1.32

Sanskrit

न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च । किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा ॥

na kāṅkṣe vijayaṃ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṃ sukhāni ca kiṃ no rājyena govinda kiṃ bhogair jīvitena vā

Translation

For I desire not victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures; what is kingdom to us, O Govinda, what enjoyment or even life?

Annie Besant · The Bhagavad-Gita, translated by Annie Besant (4th ed., 1922) — Wikisource · Public Domain

Explanation

Arjuna disowns every stake he might have in winning — not just this battle, but victory, kingdom, and pleasure as categories. It’s worth noting the contrast this sets up for later: Krishna’s teaching in Chapter 2 won’t ask Arjuna to want these things either, but for a very different reason — not because they’re worthless, but because action shouldn’t be motivated by wanting them at all.