Bhagavad Gita 1.39
कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्। कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन।।1.39।।
kathaṃ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum. kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana৷৷1.39৷৷
Word by word
- कथम्
- why / how
- न
- not
- ज्ञेयम्
- should be known / ought to be understood (gerundive, neuter, referring to 'this')
- अस्माभिः
- by us (instrumental plural of 'we')
- पापात्
- from sin
- अस्मात्
- from this
- निवर्तितुम्
- to turn away / to desist (infinitive)
- कुलक्षयकृतम्
- caused by the destruction of the family/lineage
- दोषम्
- fault / evil / wrong
- प्रपश्यद्भिः
- by those who clearly perceive/see (instrumental plural present participle)
- जनार्दन
- O Janardana (epithet of Krishna, 'agitator of men')
Commentary
Although having their consciences corrupted by avarice, they do not see the evils flowing from the extinction of a family, and the sin in treachery to friends, still, O Ganardana! should not we, who do see the evils flowing from the extinction of a family, learn to refrain from that sin?
Source: Alladi Mahadeva Sastri, The Bhagavad-Gita with the Commentary of Sri Shankaracharya (1897), public domain -- Shankara's commentary offers no independent gloss for this narrative verse; text is the literal translation.
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