Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 Verse 40
भगवद् गीता अध्याय 1 श्लोक 40

कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः।
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत।।1.40।।



English Translation - Swami Gambirananda
1.40  From the ruin of the family are totally destroyed the traditional rites and duties of the family. When rites and duties are destroyed, vice overpowers the entire family also.


English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary
1.26 - 1.47 Arjuna said - Sanjaya said  Sanjaya continued:  The high-minded Arjuna, extremely kind, deeply friendly, and supremely righteous, having brothers like himself, though repeatedly deceived by the treacherous attempts of your people like burning in the lac-house etc., and therefore fit to be killed by him with the help of the Supreme Person, nevertheless said, I will not fight.

He felt weak, overcome as he was by his love and extreme compassion for his relatives. He was also filled with fear, not knowing what was righteous and what unrighteous. His mind was tortured by grief, because of the thought of future separation from his relations. So he threw away his bow and arrow and sat on the chariot as if to fast to death.


Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 1.40Kulakshaye pranashyanti kuladharmaah sanaatanaah;
Dharme nashte kulam kritsnam adharmo’bhibhavatyuta.


Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 1.40kula-kṣhaye—in the destruction of a dynasty; praṇaśhyanti—are vanquished; kula-dharmāḥ—family traditions; sanātanāḥ—eternal; dharme—religion; naṣhṭe—is destroyed; kulam—family; kṛitsnam—the whole; adharmaḥ—irreligion; abhibhavati—overcome; uta—indeed