Bhagavad Gita 1.38यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः।कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम् ॥
yady apy ete na paśhyanti lobhopahata-chetasaḥ
kula-kṣhaya-kṛitaṁ doṣhaṁ mitra-drohe cha pātakam
Sanskrit recitation
When the body freezes · 1.28–1.47 · Teaching
Translation
Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of families and no sin in hostility to friends,
Hindi translation
।।1.38 -- 1.39।। यद्यपि लोभ के कारण जिनका विवेक-विचार लुप्त हो गया है, ऐसे ये (दुर्योधन आदि) कुल का नाश करने से होनेवाले दोष को और मित्रों के साथ द्वेष करने से होनेवाले पाप को नहीं देखते, (तो भी) हे जनार्दन! कुल का नाश करने से होनेवाले दोष को ठीक-ठीक जाननेवाले हमलोग इस पाप से निवृत्त होने का विचार क्यों न करें?
Meaning
A kṣatriya is not supposed to refuse to battle or gamble when he is so invited by some rival party. Under such an obligation, Arjuna could not refuse to fight, because he had been challenged by the party of Duryodhana. In this connection, Arjuna considered that the other party might be blind to the effects of such a challenge. Arjuna, however, could see the evil consequences and could not accept the challenge. Obligation is actually binding when the effect is good, but when the effect is otherwise, then no one can be bound. Considering all these pros and cons, Arjuna decided not to fight.
After A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
When the body freezes· 1.28–1.47→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 1.28Arjuna said, "O Krishna, seeing my kinsmen arrayed here, eager to fight,
- 1.29My limbs fail, my mouth is parched, my body quivers, and my hair stands on end.
- 1.30The Gandiva slips from my hand, and my skin burns all over; I am unable to stand, and my…
- 1.31And I see ill omens, O Kesava. I do not see any good in slaying my kinsmen in battle.
- 1.32I desire not victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom, nor pleasures. What use is dominion to us, O…
- 1.33Those for whose sake we desire kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures stand here in battle,…
- 1.34Teachers, fathers, sons, and grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons,…
- 1.35These I do not wish to kill, O Krishna, even though they kill me, for the sake of dominion…
- 1.36By killing these sons of Dhritarashtra, what pleasure could be ours, O Janardana? Only sin…
- 1.37Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our relatives; for how can we be…
1.38Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of…
- 1.39Why should we not, who clearly see the evil in the destruction of families, learn to turn…
- 1.40In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious rites of that family perish; on…
- 1.41O Krishna, by the prevalence of impiety, the women of the family become corrupt; and, when…
- 1.42Confusion of castes leads to hell for the slayers of the family, for their forebears fall,…
- 1.43By these evil deeds of the destroyers of the family, which cause confusion of castes, the…
- 1.44We have heard, O Janardana, that those men in whose families the religious practices have…
- 1.45Alas! We are involved in a great sin, for we are prepared to kill our kinsmen, out of…
- 1.46If the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, should slay me in battle, unresisting…
- 1.47Sanjaya said, Having thus spoken in the midst of the battlefield, Arjuna cast away his bow…
Word-by-word→
- na
- not
- cha
- and
- ete
- they
- lobha
- greed
- upahata
- overpowered
- doṣham
- fault
- pātakam
- sin
- yadi api
- even though
- chetasaḥ
- thoughts
- paśhyanti
- see
- mitra-drohe
- to wreak treachery upon friends
- kula-kṣhaya-kṛitam
- in annihilating their relatives
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