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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
1.371.39

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 1.38

The fear of family destruction and sin

यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः ।

कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम् ॥ ३७ ॥

कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मन्निवर्तितुम् ।

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

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?

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

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

Seeing the Harm in Fighting

  1. 1Arjuna asks why they should destroy a family when they see the sin, even if others are blinded by greed.
  2. 2A warrior is expected to accept a rival’s challenge to battle or gamble.
  3. 3Duryodhana’s party had challenged Arjuna, so he faced an obligation to fight.
  4. 4Arjuna thought the other side might not see the harmful results, but he saw them and decided not to fight.
  5. 5An obligation is binding when its result is good, but not when its result is harmful.

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.

2

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 1.38 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.

4

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.

Ask the study guide

Ask about BG 1.38 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

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.