Bhagavad-gītā As it Is << 1 - Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra >>
<< VERSE 37-38 >>
यद्य अप्य एते न पश्यन्ति लॊभॊपहतचेतसः कुलक्षयकृतं दॊषं मित्रद्रॊहे च पातकम कथं न जञेयम अस्माभिः पापाद अस्मान निवर्तितुम कुलक्षयकृतं दॊषं परपश्यद्भिर जनार्दन
yady apy ete na paśyanti lobhopahata-cetasaḥ kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣaṁ mitra-drohe ca pātakam kathaṁ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ pāpād asmān nivartitum kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣaṁ prapaśyadbhir janārdana
WORD BY WORD
yadi if; api even; ete they; na do not; paśyanti see; lobha by greed; upahata overpowered; cetasaḥ their hearts; kula-kṣaya in killing the family; kṛtam done; doṣam fault; mitra-drohe in quarreling with friends; ca also; pātakam sinful reactions; katham why; na should not; jñeyam be known; asmābhiḥ by us; pāpāt from sins; asmāt these; nivartitum to cease; kula-kṣaya in the destruction of a dynasty; kṛtam done; doṣam crime; prapaśyadbhiḥ by those who can see; janārdana O Kṛṣṇa;
TRANSLATION
| O Janārdana, although these men, their hearts overtaken by greed, see no fault in killing one’s family or quarreling with friends, why should we, who can see the crime in destroying a family, engage in these acts of sin?
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PURPORT
| 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.
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