Shlok – 39
Katham Na Gyeyamasmaabhih Paapaadasmaannivartitum |
Kulkshayakritam Dosham Prapashyadbhirjanaardan ||

English Translation:

But why should we not, even after knowing this, avoid performing such sinful acts, which are visible as the reasons for shortcomings from harming (killing) the kindreds?

Exegesis and Central Idea:

In the previous shloks, Arjun talked about why he would not fight and why Kauravas were fighting. Here, he mentioned that though Kauravas didn’t know but he knew that greed was wrong, that going against family and friends was wrong. And he said that, for these reasons, he didn’t find fighting the right thing to do.

However, if we give a deep thought to his reasoning, we can understand that he was wrong according to Dharm. Actually, Arjun or anyone of us should fight for the following two reasons.

Don’t Fear to Deceive Anyone to Protect Dharm

If you have to deceive your kinsmen to establish Dharm (Righteousness) and eradicate Adharm (non-righteousness), you must do that because that is your Dharm (duty).

Adharmi (Non-Righteous) Kinsmen are not Your Kindred

You do not have any duty to physically support those who are on the path of doing those things that should not be done as a human. Yes, you can try to bring them away from that path, but you can’t support them by any physical or material means until they are on that unrighteous path. You should have a similar approach even for those who physically or materially support such people.

Shlok – 40
Kulkshaye Pranashyanti Kuldharmaah Sanaatanaah |
Dharme Nashte Kulam Kritsnamadharmoabhibhavatyut ||

English Translation:

Harming (killing) kindred would lead to the loss of universal duties of the clan, and due to the miss of duty (righteousness), the [descendants of the] clan go into the possession of Adharm (non-righteousness).

Exegesis and Central Idea:

Arjun further mentioned that when decline of great clans happens, it leads to the loss of Dharm (duties), and when the traditional Dharm (duties) of the family are not performed, Adharm (wrongdoing) captures the entire clan. The actual central idea of this shlok is as follows: 

How Decline of Great Clans Leads to Loss of Dharm ?

“Decline of great Clans” means here the death of the chief and elders of the family who pass on the knowledge of Dharm (righteous duties) to the descendants. Arjun said that this decline would lead to “Loss of Dharm”, which means that the descendants of the clan would stop performing their Dharm (righteous duty) towards society. Why would that happen? Because their legitimate elders would not be there to teach them what was their duty towards society as a clan. And, when the descendants of the clan stop performing their traditional duty (duties of the clan) towards the society, they are more likely to get the clan into the darkness of Adharm (Sin).

Getting into the darkness of Adharm

“Getting into the darkness of Adharm” is not like any miracle or black magic, but actually, when the descendants stop performing their traditional righteous duties due to unawareness, they are more likely to be enslaved by the ill-people and ill-thoughts, leading to get themselves and their future generations into the Darkness of sinful activities.

A greater example of this was Karn who was the son of Kunti but did not have a clear understanding of his clan and clan-based-duties. Therefore, he got enslaved by the ill-thoughts which made him continuously think of what his right was rather than what was his responsibility towards society. This thought led him to do everything right or wrong in return for a kingdom, money, respect, etc. It also led him to do everything right and wrong to satisfy his anger and ego, which ultimately took him into a deep and dark trough of Adharm (sin). 

Shlok – 41
Adharmaabhibhavaatkrishna Pradushyanti Kulstriyah |
Streeshu Dushtaasu Vaarshneya Jaayate Varnasankarah ||

English Translation:

Oh Krishna! Upon getting in possession of Adharm (non-righteousness), women of the family get [mentally, physically, ritually, etc.] polluted. Once they are polluted, Oh Varshneya (Krishna)! It leads to Varnsankar (Ignorance or unawareness of one’s duty).

Exegesis and Central Idea:

Arjun further emphasizes on what happens to the woman once the clan or family goes into possession of Adharm (non-righteousness). He mentions that the strong hold of Adharm on the family makes women of the family polluted. He further says that they become wicked or mischievous that leads to Varnsankar. Now many people think like Arjun thought that the Varnsakar happens just because of a woman marrying or copulating with a man who belongs to a family whose varnashram is different from that of the woman’s family. It is not right. Let’s understand it point by point.

Understanding How Women Get Polluted

The first point in this shlok was that the women of the family get polluted due to Adharm. It means that once the men, who then acted as the protectors, of the family die, the men from the opposition, who are non-righteous, may enslave their women, perhaps, torturing them mentally, physically, and sexually. Thus, the women become mentally and physically impure, which means they either loose the capability to take the right decisions and do the right, or they lose the authority to take the right decision and do the right.

How Losing Any War Could Lead to Varn-Sankar

If a woman already has kids but is enslaved by non-righteous people, she is very less likely to be able to teach her children what is Dharm (one’s duties for the society and nature). It is because she would be in the possession of non-righteous people who would not allow her to teach righteousness to her children.

Another case could be that women already have kids but are tortured and enslaved by non-righteous people, then she may not remain mentally stable enough to teach her children about Dharm (one’s duties for the society and nature). This may lead to the children learning the same way of living that is followed by the non-righteous people who controlled their mother. Thus, they are more likely to do, think, and teach non-righteousness (Adharm) in future, becoming Varn Sankar products. Many followers of Babar and Aurangzeb in Indian subcontinent could be the examples of this type of Varn Sankar.

The next case of Varn Sankar happens when non-righteous people sexually assault, rape, or enslave the woman of war martyrs. After that, they, obviously, also ensure to make the kids produced by such intercourses their slave. To make them slaves, they ensure that kids do not learn anything that is different from their own Adharmik (non-righteous) thought process. Now, if kids won’t learn anything other than Adharm (non-righteousness), they would obviously become Adharmi. Most Followers of Babar and Aurangzeb in Indian subcontinent are the examples of this type of Varn Sankar.

So, in all the aforementioned and many other such cases, kids, who are the continuer of the next generation, are likely to learn to live an Adharmik (non-righteous) way of life. And if they would themselves live an Adharmik life, they would also teach the same thing to their children. Thus, the entire future generation of the clan would become the followers of Adharm. Once they are adharmik, they would exploit humanity, nature, and other living beings.

What is Varn Sankar?

After aforementioned description, a new question arises that what is varnsankar as mentioned by Arjun. Actually, varnsankar means the unawareness of your Dharm (duty) for the society and the world. And when the future-generations of a clan go into the possession of Adharm, they no longer remain the part of any Varnashram. It’s because varnashram is based on Dharm but not adharm. 

Who cannot be Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, or Shudra?

This varna-system is in place to spread and perform Dharm among the humans and other beings, without Dharm, you cannot be a part of any varn. A teacher can’t be brahman if he can’t teach others Dharm and connect them with God. A politician or a fighter or a soldier can’t be a kshatriya if he doesn’t work for the safety and growth of all innocent living beings. (Remember, those who propagate themselves to be innocents but exploit women and other living beings are not innocent humans.) A businessman who earns money by exploiting other humans and living beings and spends money to again exploit them, he can’t be a vaishya. A working professional who doesn’t work in-line with the righteous vision of the entity where he works, he can’t be a shudra. All in all, you can be the part of a varnashram only when you work with a mindset to do right for all living beings (current and future generations). 

Basic Requirement to Be a Part of Any Varna

A person of any varna can’t be biased with any physical, religious, surname-based, language-based, location-based, and any other type of identity, he just needs to judge everything and everyone based on Dharm and Adharm. Dharm (righteousness) is something which you need to stand with, Adharm (non-righteousness) is something you need to stand against. That’s it, life is simple.