|| 1.33 ||
येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च। त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च।।
ta ime ’vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁs tyaktvā dhanāni ca ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrās tathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ
Word by Word
te (they) ime (all these) avasthitāḥ (situated) yuddhe (in the battle) prāṇān (lives) tyaktvā (giving up) dhanāni (wealth) ca (also) ācāryāḥ (teachers) pitaraḥ (fathers) putrāḥ (sons) tathā (as well) eva (certainly) ca (also) pitāmahāḥ (grandfathers)
Translation
O Madhusūdana, when teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives are ready to give up their lives and properties and are standing before me, why should I wish to kill them, even though they might otherwise kill me?
Meaning
Arjuna points out the tragedy of the situation: the very people for whom one seeks wealth and happiness are standing here ready to sacrifice their lives. He lists his teachers, fathers, and sons, and grandfathers.
By naming these specific relationships, he emphasizes the heinous nature of the act. These are the people who should be respected and protected. To kill them for the sake of ‘earthly riches’ seems barbaric to him. He is overwhelmed by the irony that both sides are staking everything for a material prize.
Arjuna feels a deep sense of guilt being the potential executioner of his own mentors and elders. He views the war as a collision of greed that will result only in the destruction of the family unit, which he considers the foundation of society.