Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 Verse 39
भगवद् गीता अध्याय 1 श्लोक 39

कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन।।1.39।।



English Translation - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
1.39. But,  perceiving clearly the evil conseences ensuing from the ruin of the family, should we not have a sense to refrain from this sinful act  [of fighting the war],  O Janardana ?


English Translation of Commentary  - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
1.35  1.44  Nihatya etc. upto anususruma. Sin alone is the agent in the act of slaying these desperadoes. Therefore here the idea is this : These ememies of ours have been slain, i.e., have been take possession of, by sin. Sin would come to us also after slaying them. Sin in this context is the disregard, on account of greed etc., to the injurious conseences like the ruination of the family and the like. That is why Arjuna makes a specific mention of the [ruin of the] family etc., and of its duties in the passage How by slaying my own kinsmen etc.

The act of slaying, undertaken with an individualizing idea about its result, and with a particularizing idea about the person to be slain, is a great sin. To say this very thing precisely and to indicate the intensity of his own agony, Arjuna says only to himself [see next sloka]:


Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 1.39Katham na jneyam asmaabhih paapaad asmaan nivartitum;
Kulakshayakritam dosham prapashyadbhir janaardana.


Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 1.39yadi api—even though; ete—they; na—not; paśhyanti—see; lobha—greed; upahata—overpowered; chetasaḥ—thoughts; kula-kṣhaya-kṛitam—in annihilating their relatives; doṣham—fault; mitra-drohe—to wreak treachery upon friends; cha—and; pātakam—sin; katham—why; na—not; jñeyam—should be known; asmābhiḥ—we; pāpāt—from sin; asmāt—these; nivartitum—to turn away; kula-kṣhaya—killing the kindered; kṛitam—done; doṣham—crime; prapaśhyadbhiḥ—who can see; janārdana—he who looks after the public, Shree Krishna