Chapter 1, Verse 44 (Bhagavad Gita 1.44)
Chapter 1: Arjun Viṣhād Yog – Arjuna's Dilemma
Sanskrit Shloka
उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन। नरकेऽनियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम
Transliteration
utsanna-kula-dharmāṇāṁ manuṣhyāṇāṁ janārdana narake ‘niyataṁ vāso bhavatītyanuśhuśhruma
Word Meanings
utsanna—destroyed; kula-dharmāṇām—whose family traditions; manuṣhyāṇām—of such human beings; janārdana—he who looks after the public, Shree Krishna; narake—in hell; aniyatam—indefinite; vāsaḥ—dwell; bhavati—is; iti—thus; anuśhuśhruma—I have heard from the learned
Translation
We have heard, O Janardana, that those men in whose families the religious practices have been destroyed are inevitably destined to dwell in hell for an unknown period.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse reflects the existential anxiety of losing one's moral and cultural anchor, illustrating how the erosion of tradition creates a psychological burden of fear and perceived karmic consequence. It reveals the fragility of human identity when stripped of the societal structures that provide a sense of righteous order.