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Chapter 1 · Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra · 46 verses

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Questions & crisisChapter 1 · Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra
1.351.37

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 1.36

The fear of family destruction and sin

पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः ।

तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्सबान्धवान् ।

स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव ॥ ३६ ॥

pāpam evāśrayed asmān

hatvaitān ātatāyinaḥ

tasmān nārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ

dhārtarāṣṭrān sa-bāndhavān

sva-janaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā

sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava

Translation

Sin will overcome us if we slay such aggressors. Therefore it is not proper for us to kill the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and our friends. What should we gain, O Kṛṣṇa, husband of the goddess of fortune, and how could we be happy by killing our own kinsmen?

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Arjuna Fears Sin and Misfortune

  1. 1Arjuna says killing his relatives and friends would bring sin, not happiness or gain.
  2. 2The purport explains that Vedic rules allow aggressors to be killed without sin.
  3. 3Arjuna was saintly, but a warrior and ruler must be saintly without being cowardly.
  4. 4Arjuna preferred forgiving his relatives to killing them for a temporary kingdom and its pleasures.
  5. 5Arjuna called Kṛṣṇa the husband of the goddess of fortune, fearing misfortune. But Kṛṣṇa never brings misfortune to anyone, especially His devotees.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 1, Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra: the fear of family destruction and sin.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Honest questions open the way to wisdom.

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Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: saṁśaya, viṣāda.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 1.36 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to questions & crisis?

Practice

Write down the real question behind your current dilemma.

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The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 1 ›
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Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 1.31The fear of family destruction and sinBG 1.32The fear of family destruction and sinBG 2.7The moment Arjuna becomes a discipleBG 6.34The restless mind

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.