Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingगुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान्
श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके।
हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान्
gurūnahatvā hi mahānubhāvān
śhreyo bhoktuṁ bhaikṣhyamapīha loke
hatvārtha-kāmāṁstu gurūnihaiva
bhuñjīya bhogān rudhira-pradigdhān
Triṣṭubh (u s I I)(!!) irregular in source
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaRather than killing the noble-minded elders, it is better in this world to live even on alms. But by killing them, we shall only be enjoying here the pleasures of wealth and desirable things drenched in blood.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
इन महानुभाव गुरुजनों को मारने से इस लोक में भिक्षा का अन्न भी ग्रहण करना अधिक कल्याण कारक है, क्योंकि गुरुजनों को मारकर मैं इस लोक में रक्तरंजित अर्थ और काम रूप भोगों को ही भोगूँगा।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiगुरू नहत्वा हि महा नुभावान्
श्रेयो भोक्तुम् भैक्ष्य मपीह लोके (!!)
हत्वार् थकामां स्तु गुरू निहैव
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधि रप् रदिग्धान्
॥ ५ ॥
Pāda meters: Upendravajrā, Śālinī, Indravajrā, Indravajrā — I = Indravajrā, u = Upendravajrā, s = Śālinī pāda
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthagurūnteachers
ahatvānot killing
hicertainly
mahā-anubhāvānnoble elders
śhreyaḥbetter
bhoktumto enjoy life
bhaikṣhyamby begging
apieven
iha lokein this world
hatvākilling
arthagain
kāmāndesiring
tubut
gurūnnoble elders
ihain this world
evacertainly
bhuñjīyaenjoy
bhogānpleasures
rudhirablood
pradigdhāntainted with
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA2.5What would Arjuna rather do than slay his noble-minded elders?
Rather than killing the noble-minded elders, it is better in this world to live even on alms. But by killing them, we shall only be enjoying here the pleasures of wealth and desirable things drenched in blood.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.