Verse : 39
Kathaṁ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ pāpād asmān nivartitum
Kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣaṁ prapaśyadbhiḥ Janārdana ||39||
Word-by-Word Meaning:
- Katham — Why / How
- Na jñeyam — Should we not know / Should it not be understood
- Asmābhiḥ — By us
- Pāpāt — From sin / sinful act
- Asmāt — From this
- Nivartitum — To turn away / refrain
- Kula-kṣaya-kṛtam — Caused by the destruction of the family
- Doṣam — Fault / evil
- Prapaśyadbhiḥ — Clearly seeing / who perceive
- Janārdana — O Janardana (Krishna, the sustainer and destroyer of people)
O Janardana, how should we not know to turn away from this sin, we who clearly see the evil in the destruction of the family?
Expanded Meaning:
In this verse, Arjuna turns his appeal inward, addressing Krishna directly as Janārdana — the one who sustains and guides people. He emphasizes the clarity of his own moral insight, contrasting it with the blindness of the Kauravas discussed in the previous verse.
He says: “We are not like them. We clearly see the destruction that will result from this war. So why would we proceed toward such a sinful act when we have the ability and the awareness to stop ourselves?”
Contextual and Psychological Analysis:
1. “Katham na jñeyam…” — A Rhetorical Question
- Arjuna asks: How can we not understand this?
- It’s a rhetorical question, used to assert a moral truth.
- The implication: We should and must act differently from those driven by greed.
2. “Asmābhiḥ pāpāt nivartitum” — Turning Away from Sin
- The term “nivartitum” implies not just refraining, but intentionally retreating from a harmful path.
- Arjuna acknowledges that war, in this case, equals sin due to its inevitable destruction of the family (kula).
- This indicates his internal awakening, not just emotional turmoil.
Insight: True wisdom isn’t just knowing what is right — it’s having the strength to turn away from what’s wrong even when it’s socially or politically expected.
3. “Prapaśyadbhiḥ” — We Who Clearly See
- This is the key phrase in the verse. Arjuna is not confused — he sees clearly.
- He claims the Pandavas are not blind like the Kauravas. They understand the chain of consequences of war.
- It’s a declaration of ethical awareness, almost bordering on spiritual insight.
4. “Kula-kṣaya-kṛtam doṣam” — The Destruction of Family Structure
- The destruction of kula (family, lineage, heritage) brings a cascade of adharmic consequences — which Arjuna explains more fully in the next verses.
- The fault (doṣa) is not just personal guilt — it’s societal, cultural, and karmic in nature.
Philosophical Insights:
1. Awareness Creates Responsibility
- Once you see a sin or an evil clearly, your moral responsibility increases.
- This verse reflects the Gita’s deeper teaching: Knowledge is not merely intellectual; it is actionable. To see clearly but act wrongly is the greatest fall.
2. Wisdom vs Ignorance
- Arjuna distinguishes between:
- The ignorant (Kauravas), who act from lobha (greed), and
- The awakened (Pandavas), who recognize dharma.
- In doing so, he positions the duty to withdraw as a higher choice — not cowardice.
3. Karma Yoga Begins with Moral Clarity
- Though Arjuna is in conflict, this moment reflects the germ of Karma Yoga — the path of right action with inner clarity.
- He is contemplating conscious inaction, a valid yogic principle when action would violate dharma.
Spiritual Symbolism:
| Element | Represents |
|---|---|
| Arjuna | The introspective soul, reflecting on ethics |
| Janārdana (Krishna) | The inner Divine guide / cosmic intelligence |
| Kula-kṣaya | Breakdown of inner values and moral foundation |
| Nivartitum | The yogic withdrawal from unrighteous action |
| Prapaśyadbhiḥ | The awakened inner vision that sees beyond surface reality |
Reflection Questions:
Have you ever had a moment where you clearly saw a situation as wrong — but felt pressure to go along with it anyway?
What gives you the strength to turn away from a harmful path, even when everyone else is following it.
Do you believe that awareness alone is enough to ensure right action? If not, what more is needed?
In life’s moral dilemmas, do you pause and reflect, or act from habit and impulse?
Conclusion:
This verse is Arjuna’s moral awakening. He recognizes that action without reflection is dangerous, and that clarity of vision demands ethical responsibility. Even though war may be justified on political or tactical grounds, he challenges it from the standpoint of dharma.
By addressing Krishna as Janārdana, Arjuna seeks validation from the Divine that turning away from sin is not weakness — it is wisdom.
This marks a profound shift from outer battle to inner clarity, setting the stage for Krishna’s spiritual teachings in later chapters.