Chapter 1 ; Verse 46 ; Bhagavad Gita

TEXT 46

sanjaya uvaca
evam uktvarjunah sankhye
rathopastha upavisat
visrjya sa-saram capam
soka-samvigna-manasah

SYNONYMS

sanjayah--Sanjaya; uvaca--said; evam--thus; uktva--saying;arjunah--Arjuna; sankhye--in the battlefield; ratha--chariot; upasthe--situated on; upavisat--sat down again; visrjya--keeping aside; sa-saram--along with arrows; capam--the bow; soka--by lamentation; samvigna--distressed; manasah--within the mind.

TRANSLATION

Sanjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.

PURPORT

While observing the situation of his enemy, Arjuna stood up on the chariot, but he was so afflicted with lamentation that he sat down again, setting aside his bow and arrows. Such a kind and soft-hearted person, in the devotional service of the Lord, is fit to receive self-knowledge.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the First Chapter of theSrimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra.

Chapter 1 ; Verse 45 ; Bhagavad Gita

TEXT 45

yadi mam apratikaram 
asastram sastra-panayah 
dhartarastra rane hanyus 
tan me ksemataram bhavet

SYNONYMS

yadi--even if; mam--unto me; apratikaram--without being resistant;asastram--without being fully equipped; sastra-panayah--those with weapons in hand; dhartarastrah--the sons of Dhrtarastra; rane--in the battlefield; hanyuh--may kill; tat--that; me--mine; ksema-taram--better;bhavet--become.

TRANSLATION

I would consider it better for the sons of Dhrtarastra to kill me unarmed and unresisting, rather than to fight with them.

PURPORT

   It is the custom--according to ksatriya fighting principles--that an unarmed and unwilling foe should not be attacked. Arjuna, however, in such an enigmatic position, decided he would not fight if he were attacked by the enemy. He did not consider how much the other party was bent upon fighting. All these symptoms are due to soft-heartedness resulting from his being a great devotee of the Lord.

Chapter 1 ; Verse 44 ; Bhagavad Gita

TEXT 44

aho bata mahat papam 
kartum vyavasita vayam 
yad rajya-sukha-lobhena 
hantum sva-janam udyatah

SYNONYMS

aho--alas; bata--how strange it is; mahat--great; papam--sins;kartum--to perform; vyavasitah--decided; vayam--we; yat--so that;rajya--kingdom; sukha-lobhena--driven by greed for royal happiness;hantum--to kill; sva-janam--kinsmen; udyatah--trying for.

TRANSLATION

Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts, driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness.

PURPORT

   Driven by selfish motives, one may be inclined to such sinful acts as the killing of one's own brother, father, or mother. There are many such instances in the history of the world. But Arjuna, being a saintly devotee of the Lord, is always conscious of moral principles and therefore takes care to avoid such activities.

Chapter 1 ; Verse 43 ; Bhagavad Gita

TEXT 43

utsanna-kula-dharmanam 
manusyanam janardana 
narake niyatam vaso 
bhavatity anususruma

SYNONYMS

utsanna--spoiled; kula-dharmanam--of those who have the family traditions; manusyanam--of such men; janardana--O Krsna; narake--in hell; niyatam--always; vasah--residence; bhavati--it so becomes; iti--thus; anususruma--I have heard by disciplic succession.

TRANSLATION

O Krsna, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those who destroy family traditions dwell always in hell.

PURPORT

   Arjuna bases his argument not on his own personal experience, but on what he has heard from the authorities. That is the way of receiving real knowledge. One cannot reach the real point of factual knowledge without being helped by the right person who is already established in that knowledge. There is a system in the varnasrama institution by which one has to undergo the process of ablution before death for his sinful activities. One who is always engaged in sinful activities must utilize the process of ablution called the prayascitta. Without doing so, one surely will be transferred to hellish planets to undergo miserable lives as the result of sinful activities.

Chapter 1 ; Verse 42 ; Bhagavad Gita

TEXT 42

dosair etaih kula-ghnanam 
varna-sankara-karakaih 
utsadyante jati-dharmah 
kula-dharmas ca sasvatah

SYNONYMS

dosaih--by such faults; etaih--all these; kula-ghnanam--of the destroyer of the family; varna-sankara--unwanted children; karakaih--by the doers; utsadyante--causes devastation; jati-dharmah--community projects; kula-dharmah--family traditions; ca--also; sasvatah--eternal.

TRANSLATION

Due to the evil deeds of the destroyers of family tradition, all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are devastated.

