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Authors: Bibek Debroy
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And in sadness, uttered the following words. ‘O Krishna! Having seen
these relatives here, assembled with a desire to fight, my body is going numb and my
mouth is going dry. My body is quivering and my body hair is standing up. My skin is
burning and the Gandiva is slipping from my hands. O Keshava! I cannot stand and my
mind is in a whirl. The omens that I see are ill ones. I don’t see any
good that can come from killing one’s relatives in a war. O Krishna! I
don’t want victory. Nor do I want the kingdom or happiness. O Govinda!
What will we do with the kingdom or with pleasures or with life itself? Those for
whose sake we want the kingdom and pleasures and happiness, they are gathered here
in war, ready to give up their lives and their riches—preceptors, fathers,
sons and grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law
and other relatives. O Madhusudana! I don’t want to kill them, even if
they kill me. Forget this earth, even for the kingdoms of the three worlds. O
Janardana! What pleasure will we derive from killing the sons of Dhritarashtra?
Although they are assassins, 94 sin alone will be our lot if we kill them. Therefore, we cannot kill the sons
of Dhritarashtra, with their friends. O Madhava! How can we be happy after killing
our relatives? Although their minds are befuddled with greed and they do not see the
sin that comes from opposing friends or from destroying the family line. O
Janardana! We can see the sin that comes from destroying the family line. Why should
we not have theknowledge to refrain from committing this sin?
When the lineage is destroyed, the traditional family dharma is also destroyed. When
dharma is destroyed, evil overwhelms the entire lineage. O Krishna! When evil
arises, the women of the family become corrupted. O descendant of the Vrishnis! When
the women are corrupted, hybrid castes are born. 95 Hybrid castes ensure that the lineage, and those who destroyed the lineage,
both go to hell. Because their ancestors fall 96 and are deprived of offerings of funereal cakes and drink. From those sins of
those who destroy the lineage and from hybrid castes being generated, the ancient
dharma of the castes and the dharma of the family are both destroyed. O Janardana!
If the family dharma is destroyed, those men are doomed to spend an eternity in
hell. So we have heard. Alas! Because of our greed for the kingdom and for
happiness, we have got ready to kill our relatives. We are certain to commit a great
sin. With me unarmed and unresisting, if the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in
their hands, kill me in battle, that will be better for me.’ Saying this,
in that battlefield, Arjuna sat down in his chariot. He threw away his bow and
arrows, his mind overwhelmed with grief.”’
Chapter 884(24)
‘Sanjaya said,
“Seeing him 97 thus overcome with pity, 98 his eyes filled with tears and struck thus with grief, Madhusudana spoke the
following words.
‘“The lord said,
‘O Arjuna! From where, when we have this emergency, has this kind of
weakness overcome you? This does not lead to heaven or fame, and characterizes those
who are not aryas. O Partha! Give up this weakness, this is not deserving of you. O
one who scorches the foes! Give up this petty weakness of heart.’
‘“Arjuna said,
‘O Madhusudana! How will I use arrows to fight in this war against Bhishma
and Drona? O slayer of enemies! They are deserving of worship. In this world, it is
better to beg for alms than to kill one’s respected preceptors. If I kill
my elders, the wealth and other objects of desire that I enjoy, will be drenched in
their blood. I don’t know which is better for us, they defeat us or we
defeat them. The sons of Dhritarashtra are in front of me. Those are the people we
don’t want to kill in order to live. My normal nature has been overtaken
by a sense of helplessness. 99
these relatives here, assembled with a desire to fight, my body is going numb and my
mouth is going dry. My body is quivering and my body hair is standing up. My skin is
burning and the Gandiva is slipping from my hands. O Keshava! I cannot stand and my
mind is in a whirl. The omens that I see are ill ones. I don’t see any
good that can come from killing one’s relatives in a war. O Krishna! I
don’t want victory. Nor do I want the kingdom or happiness. O Govinda!
What will we do with the kingdom or with pleasures or with life itself? Those for
whose sake we want the kingdom and pleasures and happiness, they are gathered here
in war, ready to give up their lives and their riches—preceptors, fathers,
sons and grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law
and other relatives. O Madhusudana! I don’t want to kill them, even if
they kill me. Forget this earth, even for the kingdoms of the three worlds. O
Janardana! What pleasure will we derive from killing the sons of Dhritarashtra?
Although they are assassins, 94 sin alone will be our lot if we kill them. Therefore, we cannot kill the sons
of Dhritarashtra, with their friends. O Madhava! How can we be happy after killing
our relatives? Although their minds are befuddled with greed and they do not see the
sin that comes from opposing friends or from destroying the family line. O
Janardana! We can see the sin that comes from destroying the family line. Why should
we not have theknowledge to refrain from committing this sin?
When the lineage is destroyed, the traditional family dharma is also destroyed. When
dharma is destroyed, evil overwhelms the entire lineage. O Krishna! When evil
arises, the women of the family become corrupted. O descendant of the Vrishnis! When
the women are corrupted, hybrid castes are born. 95 Hybrid castes ensure that the lineage, and those who destroyed the lineage,
both go to hell. Because their ancestors fall 96 and are deprived of offerings of funereal cakes and drink. From those sins of
those who destroy the lineage and from hybrid castes being generated, the ancient
dharma of the castes and the dharma of the family are both destroyed. O Janardana!
If the family dharma is destroyed, those men are doomed to spend an eternity in
hell. So we have heard. Alas! Because of our greed for the kingdom and for
happiness, we have got ready to kill our relatives. We are certain to commit a great
sin. With me unarmed and unresisting, if the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in
their hands, kill me in battle, that will be better for me.’ Saying this,
in that battlefield, Arjuna sat down in his chariot. He threw away his bow and
arrows, his mind overwhelmed with grief.”’
Chapter 884(24)
‘Sanjaya said,
“Seeing him 97 thus overcome with pity, 98 his eyes filled with tears and struck thus with grief, Madhusudana spoke the
following words.
‘“The lord said,
‘O Arjuna! From where, when we have this emergency, has this kind of
weakness overcome you? This does not lead to heaven or fame, and characterizes those
who are not aryas. O Partha! Give up this weakness, this is not deserving of you. O
one who scorches the foes! Give up this petty weakness of heart.’
‘“Arjuna said,
‘O Madhusudana! How will I use arrows to fight in this war against Bhishma
and Drona? O slayer of enemies! They are deserving of worship. In this world, it is
better to beg for alms than to kill one’s respected preceptors. If I kill
my elders, the wealth and other objects of desire that I enjoy, will be drenched in
their blood. I don’t know which is better for us, they defeat us or we
defeat them. The sons of Dhritarashtra are in front of me. Those are the people we
don’t want to kill in order to live. My normal nature has been overtaken
by a sense of helplessness. 99
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