Chapter 1: Arjuna's Sorrow - Verse 35,36 & 37

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Dec 18, 2000

Arjuna is reluctant to slay his own fellowmen for the sake of kingdom.

Verse 35:

"etan na hantum icchami ghnato 'pi madhusudana api trailokya-rajyasya hetoh kim nu mahi-krte "

(35)O Krishna! Though they might slay me, I will not kill them even for the sake of a kingdom extending over the three worlds, leave alone this earth!
Explanation: Arjuna addresses Lord Krishna. He tells him that he cannot slay this own cousins, though they may be ready to kill him.
Even if the reward were the three worlds he would not slay them. Arjuna feels that fighting with his own cousins in battlefield over a kingdom would be a disaster.

Verse 36:

"nihatya dhartarastran nah ka pritih syaj janardana papam evasrayed asman hatvaitan atatayinah"

(36) O Krishna! If we will kill the sons of Dhrtaratra what joy will it bring us? By killing these felons we will acrue only SIN.
Explanation: Arjuna found no reason to wage a war, though his cousins (the sons of blind Dhrtarastra) had deprived them of their rightful share of the kingdom.
Though they were felons, Arjuna felt that he would get no joy, but would only end up agumenting SINS.

Verse 37:

"tasman narha vayam hantum dhartarastran sa-bandhavan sva-janam hi katham hatva sukhinah syama madhava "

(37) Therefore, O Lord! It is not befitting on our part to kill these sons of Dhrtarastra. For if kill ours kinsmen, how can we be happy?
Explanation: Arjuna reasons that killing ones' own kinsmen could only bring unhappiness.
Such a victory would never be accompanied with joy.

Arjuna speaks out his mind to the Lord. He tries to explain his reluctance to fight his own kinsmen, though he has been wronged.

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