Chapter 1, Verse 39 (Bhagavad Gita 1.39)
Chapter 1: Arjun Viṣhād Yog – Arjuna's Dilemma
Sanskrit Shloka
कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्। कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन
Transliteration
kathaṁ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ pāpād asmān nivartitum kula-kṣhaya-kṛitaṁ doṣhaṁ prapaśhyadbhir janārdana
Word Meanings
katham—why; na—not; jñeyam—should be known; asmābhiḥ—we; pāpāt—from sin; asmāt—these; nivartitum—to turn away; kula-kṣhaya—killing the kindered; kṛitam—done; doṣham—crime; prapaśhyadbhiḥ—who can see; janārdana—he who looks after the public, Shree Krishna
Translation
Why should we not, who clearly see the evil in the destruction of families, learn to turn away from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?
Meaning & Commentary
Arjuna acknowledges the presence of moral clarity, representing the awakening of conscience against the destructive impulses of ego and desire. It highlights the psychological struggle where one's intuitive understanding of ethical decay clashes with the social duty of the warrior.