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BG 2.5 — 2.5 Better it is, indeed, in this world to accept alms than to slay the most noble teachers. But if I kill them, even in this world all my enjoyments of we
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गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान्
श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके |
हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् ||२-५||

gurūnahatvā hi mahānubhāvān śreyo bhoktuṃ bhaikṣyamapīha loke . hatvārthakāmāṃstu gurūnihaiva bhuñjīya bhogān rudhirapradigdhān ||2-5||


2.5 Better it is, indeed, in this world to accept alms than to slay the most noble teachers. But if I kill them, even in this world all my enjoyments of wealth and fulfilled desires will be stained with (their) blood.

Word-by-word meanings

2.5 गुरून् the Gurus (teachers)? अहत्वा instead of slaying? हि indeed? महानुभावान् most noble? श्रेयः better? भोक्तुम् to eat? भैक्ष्यम् alms? अपि even? इह here? लोके in the world? हत्वा having slain? अर्थकामान् desirous of wealth? तु indeed? गुरून् Gurus? इह here? एव also? भुञ्जीय enjoy? भोगान् enjoyments? रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् stained with blood.No commentary.

Commentaries

Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.

Sri Shankaracharya

2.5 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.

Swami Gambirananda

2.5 Rather than killing the noble-minded elders, it is better in this world to live even on alms. But by killing the elders we shall only be enjoying here the pleasures of wealth and desireable things drenched in blood.

This interpretation draws on the Advaita tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

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