In the previous section, Arjuna presented two reasons for not fighting so far: (1) he is feeling bodily compassion toward his kith and kin, and (2) he is unable to foresee any good in killing his own people. In this section, Arjuna puts forward two more reasonable and thoughtful arguments resulting in his wish to quit from battle.
Sin (pāpam) indeed (eva) will shelter (āśrayed) Arjuna (asmān) by killing (hatva) these (etān) aggressors (ātatāyinaḥ). Therefore (tasmān), they (vayaṁ) should not (nārhā) kill (hantuṁ) the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (dhārtarāṣṭrān) along with their friends (sa-bāndhavān). How (kathaṁ) can Arjuna indeed (hi) be happy (sukhinaḥ syāma) by killing (hatvā) his own people (sva-janaṁ)? (BG 1.36) Even if (yady apy) they [the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra] (ete) do not (na) see (paśyanti) fault (doṣaṁ) in destroying a dynasty (kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ) and (ca) sin (pātakam) in harming friends (mitra-drohe) with their good sense stolen away by greed (lobhopahata-cetasaḥ), how (kathaṁ) could this be not known (na jñeyam) to Arjuna (asmābhiḥ)? How can the sin (pāpād ) associated with the fault (doṣaṁ) of destroying a dynasty (kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ) be given up (nivartitum) by Arjuna and others (asmān) who can foresee the outcome (prapaśyadbhir)? (BG 1.37-38)
When a dynasty is destroyed (kula-kṣaye praṇaśyanti), so are the eternal (sanātanāḥ) family values (kula-dharmāḥ). With the destruction (naṣṭe) of traditional values (dharme), it is said (uta), unrighteousness (adharmo) rules (’bhibhavaty) the entire family (kulaṁ kṛtsnam). (BG 1.39)
The two prominent reasons that emerge out of this section building up toward Arjuna’s conflicting heart are: (1) Sinful reactions will haunt Arjuna if he destroys his own dynasty. (2) Destruction of a dynasty would lead to the destruction of well-preserved traditional values (kula-dharmāḥ).
