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Bhagavad-gītā 1.42

दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्न‍ानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः । उत्साद्यन्ते जातिधर्माः कुलधर्माश्च शाश्वताः ॥ ४२ ॥
doṣair etaiḥ kula-ghnānāṁ
[doshair etaih kula-ghnaanaam]
varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ
[varna-sankara-kaarakaih]
utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ
[utsaadyante jaati-dharmaah]
kula-dharmāś ca śāśvatāḥ
[kula-dharmaash cha shaashvataah]
Word-for-word
doṣaiḥ — by such faults etaiḥ — all these kula - ghnānām — of the destroyers of the family varṇa - saṅkara — of unwanted children kārakaiḥ — which are causes utsādyante — are devastated jāti - dharmāḥ — community projects kula - dharmāḥ — family traditions ca — also śāśvatāḥ — eternal .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
doṣair etaiḥ kula-ghnānāṁ
doṣaiḥ
by such faults
etaiḥ
all these
kula - ghnānām
of the destroyers of the family
varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ
varṇa - saṅkara
of unwanted children
kārakaiḥ
which are causes
utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ
utsādyante
are devastated
jāti - dharmāḥ
community projects
kula-dharmāś ca śāśvatāḥ
kula - dharmāḥ
family traditions
ca
also
śāśvatāḥ
eternal .
Important Words
  • doṣaiḥ — by such faults
    *Doṣa* (v.37–38) returns — now in the instrumental plural, as *the agency* by which destruction occurs. Same root *duṣ-* (to spoil) as *duṣṭa* (corrupt) and *Kāli-yuga*'s *duṣṭam*. The verse is naming *doṣa* as a self-propagating force.
  • kula - ghnānām — of the destroyers of the family
    Same compound as v.41, repeated. Arjuna keeps applying this label to himself by anticipation. The Gītā will eventually relieve him of this anxiety by showing that the *true* preservation of the *kula* requires the discharge of his duty, not its abandonment.
  • kārakaiḥ — which are causes
    *Kāraka* — agent, cause. From *kṛ* — to do, to make. Same root as *karma*. *Kāraka* is also a technical grammatical term: the syntactic relation a word bears to an action (agent, instrument, object, etc.). The unwanted progeny become *kārakas* — *agents* — of further destruction. Adharma propagates by producing new agents of itself.
  • jāti - dharmāḥ — community projects
    *Jāti* (birth, community) + *dharma*. The *community-level* dharmas, broader than the *kula*. The verse hierarchizes: *kula-dharma* is the family unit; *jāti-dharma* is the community unit. Arjuna sees both collapsing. The Gītā will eventually transcend both with *bhakti-dharma* (BG 9.32), open to all *jātis*.
  • śāśvatāḥ — eternal
    *Śāśvata* — perpetual, abiding. A close synonym of *sanātana* (v.39). The Gītā uses *śāśvata* repeatedly for the soul (BG 2.20, 11.18) and for Kṛṣṇa (BG 10.12). Arjuna applies *śāśvata* to *kula-dharma*. The Gītā will gently relocate the adjective onto the soul itself: the only truly *śāśvata* thing is the *ātman*.
By the evil deeds of those who destroy the family tradition and thus give rise to unwanted children, all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are devastated.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Arjuna lists casualty after casualty: jāti-dharma (the duties of one's community) and kula-dharma (the duties of one's lineage), both supposedly eternal, are uprooted by the war's social aftermath. He is constructing a careful indictment of war itself.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Jāti-dharma and kula-dharma form a pair: jāti is broader (the larger community group), kula is narrower (specific family lineage). Both have their own observances, rites, marriage rules, deity-worship patterns. Utsādyante (causative passive of ud+√sad) literally 'are made to perish upward, are uprooted.' The compound varṇa-saṅkara-kāraka is a Pāṇinian agent-tatpuruṣa (kāraka = 'causer/maker') describing the very 'defects' (doṣa) that initiate the destruction cascade.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
कुल-घ्नानां एतैः वर्ण-सङ्कर-कारकैः दोषैः शाश्वताः जाति-धर्माः कुल-धर्माः च उत्साद्यन्ते ।
kula-ghnānāṃ etaiḥ varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ doṣaiḥ śāśvatāḥ jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāḥ ca utsādyante |
By these defects of the family-destroyers, which cause mixing of varṇas, the eternal jāti-dharmas and kula-dharmas are uprooted.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
दोषैः एतैः कुल-घ्नानां वर्ण-सङ्कर-कारकैः । उत्साद्यन्ते जाति-धर्माः कुल-धर्माः च शाश्वताः ॥
doṣaiḥ etaiḥ kula-ghnānāṃ varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ | utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāḥ ca śāśvatāḥ ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
दोषैः doṣaiḥ दोष (m.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural) by the faults
एतैः etaiḥ एतद् dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) ins.pl. (instrumental plural)m. these
कुल-घ्नानाम् kula-ghnānām कुल (n.) + घ्न (agent) gen.pl. (genitive plural)m., upapada-tatpuruṣa of family-destroyers
वर्ण-सङ्कर-कारकैः varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ वर्ण (m.) + सङ्कर (m.) + कारक (m.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural)m., upapada-tatpuruṣa by those causing mixing of varṇas
उत्साद्यन्ते utsādyante उद्+√सद् caus. (causative) pass. (passive) 3pl. are uprooted, made to perish
जाति-धर्माः jāti-dharmāḥ जाति (f.) + धर्म (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) jāti-duties (community/caste duties)
कुल-धर्माः kula-dharmāḥ कुल (n.) + धर्म (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) family-duties
च ca ind. (indeclinable) and
शाश्वताः śāśvatāḥ शाश्वत adj. nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. perennial, everlasting
Purport

