Bhagavad Gita -Srila Prabhupada 33

Shrimad Bhagavad Gita As It Is -Shri Shrimad A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra
Chapter 1: Verse-44

aho bata mahat päpam
kartum vyavasitä vayam
yad räjya-sukha-lobhena
hantum sva-janam udyatäh[1]

TRANSLATION

Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts. Driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness, we are intent on killing our own kinsmen.


PURPORT

Driven by selfish motives, one may be inclined to such sinful acts as the killing of one’s own brother, father or mother. There are many such instances in the history of the world. But Arjuna, being a saintly devotee of the Lord, is always conscious of moral principles and therefore takes care to avoid such activities.

Chapter 1: Verse-45

yadi mäm apratikäram
asastram sastra-pänayah
dhartarastra rane hanyus
tan me ksematarah bhavet[2]

TRANSLATION

Better for me if the sons of Dhrtarastrah, weapons in hand, were to kill me unarmed and unresisting on the battlefield.

PURPORT

It is the custom—according to ksatriya fighting principles—that an unarmed and unwilling foe should not be attacked. Arjuna, however, decided that even if attacked by the enemy in such an awkward position, he would not fight. He did not consider how much the other party was bent upon fighting. All these symptoms are due to soft-heartedness resulting from his being a great devotee of the Lord.



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References

  1. aho=alas; bata=how strange it is; mahat=great; päpam=sins; kartum=to perform; vyavasitäh=have decided; vayam=we; yat=because; räjya-sukha-lobhena=driven by greed for royal happiness; hantum=to kill;sva-janam=kinsmen; udyatäh=trying.
  2. yadi=even if; mäm=me; apratikäram=without being resistant; asastram=without being fully equipped; sastra-pänayah=those with weapons
    in hand; dhartarastrah=the sons of Dhrtarastrah; rane=on the battlefield;
    hanyuh=may kill; tat—that; me=for me; ksema-taram=better;
    bhavet—would be.

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