Shloka 39

Devanagari script

कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभि: पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्‌ । कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्धिर्जनार्दन,यद्यपि लोभसे भ्रष्टचित्त हुए ये लोग कुलके नाशसे उत्पन्न दोषको और मित्रोंसे विरोध करनेमें पापको नहीं देखते, तो भी हे जनार्दन! कुलके नाशसे उत्पन्न दोषको जाननेवाले हमलोगोंको इस पापसे हटनेके लिये क्‍यों नहीं विचार करना चाहिये?

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | kathaṁ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ pāpād asmān nivartitum | kulakṣayakṛtaṁ doṣaṁ prapaśyadbhir janārdana ||

Translation

Ô Janārdana, comment ne reconnaîtrions-nous pas qu’il nous faut nous détourner de ce péché, puisque nous prévoyons clairement la faute née de la destruction de la lignée ? Même si ceux que la convoitise égare ne voient pas le mal qu’il y a à s’opposer aux amis et à précipiter la ruine du clan, nous qui en connaissons les conséquences devons nous retenir et renoncer à cette faute.

Word by Word

• {'kathaṁ': 'how? in what way?', 'na': 'not', 'jñeyam': 'to be known/recognized

• what ought to be understood', 'asmābhiḥ': 'by us', 'pāpāt': 'from sin, wrongdoing', 'asmān': 'us', 'nivartitum': 'to turn back, desist, withdraw', 'kula': 'family, clan, lineage', 'kṣaya': 'destruction, ruin', 'kulakṣaya': 'destruction of the lineage', 'kṛtam': 'made, caused, produced', 'doṣam': 'fault, evil consequence, moral defect', 'kulakṣayakṛtam doṣam': 'the fault/consequence produced by the destruction of the lineage', 'prapaśyadbhiḥ': 'by those who clearly see/foresee', 'janārdana': "Janārdana (epithet of Kṛṣṇa), 'chastiser of people/foes'"}

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Moral responsibility increases with moral insight: if one can foresee the harmful consequences (doṣa) of an action—here, the social and ethical collapse implied by kulakṣaya—one should desist from the sinful act rather than follow others blinded by greed.

What is happening in the narrative?

On the battlefield, Arjuna argues to Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana) that even if the opposing side does not perceive the sin in fighting relatives and friends, he and his side, who understand the disastrous consequences of destroying the family line, should withdraw from the act.