Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Verse 38

Bhagavad Gita 1.38

Greed blinds people to the damage they are causing.

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः ।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
यद्यपि लोभ के कारण जिनका विवेकविचार लुप्त हो गया है, ऐसे ये दुर्योधन आदि कुल का नाश करने से होनेवाले दोष को और मित्रों के साथ द्वेष करने से होनेवाले पाप को नहीं देखते, तो भी हे जनार्दन कुल का नाश करने से होनेवाले दोष को ठीकठीक जाननेवाले हमलोग इस पाप से निवृत्त होने का विचार क्यों न करें ॥
English
Though greed has blinded them, they do not see the fault in destroying a family or the wrong in betraying friends.

What this verse means

Greed has made these people blind. They cannot see the harm in destroying their own family or betraying friends.

Context & commentary

On the Kurukshetra battlefield, Arjuna keeps arguing against war while the armies wait. He points out that Duryodhana and his side are blinded by greed and cannot see the ruin they are causing, which deepens Arjuna’s refusal to fight his own kin.

Why this verse still matters

You’re in a family meeting where money has turned relatives against each other. Everyone speaks loudly, but no one sees the damage being done until it is too late.

The takeaway

Clear seeing can survive even in a room full of pressure and blindness.

Word-by-word translation

यद्यपि (though) / एते (these) / न पश्यन्ति (do not see) / लोभोपहतचेतसः (those whose minds are overcome by greed) / कुलक्षयकृतं (caused by destruction of the family) / दोषम् (fault) / मित्रद्रोहे (in betrayal of friends) / च (and) / पातकम् (wrongdoing)

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