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Bhagavad-gītā 1.37-38
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A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXTS 37-38
- यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः ।
- कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम् ॥३७॥
- कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम् ।
- कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन ॥३८॥
- 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
yadiif — if; apieven — even; etethey — they; nado not — do not; paśyantisee — see; lobhaby greed — by greed; upahataoverpowered — overpowered; cetasaḥtheir hearts — their hearts; kulain killing the family-kṣayain killing the family — in killing the family; kṛtamdone — done; doṣamfault — fault; mitrain quarreling with friends-drohein quarreling with friends — in quarreling with friends; caalso — also; pātakamsinful reactions — sinful reactions; kathamwhy — why; nashould not — should not; jñeyambe known — be known; asmābhiḥby us — by us; pāpātfrom sins — from sins; asmātthese — these; nivartitumto cease — to cease; kulain the destruction of a dynasty-kṣayain the destruction of a dynasty — in the destruction of a dynasty; kṛtamdone — done; doṣamcrime — crime; prapaśyadbhiḥby those who can see — by those who can see; janārdanaO Kṛṣṇa — O Kṛṣṇa.
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?
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.