Bhagavad Gita, The Song of God - 40 & 41 : Swami Mukundananda.

================================================================

Sunday, 24 Sep 2023. 07:20.

Chapter -1. Arjuna Vishada Yogam: 40 & 41.

===============================================================

Slogam-40.

"kula-kshaye pranashyanti kula-dharmah sanatanah

dharme nashte kulam kritsnam adharmo ’bhibhavaty uta."

================================================================

kula-kshaye—in the destruction of a dynasty; 

pranashyanti—are vanquished; 

kula-dharmah—family traditions; 

sanatanah—eternal; 

dharme—Dharmam; 

nashte—is destroyed; 

kulam—family; 

kritsnam—the whole; 

adharma—Adharmam (opposite of Dharmam); 

abhibhavati—overcome; 

uta—indeed

================================================================

Translation"

BG 1.40: 

When a dynasty is destroyed, its traditions get vanquished, and the rest of the family becomes involved in Adharmam..

================================================================

Commentary:

The elder members of the family bear age-old traditions, customs, ideals and noble values of a community, which they pass on to their next generations. These traditions help nurture moral values in families and build religious propriety in a society. If the elders die early, their valuable knowledge goes with them and in the absence of proper guidance, the next generation sways away from the virtuous path. Therefore, Arjun was of the opinion that the elders of a family should be spared.   

================================================================

Slokam-41.

adharmabhibhavat krishna pradushyanti kula-striyah

strishu dushtasu varshneya jayate varna-sankarah.

================================================================

adharma—Adharmam (opposite of Dharmam); 

abhibhavat—preponderance; 

krishna—Shree Krishna; 

pradushyanti—become immoral; 

kula-striyah—women of the family; 

strishu—of women; 

dushtasu—immorality; 

varshneya—descendant of Vrishni; jayate—are born; 

varna-sankarah—unwanted progeny

===============================================================

Translation:

BG 1.41: 

With the preponderance of vice, O Krishna, the women of the family become immoral; and from the immorality of women, O descendent of Vrishni, unwanted progeny are born.

================================================================

Commentary:

Women occupied a very high status in Vedic society. For families to be religious, and societies to be moral, it is necessary that their women be virtuous.  According to the Manu Smrities “Societies where women are worshiped, for they are chaste and virtuous, the celestial gods are joyous.”

Arjun became concerned and started comprehending, “What would happen to the society in the absence of guidance and protection of elders? The women of the family may get misled.” Therefore, Arjun said to Shree Krishna that if the women of the family turn towards immorality, and commit adultery, they would bear illegitimate children. This would not only destroy peace and happiness of the future generations but also deprive the ancestors of their Vedic rites. Family traditions will be abandoned and the welfare of society will be at stake.

*****

To be continued

===============================================================