Community projects for the four orders of human society, combined with family welfare activities, as they are set forth by the institution of sanātana-dharma, or varṇāśrama-dharma, are designed to enable the human being to attain his ultimate salvation. Therefore, the breaking of the sanātana-dharma tradition by irresponsible leaders of society brings about chaos in that society, and consequently people forget the aim of life – Viṣṇu. Such leaders are called blind, and persons who follow such leaders are sure to be led into chaos.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
42. Both caste and family rules are destroyed by this fault of mixed varṇas caused by the killers of family members.
Commentary

By the faults of mixture of castes, both the caste rules and the family rules will be destroyed (utsādyate).

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
42. Both caste and traditional family rules are destroyed by this fault of mixed varṇas caused by the killers of family members.
Commentary

In two verses, Arjuna summarizes the faults. The principles of being a kṣatriya (jāti dharma) and the principles and special rules of the particular family (kula dharma), and āśrāma principles as well (ca), will disappear (utsādyante).

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Fighting will cause family destruction in the following 6-step sequence:

1. Death of Elderly (1.39)

Fighting destroys the whole dynasty

2. Family Traditions Stop: Irreligion increases (1.39)

With the destruction of dynasty, the entire family tradition is vanquished, and thus the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligion

3. Women polluted (1.40)

When irreligion is prominent, the women in the family become polluted
Chanakya Pandit says “Women need protection”
Why women need special protection – Because they are
Less intelligent
Not trustworthy
Prone to degradation
How they are protected – By engaging in religious principles, either under father, husband or son
If they are not protected, it leads to adultery and varna-sankara

4. Varna-sankara (unwanted progeny) (1.40*)

From degradation of woman comes unwanted progeny
Varna-sankara has three effects
Risk of war and pestilence
Hellish life
For the whole family – Ancestors falldown because pinda-dana stops

▪

For those who destroy family

All community projects and family welfare acts stop

5. Hellish life for ‘family’ and ‘destroyers of family’ (1.41*)

6. Culture is destroyed – Community projects and family welfare acts stop (1.42)

Focus of Learning

(c) Correct understanding about forgiveness / saintliness

Saintliness is not justified for a ksatriya
Compared to “Rama-rajya” – Lord Rama gave sufficient lessons to Ravana who was an aggressor because he kidnapped Rama’s wife, Mother Sita

