Bhagavad Gita 1.37 is Chapter 1, Verse 37, in Arjuna Vishada Yoga (Arjuna's Dilemma). Below are the Sanskrit text, a transliteration, a plain-English translation and an explanation.
tasmān nārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ dhārtarāṣṭrān sva-bāndhavān sva-janaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava
"Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our own relatives. For how could we be happy after killing our own people, O Madhava?"
What This Means:
Arjuna concludes: therefore we shouldn't kill them. His argument rests on 'we won't be happy afterward.' But happiness isn't always the measure of right action. Sometimes duty requires difficult choices.
Going Deeper:
Note the shift from 'I' to 'we', Arjuna is trying to make his position universal, speaking for all the Pandavas. But this is his personal crisis; he shouldn't assume his brothers share his paralysis.
How To Apply This:
Be careful of using 'we' when you mean 'I', projecting your feelings onto others. And remember: personal happiness isn't always the criterion for right action.
Key Sanskrit Terms: