1.45 We have resolved on a great wrong Arjuna speaks

अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्
यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः

aho bata mahat pāpaṁ kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam
yad rājya-sukha-lobhena hantuṁ sva-janam udyatāḥ

Alas — we have resolved to commit a great wrong, ready to kill our own people out of greed for a kingdom and its comforts.

Explanation

Alas — and he indicts himself.

We have resolved on a great wrong, ready to kill our own people out of greed for a kingdom.

He uses greed — the same word he applied to the enemy in 1.38. Having argued for twelve verses that they cannot see, he now puts himself in their category.

Word by word

aho: alas
bata: how
mahat: great
pāpam: sins
kartum: to perform
vyavasitāḥ: have decided
vayam: we
yat: because
rājya-sukha-lobhena: driven by the desire for kingly pleasure
hantum: to kill
sva-janam: kinsmen
udyatāḥ: intending