Book Title: World of Philosophy
Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan
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series of arguments as to why he should not fight the battle & withdraw from it, altogether. He says;
न च शेयः अनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनम् - आह्वे । 1/31)
"I do not see any good in killing my own people in the opposite Army!). But if they were not his 'own people'? If only Duryodhana, along with few of his likeminded brothers, was there in enemy lines? Then Arjuna would have been most satisfied to kill them, as he saw Duryodhana as his greatest enemy! He did destroy his enemies in many battles previously. But at the moment if Arjuna wishes to fight and kill his enemy he also has to kill the adorable relatives & dear friends. Which way to go? He does not know.
पापम् एव आश्येत-अस्मान् - हृत्वा-एतान्-आततायिनः । (1/36) यद्यपि - एते न पश्यन्ति लोभ-उपहत चेतसः।
कुल क्षय कृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम ॥(1/38) He says further that if he killed those felons (standing in the opposite Army), there will be destruction of family and that is a 'sin'. He explains that those people in the opposite army, do not see the evil in destruction of family & friends, Pandavas were wiser and hence they should withdraw from the battle & stop the 'sin'. He goes on why it was important to avoid commissioning of the said 'sin';
कुल क्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः ।(1/39) अधर्म-अभिभवात कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः । स्त्रीषु दुष्टाषु वाष्णय जायते वर्णसंकरः ॥ (1/40) पतन्ति पितरो हि-एषाम् लुप्त-पिण्ड-उदक-क्रियाः ॥(1/41) उत्सन्न कुल-धर्माणाम् मनुष्याणाम् जनार्दन ।
नरके नियतं वासो भवति-इति-अनुशुशुम (1/43) "Destruction of family leads to destruction of long established familytraditions & duties (Kul-dharma). That causes (moral) corruption of the woman of the family, leading to intermingling of castes and birth of illegitimate children. Such children stop oblations to the fore-fathers & they fall in disgrace. All people in such family live in hell." Arjuna appears to say that he does not want to be held responsible for such further disgrace to family hence he would not like to fight the battle. There is quite a truth in what Arjuna is hinted at. The women & the younger ones suffered immeasurable miseries as a result of any major war that has taken place any where any time.
यदि माम् - अप्रतिकारम् - अशश्त्रम् शश्त्र पाणयः । धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युः तत्-मे क्षेम-तरम् भवेत्।। (1/45)
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