2.6 I can hardly tell which will be better, that we should coner them or that they should coner us. Even the sons of Dhritarashtra, after slaying whom we do not wish to live, stand facing us.

2.4-6 Katham etc. upto Dhartarastrah. By the portion Bhisma and Drona in war' etc., and by the portion 'I would [not] enjoy the objects of pleasure', the Sage indicates that in Arjuna's objection, the intention for a particular act and the intention for a particular result are the points deserving rejection. By the portion 'We do not know this' etc., he speaks of the intention for a particular action. For, without intention no action is possible. Certainly one does not proceed on a war with an intention of getting defeated. '[In the present war] even our victory would be surely our misfortune.' This he says by the portion 'It is good even to go about begging without killing the elders'. It is also impossible to conclude 'Whether we desire victory or defeat'; for even in the case of our victory our relatives would perish totally.'

2.6. "Nor do we know which is better for us—whether we should fight or not fight; nor do we know whether we shall conquer them or they will conquer us. Those very relatives of Dhritarashtra, whom we do not wish to kill even for the sake of living, stand arrayed before us." Commentary: "Nor do we know which is better for us"—I am unable to decide between these two alternatives: whether I should fight or not fight. The reason is that in Your view, fighting is superior; but in my view, since killing elders is sinful, not fighting is superior. When these two positions are placed before me, I cannot determine which is the absolutely better course for me. Thus, in the above words, both the Lord's position and Arjuna's own position have become equally balanced within him. "Or whether we shall conquer them or they will conquer us"—Even if we fight according to Your command, we do not know whether we will conquer them or they (Duryodhana and others) will conquer us. Here, Arjuna does not lack faith in his own strength, but rather lacks faith in the future; for who knows what lies in store in the future? "Those very relatives of Dhritarashtra, whom we do not wish to kill even for the sake of living"—We do not even desire to live by killing our kinsmen; the thought of enjoying pleasures or ruling a kingdom and wielding authority is far from our minds! For if our kinsmen are slain, what will we do by living? We will only sit and brood in anxiety and grief, having destroyed our own family with our own hands! We do not wish to live merely to suffer anxiety, grief, and the pain of separation. "They stand arrayed before us"—Those very relatives of Dhritarashtra, whom we do not wish to kill even for the sake of living, stand before us. All the relatives of Dhritarashtra are indeed our own kinsmen. Cursed be a life sustained by killing those very kinsmen! Connection: Finding himself incapable of determining his duty, Arjuna now earnestly entreats the Lord with anguish.