📿 Shloka Collection

Katham Na Jneyam Asmabhih

Gita 1.39 Bhagavad Gita
📖 Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 1 — Arjuna Vishada Yoga
कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम् ।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन ॥
Katham na jneyam asmabhih papad asman nivartitum,
Kulakshaya-kritam dosham prapashyadbhir Janardana.
कथम्
how / why
not
ज्ञेयम्
should be known / understood
अस्माभिः
by us
पापात्
from this sin
अस्मात्
from this
निवर्तितुम्
to turn back
कुलक्षयकृतम्
caused by destruction of family
दोषम्
fault / wrong
प्रपश्यद्भिः
who see clearly
जनार्दन
O Janardana (Krishna)

Arjuna completes his thought from the previous verse. He asks Krishna: O Janardana, when we can clearly see the wrong that comes from destroying a family, why should we not have the wisdom to turn away from this sin?

His argument is straightforward. The Kauravas are blinded by greed — they cannot see what they are doing. But we, the Pandavas, can see it plainly. The destruction of the kula, the betrayal of friends, the sin that follows — all of it is visible to us. And if we can see the pit in the road, we are obligated to avoid it. Walking into it knowingly would be an even greater wrong.

There is a quiet moral confidence in Arjuna's words here. He believes that awareness of consequences creates responsibility. Committing a sin while knowing it is a sin — that, to Arjuna, is the worst kind of wrongdoing.

Verses 1.38 and 1.39 together form one complete idea. Arjuna places himself above the Kauravas in moral awareness — they are blind, but we see clearly — and argues that this clarity demands restraint.

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