For whom was that kingdom?

Arjuna did not desire a kingdom or pleasure for himself alone. He desired it to share with his brothers, friends, and relatives. However, those very people who were important to him were themselves standing on the battlefield, risking their lives and possessions.

Teacher, uncle, son or nephew, grandfather figures, father-in-law and wife's brothers. What meaning does a kingdom gained by losing these people have? I chose to fight for a purpose, but the means are destroying that very purpose. A kingdom without loved ones is not a source of joy for Arjuna; it is only a source of suffering.

Japanese Translation from the Gita Press Edition - Chapter 1, Verses 33-34: "The one who desired a kingdom is standing on the battlefield."

yeṣāmarthe kāṅkṣitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca | ta ime'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁstyaktvā dhanāni ca || 33 ||

ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ | mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinastathā || 34 ||

Vocabulary

"yeṣām arthe" means "for those people."

"kāṅkṣitam naḥ" is "what we have desired."

rājyam means "kingdom."

"bhogah" means "enjoyment," "pleasure derived from wealth."

"sukhāni" means "pleasure."

"te ime" means "precisely those people."

"avasthitāḥ yuddhe" means "deployed in battle."

"prāṇān tyaktvā dhanāni ca" means, "having abandoned life and wealth."

"ācāryāḥ" means "teachers."

pitaraḥ is "grandfathers."

putrāḥ means "sons, also nephews."

"pitāmahāḥ" means "fathers of fathers, and also great-grandfathers."

"mātulāḥ" means "paternal uncles."

"śvaśurāḥ" means "fathers-in-law."

"pautrāḥ" means "grandchildren, great-nephews."

śyālāḥ means "wives' brothers."

"sambandhinaḥ" means "other relatives."

Translation

"We, who have desired a kingdom, pleasure, and enjoyment, have done so precisely for those people."

However, those people, risking their lives and property, are deployed here on the battlefield.

Masters, Uncles, Sons and nephews, Those who are grandfathers or great-grandfathers, Maternal uncles, Fathers-in-law, Great-nephews, Husband's brothers, And other relatives, are here."

Annotative Translation

Here, Arjuna is saying that ruling a kingdom, and all the pleasures and enjoyments that come with such power, were not at all necessary for himself.

He knew it well.

Such pleasure is not permanent, and even the possessions themselves are not eternal.

If he had desired a kingdom, it would have been for his brothers, his friends, and his relatives.

However, now, he is seeing that all of those people are gathering on the battlefield, ready to fight with a willingness to sacrifice their lives.

If they were to kill each other and disappear from the earth, what use would a kingdom be? What use would luxurious living be? What use would pleasure be?

Therefore, from any point of view, resorting to war is undesirable.

Master, Regarding relatives such as grandfather and uncles, these relationships were already mentioned in a previous section.

Here, we also mention "wives' brothers," such as Drishtadyumna, Shikhandin, and Sahadeva, and "other relatives," such as Jayadratha.

Arjuna wanted to say that, in this world, people strive to obtain wealth and pleasures, and the reason for doing so is for their relatives, who are at the center of affection.

If all of those relatives were to be killed in battle, what use would a throne or other pleasures be?

Such a kingdom, such pleasures, are nothing more than sources of extreme misery and suffering.