Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 39

Chapter 1 – Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit verse

कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम् ।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन ॥

Transliteration

kathaṃ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum .
kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana ॥

Meaning

Why then should we, who clearly see the evil of destroying a family, not know to turn back from this sin, O Janardana?

Word meanings

कथम् – why, how
न – not
ज्ञेयम् – should be known, considered
अस्माभिः – by us
पापात् – from sin
अस्मात् – this
निवर्तितुम् – to turn back, to refrain
कुलक्षयकृतम् – caused by the destruction of a family
दोषम् – evil
प्रपश्यद्भिः – by those who see clearly
जनार्दन – O Janardana

Anvaya (word order)

जनार्दन, कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिः अस्माभिः अस्मात् पापात् निवर्तितुं कथं न ज्ञेयम् ।

Explanation

The sentence begun in the previous verse ends here. Arjuna's argument is this: the Kauravas are blinded by greed and so cannot see this sin; but we can see it, so why should we not avoid it? To sin knowingly is a greater wrong than to sin out of ignorance.

On the surface the argument is highly moral and persuasive. In ordinary life the principle is sound: another's fault cannot justify our own. If the other side acts wrongly, we should not answer with wrong. Arjuna feels that to fight would be to sink to the Kauravas' level.

But Arjuna's basic error is that he regards a righteous war as 'sin'. A war fought against adharma and for the protection of the people is a kshatriya's svadharma, not a sin. When every effort at peace has failed, resisting the aggressor becomes a duty. Arjuna sees the evil of 'destroying the family', but not the far greater disaster that would follow from letting adharma grow.

By calling himself and his brothers prapashyadbhih, 'those who see clearly', Arjuna considers himself discerning. The irony is that his 'seeing' is clouded by attachment. Later Krishna will give him the vision by which he will truly see.

Context

This verse completes the sentence of verse 38. From the next verse Arjuna explains in detail the evils that arise from the destruction of a family: the loss of family dharma, the spread of adharma, and so on.

Life lesson

Another's wrongdoing is never an excuse for our own; that principle is true. But we must also see that passivity before injustice is itself a fault; discerning right from wrong requires a vision free of attachment.

Key terms

Nivartana: turning back from an action, refraining
Prapashyat: one who sees clearly, who understands
Dosha: fault, evil consequence