktvā dhanāni ca
- — having given up their lives and wealth · The irony Arjuna sees: those he loves are willing to die for what he would win. The victory is already paid for in the worst currency.
These are the people standing here ready for battle: teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers — all of them, having given up any thought of their wealth or lives.
A modern analogy
Not abstract 'the opposition' but: your professor who gave you your first important chance. Your father who stayed up nights with you. Your son whose first steps you watched. Your grandfather who told you stories. All of them. Armed. Waiting. That is what Arjuna sees.
Take with you
- The categories of relationship matter: teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers — each represents a different type of formative love.
- Seeing specifically who will be destroyed — not 'enemies' but named categories of beloved people — is what makes duty painful rather than clean.
- The grief of this verse is not weakness — it is full recognition of what is at stake.
Arjuna's specific naming of 'ācāryāḥ' (teachers) is significant. In the Indian tradition, the guru-śiṣya bond is considered one of the most sacred — the guru gives a kind of second life, a spiritual birth. To fight against one's guru (Drona, who taught Arjuna everything he knows about warfare) is, in this tradition, among the most painful of all possible actions. The verse also lists sons (putrāḥ) — Arjuna's own son Abhimanyu is present. The teacher-student bond and the parent-child bond are the two most fundamental human relationships, and Arjuna must cross both to fulfill his duty.
Public-domain translations (3) compare all →
Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers — they are arrayed here in battle, giving up life and wealth. [4]
Teachers, fathers, sons, grandsires — every one whom I love — standing for battle, ready to lay down life and wealth. [7]
Teachers, fathers and sons, as well as grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, and other relatives — all these stand arrayed for battle, giving up life and wealth. [9]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
How do you raise a weapon against the teacher who made you?
Approach the teacher with prostration, inquiry, and service. The knowers of truth will instruct you in jñāna.
Arjuna sees his own people ready to die — and his body breaks before his mind can argue.
He looked — and saw everyone he has ever loved, lined up to kill or be killed.
Even the fathers-in-law and dearest friends — on both sides. No one is safely 'other.'
Your own imperfect path beats another's perfect path. Death in your own dharma is better. Another's dharma brings fear.