Summary:

Chapter 1, Verses 35: Arjuna expresses his unwillingness to fight and kill his relatives, even if they try to kill him. He states that he doesn't desire to fight for the sake of winning the kingdom, even if it means gaining sovereignty over the three worlds (heaven, earth, and the lower worlds). Arjuna's stance is that the loss of loved ones is not worth the potential gains of war, regardless of the consequences of walking away from the battlefield.

Chapter 1, Verses 36: Arjuna questions the satisfaction that would come from destroying the sons of Dhritarashtra (Kauravas). He believes that killing these wrongdoers would only bring sin upon them (the Pandavas). Here, Arjuna introduces the concept of papa (sin or demerit) and its counterpart, punya (merit). He explains that any action performed has two kinds of results: seen (drsta phalam) and unseen (adrsta phalam). The immediate results are apparent, but the unseen results manifest later in life or future lives. Arjuna is concerned about the negative unseen consequences (papa) that would result from causing destruction and suffering.

Chapter 1, Verses 37: Arjuna further justifies his position, stating that if both the seen and unseen results of fighting will be unfavorable, there is no reason to engage in war. He believes that killing one's own relatives (Kauravas) would only lead to future suffering and unhappiness. Arjuna's concern is not merely about being kind to his cousins but about the personal consequences of committing actions that go against his values. He emphasizes that doing the right thing should be motivated by one's own well-being, not just as a favor to others.

Chapter 1, Verses 38-39: These verses highlight Arjuna's exalted thinking and his refusal to conform to the misguided actions of others. Even though the Kauravas, whose minds are overpowered by greed, fail to see the faults in destroying family and betraying friends, Arjuna chooses to act according to his own wisdom and values. He questions why the Pandavas, who understand the sinful consequences of destroying family, should not withdraw from such actions. Arjuna's stance is that one should guide their decisions based on what they believe is right, rather than succumbing to societal norms or the behavior of others. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining one's ethical standards, regardless of what others are doing.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 1, Verse 35

एतान् न हन्तुम् इच्छामि घ्नतः अपि मधुसूदन । अपि त्रैलोक्य-राज्यस्य हेतोः किम् नु महीकृते ॥
etān na hantum icchāmi ghnataḥ api madhusūdana । api trailokya-rājyasya hetoḥ kim nu mahīkṛte ॥
Oh Krishna! Even for the sake of three worlds (svarga [heaven], prithvi [earth] and patala [lower worlds]) — I do not desire to kill these people, even if they kill (me). Why indeed (should I fight) for the sake of a kingdom?

• Arjuna says, “I understand that if I walk out, Duryodhana will kill me and my family. Because he perceives me as present and future threat. I won’t fight even if Duryodhana tries to kill me in my walking out”.
• Arjuna says 3 things are possible in this situation:
  1. Win the kingdom of Hastinapur. But I’m not interested in winning it.
  2. I let myself be killed. Then I still don’t want to kill them.
  3. I’ll get kingship of Heaven and Earth.
• Despite these 3 possibilities, “I still don’t want to fight; what is use without the loved ones to share with”.
• NEXT VERSE: Arjuna explains further why he doesn’t want to fight, per his analysis…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 1, Verse 36

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान् नः का प्रीतिः स्यात् जनार्दन । पापम् एव आश्रयेत् अस्मान् हत्वा एतान् आततायिनः ॥
nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrān naḥ kā prītiḥ syāt janārdana । pāpam eva āśrayet asmān hatvā etān ātatāyinaḥ ॥
Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa)! What kind of satisfaction would be there for us by destroying these sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra? Sin alone would come to us by destroying these wrongdoers.

• Arjuna introduces word “pāpa”. This is big idea in Vedic culture…
• What is papa/punya? Any action you perform has 2 kinds of results. Seen (drsta phalam) and unseen result (adrsta phalam).
  • EG: If do something good, you’ll get immediate result (feeling good). But in addition to immediate feedback, some positive results come some time later.
    • EG: Person is giving free ride to old lady. One day, it’s raining and no taxi wants to pick you up as your destination address it too near. A random taxi man spots you and decides to give you a ride. You want to pay him. He denies, explaining he wanted to help. Then you remember your situation of giving the old lady transportation, once upon a time.
    • EG 2: Some asks you to borrow money for their education. You give and refuse to be paid back. Some years later, you’re at airport, needing to get ticket, and your credit card is denied. You panic. A stranger overhears the situation, gives the money and walks away.
  • So Arjuna says, if I destroy these people, I’ll get papa, causing so much destruction, and I can’t be free from the consequences. It’ll lead to my future suffering.
• NEXT VERSE: Arjuna further justifies, if both seen and unseen results will be unfavorable, why should I fight…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 1, Verse 37

