The Yoga of Arjuna's Despair

Arjuna draws his conclusion: 'Tasmāt'—therefore. Having seen what his opponents miss, he states 'nārhā vayaṁ hantum'—we ought not kill. Not 'cannot' or 'will not,' but 'ought not'—a moral obligation rooted in consequence. They're 'dhārtarāṣṭrān sva-bāndhavān'—Dhritarashtra's sons and our kinsmen. Both labels apply. His devastating question: 'kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma'—how, having killed them, can we be happy? Not whether it's justified, but whether it leads to happiness. You can win completely and lose what makes winning worthwhile. The teaching: sometimes what you're entitled to do would make your life unlivable.