PURPORT

   The four orders of human society, combined with family welfare activities as they are set forth by the institution of the sanatana-dharma orvarnasrama-dharma, are designed to enable the human being to attain his ultimate salvation. Therefore, the breaking of the sanatana-dharmatradition by irresponsible leaders of society brings about chaos in that society, and consequently people forget the aim of life--Visnu. Such leaders are called blind, and persons who follow such leaders are sure to be led into chaos.

Chapter 1 ; Verse 41 ; Bhagavad Gita

   TEXT 41

   sankaro narakayaiva 
kula-ghnanam kulasya ca 
patanti pitaro hy esam 
lupta-pindodaka-kriyah

   SYNONYMS

       sankarah--such unwanted children; narakaya--for hellish life; eva--certainly; kula-ghnanam--of those who are killers of the family; kulasya--of the family; ca--also; patanti--fall down; pitarah--forefathers; hi--certainly; esam--of them; lupta--stopped; pinda--offerings; udaka--water; kriyah--performances.

   TRANSLATION

       When there is increase of unwanted population, a hellish situation is created both for the family and for those who destroy the family tradition. In such corrupt families, there is no offering of oblations of food and water to the ancestors.

   PURPORT

       According to the rules and regulations of fruitive activities, there is a need to offer periodical food and water to the forefathers of the family. This offering is performed by worship of Visnu, because eating the remnants of food offered to Visnu can deliver one from all kinds of sinful actions. Sometimes the forefathers may be suffering from various types of sinful reactions, and sometimes some of them cannot even acquire a gross material body and are forced to remain in subtle bodies as ghosts. Thus, when remnants of prasadam food are offered to forefathers by descendants, the forefathers are released from ghostly or other kinds of miserable life. Such help rendered to forefathers is a family tradition, and those who are not in devotional life are required to perform such rituals. One who is engaged in the devotional life is not required to perform such actions. Simply by performing devotional service, one can deliver hundreds and thousands of forefathers from all kinds of misery. It is stated in theBhagavatam:

   devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitrnam 
na kinkaro nayam rni ca rajan 
sarvatmana yah saranam saranyam 
gato mukundam parihrtya kartam

  
"Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, the giver of liberation, giving up all kinds of obligation, and has taken to the path in all seriousness, owes neither duties nor obligations to the demigods, sages, general living entities, family members, humankind or forefathers." (Bhag.11.5.41) Such obligations are automatically fulfilled by performance of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Chapter 1 ; Verse 40 ; Bhagavad Gita

TEXT 40

adharmabhibhavat krsna 
pradusyanti kula-striyah 
strisu dustasu varsneya 
jayate varna-sankarah

SYNONYMS

adharma--irreligion; abhibhavat--having become predominant;krsna--O Krsna; pradusyanti--become polluted; kula-striyah--family ladies; strisu--of the womanhood; dustasu--being so polluted; varsneya--O descendant of Vrsni; jayate--it so becomes; varna-sankarah--unwanted progeny.

TRANSLATION

When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Krsna, the women of the family become corrupt, and from the degradation of womanhood, O descendant of Vrsni, comes unwanted progeny.

PURPORT

   Good population in human society is the basic principle for peace, prosperity and spiritual progress in life. The varnasrama religion's principles were so designed that the good population would prevail in society for the general spiritual progress of state and community. Such population depends on the chastity and faithfulness of its womanhood. As children are very prone to be misled, women are similarly very prone to degradation. Therefore, both children and women require protection by the elder members of the family. By being engaged in various religious practices, women will not be misled into adultery. According to Canakya Pandita, women are generally not very intelligent and therefore not trustworthy. So, the different family traditions of religious activities should always engage them, and thus their chastity and devotion will give birth to a good population eligible for participating in the varnasrama system. On the failure of such varnasrama-dharma, naturally the women become free to act and mix with men, and thus adultery is indulged in at the risk of unwanted population. Irresponsible men also provoke adultery in society, and thus unwanted children flood the human race at the risk of war and pestilence.

Chapter 1 ; Verse 39 ; Bhagavad Gita

TEXT 39

kula-ksaye pranasyanti 
kula-dharmah sanatanah 
dharme naste kulam krtsnam 
adharmo 'bhibhavaty uta

SYNONYMS

kula-ksaye--in destroying the family; pranasyanti--becomes vanquished; kula-dharmah--the family traditions; sanatanah--eternal;dharme--in religion; naste--being destroyed; kulam--family; krtsnam--wholesale; adharmah--irreligious; abhibhavati--transforms; uta--it is said.

TRANSLATION

With the destruction of dynasty, the eternal family tradition is vanquished, and thus the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligious practice.

