Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 40

Chapter 1 – Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit verse

कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः ।
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥

Transliteration

kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ .
dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnamadharmo.abhibhavatyuta ॥

Meaning

When a family is destroyed, its ancient family traditions perish; and when dharma perishes, adharma overwhelms the whole family.

Word meanings

कुलक्षये – in the destruction of a family
प्रणश्यन्ति – perish
कुलधर्माः – family traditions of dharma
सनातनाः – ancient, time-honoured
धर्मे – dharma
नष्टे – being destroyed
कुलम् – family
कृत्स्नम् – whole
अधर्मः – adharma, unrighteousness
अभिभवति – overpowers
उत – indeed

Anvaya (word order)

कुलक्षये सनातनाः कुलधर्माः प्रणश्यन्ति; धर्मे नष्टे उत कृत्स्नं कुलम् अधर्मः अभिभवति ।

Explanation

Arjuna now sets out a chain of consequences of destroying a family, beginning in this verse and running to verse 44. The first link: the destruction of the family destroys its kuladharma.

Kuladharma means the religious traditions, rites, customs and duties handed down in a family from generation to generation: sacrifices, ancestral offerings, vows, festivals, moral values and a way of life. Keeping these alive is the responsibility of the elders, who pass them on to the next generation. When most of the family's grown men are killed in war, no one will be left to carry these traditions forward.

The second link: when dharma is destroyed, adharma spreads through the whole family. When the guiding elders are gone and traditions break, the foundations of discipline and morality weaken, and licence and disorder begin to grow.

Arjuna's argument is sociologically profound and, in ordinary circumstances, true: war kills not only people but culture and values. Yet the irony is that the adharma he fears is already spreading under Duryodhana's rule. This war exists precisely to stop it. Arjuna mistakes the cure of the disease for its cause.

Context

In verses 38-39 Arjuna mentioned the evil of destroying a family; from here he traces its consequences step by step. The next verse gives the next link in the chain: the corruption of women and the mixing of social orders.

Life lesson

The healthy traditions of family and society are the links that join generations; preserving them is everyone's responsibility. But tolerating adharma in the name of protecting tradition is not right.

Key terms

Kuladharma: the religious customs, rites and duties handed down in a family
Sanatana: ancient, continuing from time immemorial
Adharma: absence of dharma; improper and immoral conduct