Chapter 1 • Verse 36

Arjuna Vishada Yoga

The Yoga of Arjuna's Dejection

Sanskrit Verse

nihatya dhartarashtranna ka pritih syaj janardana, papam evashrayet asman hatvaitan atatayinah

Translation & Meaning

Arjuna asks what pleasure there could be in killing the sons of Dhritarashtra, saying that sin would only overcome them by slaying these aggressors. He frames killing even aggressors as sinful — a position that conflates personal attachment with ethical reasoning and requires Krishna's correction.

Key Teachings

  • •Righteous action against clear aggressors is not the same as sinful violence
  • •Personal grief can masquerade as ethical reasoning
  • •Understanding the difference between dharmic justice and personal vengeance is essential

Topics

ethicsmoral dilemmaconfusiongriefduty
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