PURPORT

   In the system of the varnasrama institution there are many principles of religious traditions to help members of the family grow properly and attain spiritual values. The elder members are responsible for such purifying processes in the family, beginning from birth to death. But on the death of the elder members, such family traditions of purification may stop, and the remaining younger family members may develop irreligious habits and thereby lose their chance for spiritual salvation. Therefore, for no purpose should the elder members of the family be slain.

Chapter 1 ; Verse 37-38 ; Bhagavad Gita

TEXT 37-38

yady apy ete na pasyanti 
lobhopahata-cetasah 
kula-ksaya-krtam dosam 
mitra-drohe ca patakam

katham na jneyam asmabhih 
papad asman nivartitum 
kula-ksaya-krtam dosam 
prapasyadbhir janardana

SYNONYMS

yadi--if; api--certainly; ete--they; na--do not; pasyanti--see; lobha--greed; upahata--overpowered; cetasah--the hearts; kula-ksaya--in killing the family; krtam--done; dosam--fault; mitra-drohe--quarreling with friends; ca--also; patakam--sinful reactions; katham--why; na--shall not; jneyam--know this; asmabhih--by us; papat--from sins; asmat--ourselves; nivartitum--to cease; kula-ksaya--the destruction of a dynasty; krtam--by so doing; dosam--crime; prapasyadbhih--by those who can see; janardana--O Krsna.

TRANSLATION

O Janardana, although these men, overtaken by greed, see no fault in killing one's family or quarreling with friends, why should we, with knowledge of the sin, engage in these acts?

PURPORT

   A ksatriya is not supposed to refuse to battle or gamble when he is so invited by some rival party. Under such obligation, Arjuna could not refuse to fight because he was 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.

Chapter 1 ; Verse 36 ; Bhagavad Gita

TEXT 36

papam evasrayed asman 
hatvaitan atatayinah 
tasman narha vayam hantum 
dhartarastran sa-bandhavan 
sva-janam hi katham hatva 
sukhinah syama madhava

SYNONYMS

papam--vices; eva--certainly; asrayet--must take upon; asman--us;hatva--by killing; etan--all these; atatayinah--aggressors; tasmat--therefore; na--never; arhah--deserving; vayam--we; hantum--to kill;dhartarastran--the sons of Dhrtarastra; sa-bandhavan--along with friends; sva-janam--kinsmen; hi--certainly; katham--how; hatva--by killing; sukhinah--happy; syama--become; madhava--O Krsna, husband of the goddess of fortune.

TRANSLATION

Sin will overcome us if we slay such aggressors. Therefore it is not proper for us to kill the sons of Dhrtarastra and our friends. What should we gain, O Krsna, husband of the goddess of fortune, and how could we be happy by killing our own kinsmen?

PURPORT

   According to Vedic injunctions there are six kinds of aggressors: 1) a poison giver, 2) one who sets fire to the house, 3) one who attacks with deadly weapons, 4) one who plunders riches, 5) one who occupies another's land, and 6) one who kidnaps a wife. Such aggressors are at once to be killed, and no sin is incurred by killing such aggressors. Such killing of aggressors is quite befitting for any ordinary man, but Arjuna was not an ordinary person. He was saintly by character, and therefore he wanted to deal with them in saintliness. This kind of saintliness, however, is not for a ksatriya. Although a responsible man in the administration of a state is required to be saintly, he should not be cowardly. For example, Lord Rama was so saintly that people were anxious to live in His kingdom (Rama-rajya), but Lord Rama never showed any cowardice. Ravana was an aggressor against Rama because he kidnapped Rama's wife, Sita, but Lord Rama gave him sufficient lessons, unparalleled in the history of the world. In Arjuna's case, however, one should consider the special type of aggressors, namely his own grandfather, own teacher, friends, sons, grandsons, etc. Because of them, Arjuna thought that he should not take the severe steps necessary against ordinary aggressors. Besides that, saintly persons are advised to forgive. Such injunctions for saintly persons are more important than any political emergency. Arjuna considered that rather than kill his own kinsmen for political reasons, it would be better to forgive them on grounds of religion and saintly behavior. He did not, therefore, consider such killing profitable simply for the matter of temporary bodily happiness. After all, kingdoms and pleasures derived therefrom are not permanent, so why should he risk his life and eternal salvation by killing his own kinsmen? Arjuna's addressing of Krsna as "Madhava," or the husband of the goddess of fortune, is also significant in this connection. He wanted to point out to Krsna that, as husband of the goddess of fortune, He should not have to induce Arjuna to take up a matter which would ultimately bring about misfortune. Krsna, however, never brings misfortune to anyone, to say nothing of His devotees.