Chapter 1 Shloka 36

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्न: का प्रीति: स्याज्जनार्दन।

पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिन: ।।३६।।

Arjuna now says to Lord Krishna:

O Janardhana! What joy can be obtained

by killing Dhritrashtra’s sons?

We will incur sin

if we kill these marauders.

Chapter 1 Shloka 36

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्न: का प्रीति: स्याज्जनार्दन।

पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिन: ।।३६।।

Arjuna now says to Lord Krishna:

O Janardhana! What joy can be obtained by killing Dhritrashtra’s sons? We will incur sin if we kill these marauders.

Arjuna refers to Krishna here as ‘Janardhana’. ‘Ardhana’ stands for one who inflicts pain, punishes, troubles, or bestows the fruit of sinful deeds; the destroyer of sin.

Thus Arjuna is calling the Lord a destroyer of sin, the annihilator of sinners and the giver of sorrow to the sinful.

Little one, now understand the term ‘atatai’ or marauder.

1. An atatai is an inveterate sinner – one who performs heinous crimes;

2. One who steals another’s wealth or women;

3. One who administers poison or sets fire to another’s abode is indeed an atatai.

Note little one, Arjuna calls the Lord a ‘Destroyer of sinners – Janardhana,’  yet he says, “We will incur sin if we kill these sinners.” Thus, Arjuna casts the aspersion that Krishna was doing wrong and was a lesser being than himself! Indirectly he was ridiculing Krishna.

Such are the obstacles in the path of a seeker who takes pride in his goodness. So drunk was Arjuna with the wine of his own goodness and saintliness, that he could not recognise Lord Krishna’s basic Essence.

Arjuna’s problem

Had Arjuna supported Sri Krishna’s practical life, he would have understood the full import of His Name. However, it would be incorrect to say that Arjuna did not respect Lord Krishna.

Little one! We too do the same. We do not endeavour to inculcate even those qualities which we ordinarily appreciate. The standards by which we measure ourselves are very different from those we apply to others. Our basic tendencies support our behaviour and deceive us in the bargain! They interpret knowledge erroneously and do not allow its correct translation into our lives. These tendencies distance us from our duty and, taking the support of illusory principles, they endeavour to absolve us from all blame. And like fools we get carried away by our own deceptions.

Little one, our aim should be to forsake these selfish traits and through selfless and magnanimous actions, forget ourselves and live for others. To extricate the oppressed from the grip of the oppressor is the dharma of each being. In such circumstances, it is not sinful to even kill the oppressor.

In the ‘Manusmriti’ Manu says, “Irrespective of whether he is a teacher, a child, an old man or a man of great knowledge, if he is an oppressor, kill him without a second thought.”

These days it is customary to deride everyone as base or as a thief. Those indulging in such criticism themselves possess the same qualities. Members of our own family and we ourselves possess similar negative traits. We must first fight this negativity. It is our dharma to oppose evil until it is destroyed completely. A step towards falsehood is a step away from the Truth. Conversely, to support adharma is to oppose one who is rooted in dharma. To support the unjust is to tacitly distance oneself from justice. One who understands this Truth, will be able to catch the false note in Arjuna’s talk.

Moha implies:

a) a lapse of consciousness;

b) a perplexed state;

c) reality obscured by ignorance;

d) an internal impurity which prevents us from seeing the Truth or imbibing knowledge.

To be in the grip of moha, is to be swayed. Moha is the cause of that mistake which one makes through one’s ignorance.

When the jivatma is attached to the body, then moha is born. Then the body becomes all important to that being. Afflicted by moha he views the entire world through the perspective of his body. His every sight, thought etc. first acknowledges the importance of the body. His likes and dislikes colour all his actions. Moha can only be with one’s own self i.e. the body. If seemingly one is attached to a child or any other person, it is because that individual has some relationship with one’s own body, mind or intellect.

How to eradicate moha?

a) Knowledge can destroy moha. If an individual believes that he is not the body, moha is destroyed.

b) Selfless deeds counteract moha.

c) The practice of yagya, tapas and daan are aids in the annihilation of moha.

d) Moha can be eradicated by one-pointed devotion and unflinching concentration on the Lord.