Chapter2- Sloka 8
na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād yacchokam ucchoṣaṇam indriyāṇām |
avāpya bhūmāv-asapatnam-ṛddham rājyaṃ suraṇām api cādhipatyam || 8 ||
(2.8)
avāpya- Achieving; ṛddhaṃ- a prosperous; rājyaṃ- kingdom; Bhūmau- on this earth; asapatnaṃ- without rivals; surāṇām ādhipatyaṃ api ca- and even lordship over the Devatas; ahaṃ- I; na prapasyāmi hi- certainly cannot see; (tat- that); yat apanudyāt- which can dispel; mama śokam- my grief; ucchoṣaṇaṃ- which is drying up; indriyānām- all the senses like eyes, ears, etc;
Purport
Arjuna said, "Winning a prosperous, unrivalled kingdom on this earth or even lordship over the devatas, I certainly do not see that any of these can dispel this grief of mine, which is drying up all my senses."
na hi prapasyāmi In the previous śloka, Arjuna surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and requested for instruction about the best course of action for him. Assuming that Kṛṣṇa might say, 'O Arjuna, see and evaluate for yourself and act accordingly', Arjuna cleared his stand by saying, 'na hi prapasyāmi- I do not see any path'.
mamāpanudyād yacchokam ucchoṣaṇaṃ indriyāṇāṃ What is the path that Arjuna could not see? Arjuna said, 'I cannot see the path that can dispel this grief which has dried up my senses.'
avāpya bhūmāv...api cādhipatyam Arjuna further said, 'O Kṛṣṇa, if it is suggested to me that this grief will go away when we receive our rightful share of the kingdom, let me tell you that none of the below can eliminate this grief which I am experiencing.
bhūmau rājyaṃ Becoming the sovereign ruler of the entire bhū-mandala.
asapatnam rājyaṃ Even if this sovereign rulership over bhū-mandala is without a rival.
ṛddham rājyaṃ Even if such a kingdom is full of sweet pleasurable things with many ways and suitable
places for their enjoyment.
rājyaṃ suraṇām ādhipatyam In addition to such an empire and kingship in this lifetime, the most
prosperous next life with kingship over the devatas i.e Indra’s position in heaven.
Arjuna thus declared that the grief he was experiencing at the mere thought of slaying his relatives was much greater in intensity in comparison to the pleasures he was going to derive from all of the above. Hence there was no chance for these pleasures to dispel his grief.