Having established his moral refusal to fight, Arjuna now begins to explain the dire consequences that fuel his decision. The fortieth verse, known as the Kula Kshaye Pranashyanti verse, is the first step in his detailed and devastating sociological analysis. He is no longer just speaking of his own sorrow; he is predicting the complete collapse of the social and spiritual fabric of their society.
Sanskrit Verse
कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः ।
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥ ४० ॥Transliteration
kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ |
dharme naṣṭe kulaṁ kṛtsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta || 40 ||Word for Word Translation
kula-kṣaye – with the destruction of the family; praṇaśyanti – are lost; kula-dharmāḥ – the family traditions; sanātanāḥ – eternal; dharme naṣṭe – with the destruction of tradition; kulam kṛtsnam – the entire family; adharmaḥ – irreligion; abhibhavati – overcomes; uta – indeed.
English Translation
With the destruction of the dynasty, the eternal family traditions are lost, and with the destruction of tradition, irreligion overcomes the entire family.
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
This powerful statement marks a shift in Arjuna’s argument from the heart to the head. He lays out the first two steps in a catastrophic chain reaction.
- Kula-kṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ: “With the destruction of the family, the eternal family traditions are lost.” Here, Arjuna is talking about `kula-dharma`, the specific duties and rituals that hold a family together and connect them to their ancestors. These traditions, which he calls `sanātanāḥ` (eternal and time-honored), are the glue of society. They are passed down from the elders. When the elders are killed in a war, the living link to these traditions is severed, and they are lost forever.
- Dharme naṣṭe… adharmo’bhibhavati: “When tradition is lost… irreligion overcomes.” Arjuna argues that these family traditions are the foundation of Dharma in society. Without these guiding principles, a vacuum is created. Into that vacuum, `adharma`—lawlessness, chaos, and immorality—rushes in and takes over the entire family.
Arjuna’s fear is not just about the death of his relatives; it’s about the death of the culture itself. He foresees that the war will not only kill the men on the battlefield but will also destroy the very moral and spiritual foundation of their civilization for generations to come. He is acting as a protector of the entire social order.
Conclusion
Arjuna’s reasoning here offers a profound insight into the traditional worldview, which sees the family as the bedrock of society. The health of the `kula` (family unit) is directly linked to the health of the entire civilization. This verse teaches that the consequences of great conflicts are never limited to the battlefield; they ripple outwards, causing cultural and spiritual decay that can last for generations.
This ancient argument is deeply relevant today. It asks us to consider the long-term consequences of our actions. When societal structures and family traditions break down, what takes their place? Arjuna’s fear is that the result is chaos and a loss of moral direction. He sees this war not as a righteous act, but as an act of cultural suicide, a perspective that stems from his deep-seated understanding of Sanatana Dharma as a living, inherited tradition.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 – Verse 41 – Adharmabhibhavat Krishna
