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Bhagavad Gita 2.5 meaningWho you really are

In simple wordsSo simple a child gets it

“I’d rather beg for food than hurt my teachers.”

What it means

“I would rather beg for food than kill these great teachers. Any wealth I won would be stained with their blood.”

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The original Sanskrit

गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान् श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके । हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् ॥

gurūnahatvā hi mahānubhāvān śreyo bhoktuṃ bhaikṣyamapīha loke hatvārthakāmāṃstu gurūnihaiva bhuñjīya bhogān rudhirapradigdhān

Translations

Literal translation

Rather than killing the noble-minded elders, it is better in this world to live even on alms. But by killing the elders we shall only be enjoying here the pleasures of wealth and desireable things drenched in blood.

Swami Gambhirananda

हिंदी अनुवाद

इन महानुभाव गुरुजनों को मारने से इस लोक में भिक्षा का अन्न भी ग्रहण करना अधिक कल्याण कारक है, क्योंकि गुरुजनों को मारकर मैं इस लोक में रक्तरंजित अर्थ और काम रूप भोगों को ही भोगूँगा।

Swami Tejomayananda

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Commentaries

How great teachers across 1,200 years have explained this verse.

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Keep reading · 2.6“I don't even know which is worse — winning or losing. If we kill them, we won't want to live.”