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BG 1.39 — 1.39. Why should not we who clearly see evil in the destruction of families, learn to turn away from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?
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कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम् |
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन ||१-३९||

kathaṃ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum . kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana ||1-39||


1.39. Why should not we who clearly see evil in the destruction of families, learn to turn away from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?

Word-by-word meanings

1.39 कथम् why? न not? ज्ञेयम् should be learnt? अस्माभिः by us? पापात् from sin? अस्मात् this? निवर्तितुम् to turn away? कुलक्षयकृतम् in the destruction of families? दोषम् evil? प्रपश्यद्भिः clearly seeing? जनार्दन O Janardana.Commentary Ignorance of law is no excuse but wanton sinful conduct is a grave crime? unworthy of us? who are wiser.

Commentaries

Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.

Sri Shankaracharya

1.39 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.

Swami Gambirananda

1.38 1.39 O Janardana, although these people, whose hearts have become perverted by greed, do not see the evil arising from destroying the family and sin in hostility towards, friends, yet how can we who clearly see the evil arising from destroying the family remain unaware of (the need of) abstaining from this sin?

This interpretation draws on the Advaita tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

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