TEXT 36
papam evasrayed asman
hatvaitan atatayinah
tasman narha vayam hantum
dhartarastran sa-bandhavan
sva-janam hi katham hatva
sukhinah syama madhava
hatvaitan atatayinah
tasman narha vayam hantum
dhartarastran sa-bandhavan
sva-janam hi katham hatva
sukhinah syama madhava
SYNONYMS
papam--vices; eva--certainly; asrayet--must take upon; asman--us;hatva--by killing; etan--all these; atatayinah--aggressors; tasmat--therefore; na--never; arhah--deserving; vayam--we; hantum--to kill;dhartarastran--the
sons of Dhrtarastra; sa-bandhavan--along with friends; sva-janam--kinsmen; hi--certainly; katham--how; hatva--by killing; sukhinah--happy; syama--become; madhava--O Krsna, husband of the
goddess of fortune.
TRANSLATION
Sin will overcome us if we slay
such aggressors. Therefore it is not proper for us to kill the sons of
Dhrtarastra and our friends. What should we gain, O Krsna, husband of the
goddess of fortune, and how could we be happy by killing our own kinsmen?
PURPORT
According
to Vedic injunctions there are six kinds of aggressors: 1) a poison giver, 2)
one who sets fire to the house, 3) one who attacks with deadly weapons, 4) one
who plunders riches, 5) one who occupies another's land, and 6) one who kidnaps
a wife. Such aggressors are at once to be killed, and no sin is incurred by
killing such aggressors. Such killing of aggressors is quite befitting for any
ordinary man, but Arjuna was not an ordinary person. He was saintly by
character, and therefore he wanted to deal with them in saintliness. This kind
of saintliness, however, is not for a ksatriya. Although
a responsible man in the administration of a state is required to be saintly,
he should not be cowardly. For example, Lord Rama was so saintly that people
were anxious to live in His kingdom (Rama-rajya), but Lord Rama never
showed any cowardice. Ravana was an aggressor against Rama because he kidnapped
Rama's wife, Sita, but Lord Rama gave him sufficient lessons, unparalleled in
the history of the world. In Arjuna's case, however, one should consider the
special type of aggressors, namely his own grandfather, own teacher, friends,
sons, grandsons, etc. Because of them, Arjuna thought that he should not take
the severe steps necessary against ordinary aggressors. Besides that, saintly
persons are advised to forgive. Such injunctions for saintly persons are more
important than any political emergency. Arjuna considered that rather than kill
his own kinsmen for political reasons, it would be better to forgive them on
grounds of religion and saintly behavior. He did not, therefore, consider such
killing profitable simply for the matter of temporary bodily happiness. After
all, kingdoms and pleasures derived therefrom are not permanent, so why should
he risk his life and eternal salvation by killing his own kinsmen? Arjuna's
addressing of Krsna as "Madhava," or the husband of the goddess of
fortune, is also significant in this connection. He wanted to point out to
Krsna that, as husband of the goddess of fortune, He should not have to induce
Arjuna to take up a matter which would ultimately bring about misfortune.
Krsna, however, never brings misfortune to anyone, to say nothing of His
devotees.
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