Arjuna’s breakdown now takes an intellectual turn. His overwhelming sorrow seeks justification, and his mind begins to grasp for reasons to validate his desire to withdraw. In the thirty-first verse, known as the Nimittani Cha Pashyami verse, he moves from describing his physical symptoms to questioning the very morality and outcome of the war, pointing to the ill omens he perceives all around him.
Sanskrit Verse
निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव ।
न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे ॥ ३१ ॥Transliteration
nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava |
na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave || 31 ||Word for Word Translation
nimittāni – omens; ca – also; paśyāmi – I see; viparītāni – adverse; keśava – O Keshava (Krishna, killer of the Keśī demon); na – nor; ca – also; śreyaḥ – good; anupaśyāmi – do I foresee; hatvā – by killing; svajanam – own kinsmen; āhave – in the fight.
English Translation
O Keshava, I see only adverse omens, and I foresee no good from killing my own kinsmen in this fight.
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
The Nimittani Cha Pashyami verse is a classic example of a mind trying to find external validation for an internal feeling. Arjuna’s heart is already broken, and now his intellect scrambles for evidence to support his conclusion that this war is wrong.
- “I see adverse omens”: In ancient times, warriors paid close attention to omens—the flight of birds, the howl of the wind, the color of the sky. Whether these omens are real or simply a projection of his own inner turmoil, Arjuna sees only negativity. His despair is coloring his perception of the world around him.
- “I foresee no good (śreyas)”: This is the core of his philosophical argument. He is questioning the ultimate benefit of the war. He is no longer thinking about winning a kingdom; he is asking what true, lasting good can come from this slaughter. This shifts his problem from a military one to a moral one, a question of Dharma.
- “O Keshava”: He addresses Krishna by the name Keshava, “the killer of the Keśī demon.” On a subtle level, this is a cry for help. He is appealing to the one who slays powerful demons to now help him slay the demons of doubt and despair that have taken hold of his mind.
With the Nimittani Cha Pashyami verse, Arjuna has begun to build a rational case against the war, using both external signs and internal logic to justify his profound emotional need to stop.
Conclusion
The Nimittani Cha Pashyami verse teaches us a deeply human truth: when our emotions are powerful enough, our minds will work tirelessly to build a logical framework around them. Arjuna’s heart has already decided that this war is a tragedy; now his intellect is providing the evidence. He is looking for a way out, and “bad omens” and “no good outcome” are the perfect justifications.
This verse is a powerful reminder to look at our own reasoning in times of conflict. Are our logical conclusions genuinely objective, or are they elaborate justifications for a pre-existing emotional state? The Nimittani Cha Pashyami verse shows that the first step in Arjuna’s spiritual crisis is this entanglement of heart and mind, a problem so profound that only divine wisdom can untangle it.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 – Verse 32 – Na Kankshe Vijayam Krishna
