Even if sadness is real, the conclusions drawn from it may not always be correct.

Krishna's first words are not gentle comfort. He directly questions Arjuna about his state, asking, "In this critical moment, from where did this delusion overcome you?" And he declares that such delusion is unbecoming of a noble soul and will not lead to heaven or fame.

Here, what is being negated is not the empathy for loved ones. It is a state of being overwhelmed by that emotion and unable to determine what should be done now. Even if the sadness is genuine, the conclusions drawn from that sadness are not necessarily correct. Krishna first makes Arjuna's confusion visible.

Japanese Translation from the Geeta Press Edition - Chapter 2, Section 2: "Where Did This Delusion Come From?"

Sanskrit original text

श्रीभगवानुवाच
कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम् ।
अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन ॥ २ ॥

Romanization

śrībhagavān uvāca
kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṃ viṣame samupasthitam |
anāryajuṣṭam asvargyam akīrtikaram arjuna || 2 ||

Shri Bhagavan said, "Arjuna, in this critical moment, from where does this delusion come to you? It is something that noble souls avoid, and it will not lead you to heaven, nor bring you fame." (2)

In this section, the word Kaśmalam, which means "confusion" or "delusion," is accompanied by the adjective Idam, meaning "this."

This indicates the heaviness and stagnation of Arjuna's mind caused by delusion.

Here, the Lord is rebuking Arjuna. And he asks with astonishment. In a dangerous and difficult situation like the battlefield, and when the battle is about to begin, discouragement and cowardice are completely out of place. How can Arjuna, who possesses the power to easily defeat great Maharatas, be afflicted by such base weakness that is not expected of him? Where did it come from?

The Lord calls Arjuna's despair and dejection things that are not fitting for a noble soul, things that do not lead to heaven, nor bring fame. By saying this, the Lord is explaining the reason for His surprise.

Here, the intention is to convey that the emotions currently overwhelming Arjuna are not those possessed by people of noble character, nor do they elevate him to heaven, and they will not be beneficial for his reputation.

Among the four goals of life, none of them are achieved. Moksha, which is liberation, is not attained. Dharma, which is virtue, is not attained. Artha, which is wealth, is not attained. Kama, which is pleasure, is not attained.

Therefore, it is a question of how Arjuna, who possesses strong intelligence, could be overcome by such dejection at this critical moment when he is about to face a powerful enemy in armed conflict.