Verse : 43
Doṣair etaiḥ kulajānāṁ varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ
Utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāś ca śāśvatāḥ ||43||
Word-by-Word Meaning:
- Doṣaiḥ — By these faults / consequences
- Etaiḥ — These (previously mentioned)
- Kula-jānām — Of the family-born (descendants)
- Varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ — Causing confusion of social order / intermixture of varṇas
- Utsādyante — Are destroyed / perish
- Jāti-dharmāḥ — Community-specific duties / traditional obligations of castes
- Kula-dharmāḥ — Sacred family duties / family values
- Ca — And
- Śāśvatāḥ — Eternal / time-honored / lasting
Due to these faults arising from the corruption of family traditions and the mixing of castes (varṇa-saṅkara), the eternal duties of both community (jāti-dharma) and family (kula-dharma) are destroyed.
Expanded Meaning:
Arjuna, still overcome with moral conflict, continues to highlight the dangerous chain reaction that begins with war and ends in societal collapse. He identifies two key casualties of such conflict:
- Jāti-dharma — Duties and responsibilities specific to one’s community or social role.
- Kula-dharma — Moral, spiritual, and ritualistic responsibilities passed down through families.
These are not just social constructs to Arjuna — they are śāśvatāḥ (eternal), sacred pillars that hold civilization together.
Contextual Analysis:
1. “Doṣaiḥ Etaiḥ” — By These Evils
- Refers back to previously listed issues: war, death of men, destruction of families, corruption of women, and the rise of varṇa-saṅkara.
- Arjuna sees these as not just unfortunate byproducts but actual sins (doṣa) that trigger societal disintegration.
2. “Varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ” — Mixed Social Orders
- “Varṇa-saṅkara” represents spiritual and ethical confusion — not just inter-caste birth but the loss of clarity in personal dharma.
- The idea is not about birth-based superiority but the breakdown of roles and responsibilities in a well-structured society.
3. “Utsādyante” — Are Ruined
- A strong word meaning wiped out, uprooted, or destroyed.
- Arjuna is lamenting the permanent loss of traditions that anchor both identity and purpose.
4. “Jāti-dharmāḥ & Kula-dharmāḥ” — Twin Foundations of Dharma
- Jāti-dharma: Collective roles — duties of a warrior, teacher, merchant, etc.
- Kula-dharma: Personal and familial rites — ancestor worship, samskāras (life rituals), moral upbringing.
- When these collapse, not only individuals suffer, but the entire moral ecosystem dies.
Philosophical Interpretation:
1. Dharma Is Contextual but Eternal
- Arjuna’s concern is that the eternal order (ṛta) expressed through personal and collective dharmas will be irreparably broken by war.
- While roles evolve with time, the responsibility to preserve ethical continuity remains eternal.
2. The Idea of Collapse Through Disconnection
- Without dharma, life becomes directionless and disintegrated.
- A child with no cultural roots or role models is like a ship without a compass.
3. Symbolic Reading:
- Varṇa-saṅkara = Confusion of identity and purpose
- Jāti-dharma = Social contribution and skill-based service
- Kula-dharma = Moral upbringing, devotion, tradition
- Utsādyante = When selfish actions (like war for power) are pursued, these higher callings dissolve
Spiritual Symbolism:
| Symbol | Deeper Meaning |
|---|---|
| Doṣa (faults) | Karmic consequences of ego-driven choices |
| Varṇa-saṅkara | Confusion of dharma, loss of inner clarity and discipline |
| Jāti-dharma | Our service-based identity and outer role in the world |
| Kula-dharma | Our inner ethics, love, culture, and ancestral link |
| Śāśvatāḥ | Eternal values that go beyond time and history |
Modern-Day Relevance:
- Today, the verse warns us against cultural erosion, identity confusion, and the loss of meaningful family values.
- The “destruction of kula-dharma” can be seen when elders are not respected, rituals are abandoned, or education lacks ethical grounding.
- The result? Mental confusion, spiritual alienation, and societal unrest — all rooted in disconnection from dharma.
Reflection Questions:
What family traditions or values have you inherited? Are you honoring them or letting them fade?
In your own life, are your roles (jati-dharma) and values (kula-dharma) aligned?
What happens to a society that abandons its shared sense of right and duty?
Are we promoting clarity or creating confusion (varṇa-saṅkara) through our choices and teachings?
Conclusion:
This verse is not merely a sociological warning — it is a call to preserve the sanctity of dharma in both our public and private lives. Arjuna is trying to convince Krishna that the war he’s being asked to fight will unravel the sacred threads that weave together culture, identity, and soul purpose.
Ultimately, this reflects a universal truth: When selfishness replaces duty and confusion replaces clarity, not just individuals, but entire civilizations fall.