śhreyaḥ

निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव

śhreyaḥ — good

And I see the omens are against us, Krishna. I foresee nothing good in killing my own people in battle.

गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान् श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके

śhreyaḥ — better

Better to live in this world on alms than to kill these noble elders. If I killed them for the sake of gain, the food I ate afterwards would be stained with blood.

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसंमूढचेताः

śhreyaḥ — best

My own nature is undone by this failure of nerve; my sense of what is right is confused. I ask you: tell me plainly what is best. I am your pupil. Instruct me.

स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि

śhreyaḥ — better

And considering your own duty, you should not waver. For a warrior there is nothing better than a rightful fight.

व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे

śhreyaḥ — the highest good

Your words seem to point two ways, and they confuse me. Tell me plainly which one thing will lead me to the good.

देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः

śhreyaḥ — prosperity

Sustain the gods by this, and let the gods sustain you. Sustaining one another, you will reach the highest good.

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्

śhreyān — better

Better your own work done imperfectly than another's done well. Better to die in your own work than to live in someone else's.

संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि

śhreyaḥ — more beneficial

You praise the renunciation of action, Krishna, and then you praise yoga. Which of the two is better? Tell me clearly.

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते

śhreyaḥ — better

Knowledge is better than mere practice; meditation is better than knowledge; giving up the fruit of action is better than meditation — and from that giving up comes peace at once.

एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः

śhreyaḥ — welfare

A person freed from these three gates of darkness, son of Kunti, does what is good for the self, and so goes to the highest.