यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणय: |
धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत् || 46||
yadi mām apratīkāram aśhastraṁ śhastra-pāṇayaḥ
dhārtarāṣhṭrā raṇe hanyus tan me kṣhemataraṁ bhavet
yadi—if; mām—me; apratīkāram—unresisting; aśhastram—unarmed; śhastra-pāṇayaḥ—those with weapons in hand; dhārtarāṣhṭrāḥ—the sons of Dhritarashtra; raṇe—on the battlefield; hanyuḥ—shall kill; tat—that; me—to me; kṣhema-taram—better; bhavet—would be
Translation:
Far better would it be for me if the sons of Dhritarāshtra, weapons in hand, should slay me in the battle, unarmed and unresisting.
Commentary:
Better: Arjuna says that if his enemies should kill him without any resistance on his part, it would be for his own well-being and welfare. He may have the following reasons to come to such a conclusion. 1. By refusing to fight he would escape the sin of slaying the family with all its evil effects, and thus retain the former good that he has already done. 2. He would escape the sin of killing his own kinsmen. 3. His relatives, friends and teachers would live. 4. To spare the lives of relations and teachers is in itself a good act which ultimately would help him to rise higher and higher in spirituality.