In Yadyapy Ete Na Pashyanti, Arjuna continues to build his powerful moral argument against the war. Having established that killing his kin would be a sin, he now introduces a crucial distinction between the two sides. In the thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth verses, which form a single thought, he begins by pointing out the corrupted mindset of his opponents in what is known as the Yadyapy Ete Na Pashyanti verse.
Sanskrit Verse
यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः ।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम् ॥ ३८ ॥Transliteration
yadyapyete na paśyanti lobhopahatacetasaḥ |
kulakṣayakṛtaṁ doṣaṁ mitradrohe ca pātakam || 38 ||Word for Word Translation
yadi api – although; ete – these; na paśyanti – do not see; lobha-upahata-cetasaḥ – their hearts being overcome by greed; kula-kṣaya – in the destruction of a family; kṛtam – done; doṣam – fault; mitra-drohe – in quarreling with friends; ca – also; pātakam – sinful reaction.
English Translation
Although these men, their hearts overcome by greed, do not see the evil of destroying their own family or the sin in quarreling with friends…
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
This poignant argument introduces a new layer to Arjuna’s reasoning. He is no longer just stating his own feelings; he is analyzing the psychological and moral state of his opponents.
- Lobhopahata-cetasaḥ: This is a powerful diagnosis. Arjuna claims the Kauravas’ hearts and minds (`chetas`) have been corrupted and seized (`upahata`) by intense greed (`lobha`). He argues that this greed has blinded them, making them incapable of seeing the truth.
- Kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣam: “The evil of destroying a family.” Arjuna identifies the specific crime. This isn’t just killing soldiers; it is `kula-kshaya`, the annihilation of a lineage, an act considered a terrible sin with catastrophic social consequences.
- Mitra-drohe ca pātakam: “And the sin of treachery to friends.” He further points out the crime of betraying friends, a severe social and moral transgression.
Arjuna’s logic here is sharp and compelling. He is effectively saying, “They are so blinded by their greed that they can’t see the obvious evil they are about to commit. But we are not blind. We can see it.” This statement forms the foundation for the question he will ask in the very next verse: If we know better, why should we act as they do?
Conclusion
Arjuna’s reasoning in this verse teaches a timeless lesson about maintaining one’s own moral compass, even when faced with an adversary who has lost theirs. He is refusing to “sink to their level.” He argues that the blindness of an opponent does not justify one’s own participation in a sinful act. It is a powerful appeal to personal responsibility and higher moral awareness.
This verse forces us to look at our own conflicts. When we feel that our opponents are acting out of greed, anger, or ignorance, how do we respond? Do we meet their energy with the same, or do we, like Arjuna, pause and question whether we should participate in a destructive cycle, even if we feel justified? Arjuna argues that seeing the sin and still committing it is a far greater tragedy, a dilemma that lies at the very heart of the human condition.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 – Verse 39 – Katham Na Jneyam Asmabhih
