The Yoga of Arjuna's Despair

Arjuna draws his line: 'etān na hantum icchāmi'—these I won't kill. 'Ghnato 'pi'—even if they kill me first. Then comes the devastating escalation: 'api trailokya-rājyasya hetoḥ'—not even for kingdom of three worlds. 'Kiṁ nu mahī-kṛte'—what to speak of this mere earthly kingdom? The logic is absolute: not for this kingdom, not for cosmic dominion over heaven-earth-underworld—I won't harm these specific people. The verse reveals a radical truth: some prices are too high, even for everything. If your ultimate goal requires destroying what you value most, the goal becomes worthless. When 'winning' means losing who you are or harming those you're meant to protect, you've already lost.