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Chapter 1
Link:-Now Arjuna justifies his intention, not to slay his kith and kin, even from a point of view of consequences.
nihatya dhartarastrannah ka pritih syajjanardana
papamevakrayedasmanhatvaitanatatayinah
O Janardana, (Janardana, the name of Sri Krsna, means a person who is worshipped by people for prosperity and emancipation), what delight can we derive by slaying the sons of Dhrtarastra? Sin alone will attach us by slaying these desperadoes. 36
Comment:-
Nihatya dhartarastrannah ha pritih syajjanardana papameva-srayedasmanhatvaitanatatayinah:-We cannot derive even the slightest joy, by slaying the sons of Dhrtarastra and the warriors of their army. If we kill them, out of anger or greed, we shall have to repent, because the memory of those kinsmen will obsess us and the grief of their death, will torment us. We cannot get joy in this world, by killing them and sin will accrue, to us in the next world, which will torment us there.
There are six kinds of desperadoes—one who sets fire, who poisons, who murders, who seizes wealth, who usurps kingdoms and those who kidnap others' wives.[1]
Duryodhana and his companions have committed all these criminal offences. They secretly set fire to the residence, where Pandavas were expected to be sleeping, they poisoned Bhima and threw him' into water; they made an attempt on the life of Pandavas; while gambling, deceitfully they deprived Pandavas of their wealth and kingdom, and in the assembly, Duryodhana insulted Draupadi, by calling her his waiting-maid and persuaded Jayadratha to kidnap Draupadi, and he kidnapped her.
In the scriptures, it is mentioned that there is no sin in killing a desperado (Manusmrti 8/351). But, it is also mentioned in the scriptures, that non-violence is of great virtue. Therefore, why should we slay our kith and kin, out of anger and greed?
Though Duryodhana etc., being desperadoes, deserve to be killed, yet sin will accrue to us as a result of such action, because they are our kith and kin. It is mentioned in the scriptures, that one who kills his kith and kin, is a great sinner. So how can we kill them? Therefore, it is better to break off our relationship with them, rather than to kill them. In the same way, as relationship could be cut off from a son, but he cannot be slain.
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