तस्मात् न अर्हाः वयम् हन्तुम् धार्तराष्ट्रान् स्वबान्धवान् । स्वजनम् हि कथम् हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव ॥
tasmāt na arhāḥ vayam hantum dhārtarāṣṭrān svabāndhavān । svajanam hi katham hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava ॥
Therefore, we should not kill our own relatives, the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Destroying our own people, how would we be
happy?

• Arjuna says, “Knowing my actions can only cause papa, I don’t see any real future happiness.”
• Why doesn’t Arjuna want to fight?
  • Is it because he wants to be kind to his cousins? No.  Else that would be fake empathy. Arjuna doesn't want to fight because he is concerned about the future Arjuna who will pay a huge price for having decimated so many people; having accrued so much papa from the killing.
  • An unwise Arjuna would think “I'm doing the right thing of not hurting others, because I'm being kind to others”. The wise Arjuna thinks, “I'm doing the right thing of not hurting others, not because I'm being kind to them, but ultimately I will pay a huge price of guilt and shame”.
  • Otherwise if you think you’re doing the right thing (such as not walking away from a conversation you take no real interest), while inside you feel you’re losing out — this will create an conflict in you such as resentment. In other words, when you do the right thing, don’t think you’re doing others a favor. You’re doing it for yourself.
• The Right and the Wrong way of Approaching life:
  1. I'm doing the right thing (but not for the right reason).
     • EG: The scriptures say I need to be compassionate, I need to be kind.
  2. I'm doing the right thing (for the right reason).
     • EG:
       • “If I do something that’s inappropriate, I will suffer. For that reason alone, I choose to do the right thing”
       • Desiring enlightenment not because the scriptures say it's good for me, or because I'll be as popular as Buddha — but I'm pursuing enlightenment because I've come to see nothing works to rid of my sense of inadequacy.
• NEXT VERSE: Exalted thinking of Arjuna is shown…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 1, Verse 38-39

यदि अपि एते न पश्यन्ति लोभ-उपहत-चेतसः । कुल-क्षय-कृतम् दोषम् मित्र-द्रोहे च पातकम् ॥ १-३८॥
yadi api ete na paśyanti lobha-upahata-cetasaḥ । kula-kṣaya-kṛtam doṣam mitra-drohe ca pātakam ॥ 1-38॥
कथम् न ज्ञेयम् अस्माभिः पापात् अस्मान् निवर्तितुम् । कुल-क्षय-कृतम् दोषम् प्रपश्यद्भिः जनार्दन ॥ १-३९॥
katham na jñeyam asmābhiḥ pāpāt asmān nivartitum । kula-kṣaya-kṛtam doṣam prapaśyadbhiḥ janārdana ॥ 1-39॥
Although these people (Kauravas), whose minds are overpowered by greed, do not see the defect in the destruction of (one’s) family and the sins of betraying one’s friends — how come it is not considered by us (Pandavas), who know that sin is born of the destruction of the family, to withdraw from this sin?

• Lot of decisions get made based on what others are doing. EG: Gossips about colleagues as everyone else is doing it. Then one justifies, “Everyone is like this, and I have to be like this also to survive”. So choices are guided not what you want, but what others are doing, and then conform to society norms; discarding ethics.
  • Arjuna doesn’t fall for this trend, stating, “Duryodhana is driven by his greed for power/kingdom. But I don’t have to think like him. I can live based on my values and what I believe in!”.
  • Arjuna doesn’t succumb to, “Duryodhana doesn’t care for us, so why should I care for them!”.
• SUMMARY: Either guide your decisions (a) based on what people approve or will fit you in norms of society, or (b) what you feel is right thing to do. IE: Others are what they are. I am what I am!
• NEXT VERSE: Arjuna thinks about the big picture, what consequences war will have…

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Course was based on Neema Majmudar's Bhagavad Gita & Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya) home study course.

Recorded 16 June, 2024