Gita - Chapter 2, Verse 4-8



arjuna-uvācha:
kathaṁ bhīṣhmam-ahaṁ saṅkhye
droṇaṁ cha madhusūdana
iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi
pūjārhāv-ari-sūdana 
Meaning :
Arjuna said : How shall I fight Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of great respect, with arrows on the battlefield?, O destroyer of foes.


gurūna-hatvā hi mahānubhāvān
śreyo bhoktuṁ bhaikṣyam-apīha loke
hatvārtha-kāmāṁs-tu gurūni-haiva
bhuñjīya bhogān-rudhirapradigdhān 
Meaning :
It is better to live on alms without slaying these noble souls. Although they desire worldly gains, they are Gurus. We shall enjoy only the bloodstained pleasures in the form of wealth and sense-enjoyments.


na chaitad-vidmaḥ kataran-no garīyo
yadvā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ
yāneva hatvā na jijīviṣhāmas-
te vasthitāḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ 
Meaning :
We do not know which is better, to conquer them or to be defeated by them. What good is it if we have killed the sons of Dhrtarashtra and lived? Yet they now stand in the enemy ranks before us.


kārpaṇya-doṣopahatasvabhāvaḥ
pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharmasamūḍha-chetāḥ
yac-chreyaḥ syān-niśhchitaṁ brūhi tan-me
śiṣhyaste-haṁ śhādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam 
Meaning :
I am now a disciple who has taken refuge in you. Please tell me what is suitable for me in this situation. I have lost my self-control and moral conscience. Please give me advice.


na hi prapaśhyāmi mamāpanudyād
yac-chokam-ucchoṣhaṇam-indriyāṇām
avāpya bhūmāvasapatnam-ṛddhaṁ
rājyaṁ surāṇām-api chādhipatyam 
Meaning :
Even if I were to have a kingdom on this earth that was rich, had no rivals and had supreme power like that of Gods in heaven, I see no way to relieve this sorrow that is drying up my senses.


Comment :
These verses show the nobleness of Arjuna. Even though a human being, he has a higher level of mental ability to chose what is right or wrong based on his moral values. With Krishna on his side, the victory is inevitable but he doesn't want the worldly pleasures attained by killing his relatives and gurus. He opines what enjoyment would Pandavas obtain after killing them, as such pleasures are bloodstained with their own kin. Although a warrior who has fought multiple battles, a war against own kin is observed by Arjuna as not a good thing.

This very thought is considered sacred, as people are always behind worldly pleasures without any consideration of good or bad. The ability or conscience to know what is right or wrong, also known as moral discernment, is lost as soon as the attachment to illusion or worldly pleasures comes up. Moh Maya should always be kept under control by one's own mind and shouldn't be allowed to get deeply engaged in it. This way we, the ordinary people, can stay away from illegal and unlawful activities.


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