Speaker: Arjuna
कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः ।
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥३९॥
kula-kṣaye praṇaśyanti
kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ
dharme naṣṭe kulaṁ kṛtsnam
adharmo ’bhibhavaty uta
Word for word (synonyms)
- kula-kṣaye
- in destroying the family
- praṇaśyanti
- becomes vanquished
- kula-dharmāḥ
- the family traditions
- sanātanāḥ
- eternal
- dharme
- in religion
- naṣṭe
- being destroyed
- kulam
- family
- kṛtsnam
- wholesale
- adharmaḥ
- irreligious
- abhibhavati
- transforms
- uta
- it is said
Translation
With the destruction of dynasty, the eternal family tradition is vanquished, and thus the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligious practice.
Purport
In the system of the varṇāśrama institution there are many principles of religious traditions to help members of the family grow properly and attain spiritual values. The elder members are responsible for such purifying processes in the family, beginning from birth to death. But on the death of the elder members, such family traditions of purification may stop, and the remaining younger family members may develop irreligious habits and thereby lose their chance for spiritual salvation. Therefore, for no purpose should the elder members of the family be slain.
What this verse teaches
Fourth reason – Harmful effects of destroying the family
- Gita for Life
- Family and relationships
Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures 1
- Bhagavad-gītā 1.37–39 1973-07-27
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.