(d) ‘Madhava’ – Arjuna addresses Krishna as ‘Madhava’ to indicate:

Krishna is the husband of the Goddess of ‘fortune’
Krishna should not cause an action which brings ‘misfortune’

(e) Saintliness of Arjuna – Arjuna’s thorough consideration of evil consequences reveals saintliness

(1.37 – 1.38)

Obligation (To not refuse when challenged to battle or gamble) is binding when the effect is good, not otherwise
Therefore Arjuna considered that he is not obliged to fight
ARJUNA’S FIFTH ARGUMENT — “INDECISION”

FIFTH ARGUMENT COVERED IN CHAPTER 2:

Please refer to Text 2.6 for Arjuna’s fifth argument

PLEASE NOTE: Some points of the purport are covered in the ‘6-step sequence of family destruction’

theme above

(a) Varnashrama Institution (1.39 purport) – Principles of religious traditions to help members of

family grow and attain spiritual values

(b) Role of elders (1.39 purport)

Responsible for maintaining purificatory samskaras (birth to death)
Helping younger generation on the path of salvation

(c) Importance of good population (1.40 purport) – It is the basic principle for peace, prosperity and

spiritual progress in life

(d) What good population depends on (1.40 purport) – Chastity and faithfulness of womanhood

(e) Philosophy of Pinda-Dan (1.41 purport)

Based on rules and regulations of fruitive acts
What it is – To offer periodical food and water to forefathers
Right process – worship of Vishnu done / remnants offered to forefathers
Principle: To release them from many sinful reactions / ghostly existence etc.
Who is not obliged for this – One in devotional life
Why devotees are not obliged – Because devotional service relieves hundreds and thousands of forefathers from all misery (Ref. SB. 11.5.41 “devarsi bhutapta…”)

(f) Community projects and family welfare acts – Importance (1.42 purport)

They are set forth by Varnashrama / Sanatana-dharma
Sets duties for four orders of society
Purpose – To help attain ultimate salvation
‘Result of breaking’ such projects
Chaos in society
People forget ultimate aim of life – Vishnu

(g) Ways of receiving real knowledge (1.43 purport) – Disciplic succession

Arjuna based his arguments not on personal experience, but on what he has heard from authorities

(h) Principle of ‘Prayascitta’ (1.43 purport) – A system in the varnashrama system by which before

death one has to undergo the process of atonement for his sinful activities

Without doing so, one surely will be transferred to the hellish planets to undergo miserable lives
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
1.42 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
1.26 - 1.47 Arjuna said - Sanjaya said Sanjaya continued: The high-minded Arjuna, extremely kind, deeply friendly, and supremely righteous, having brothers like himself, though repeatedly deceived by the treacherous attempts of your people like burning in the lac-house etc., and therefore fit to be killed by him with the help of the Supreme Person, nevertheless said, 'I will not fight.' He felt weak, overcome as he was by his love and extreme compassion for his relatives. He was also filled with fear, not knowing what was righteous and what unrighteous. His mind was tortured by grief, because of the thought of future separation from his relations. So he threw away his bow and arrow and sat on the chariot as if to fast to death.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
1.35 1.44 Nihatya etc. upto anususruma. Sin alone is the agent in the act of slaying these desperadoes. Therefore here the idea is this : These ememies of ours have been slain, i.e., have been take possession of, by sin. Sin would come to us also after slaying them. Sin in this context is the disregard, on account of greed etc., to the injurious conseences like the ruination of the family and the like. That is why Arjuna makes a specific mention of the [ruin of the] family etc., and of its duties in the passage 'How by slaying my own kinsmen etc'. The act of slaying, undertaken with an individualizing idea about its result, and with a particularizing idea about the person to be slain, is a great sin. To say this very thing precisely and to indicate the intensity of his own agony, Arjuna says only to himself [see next sloka]:
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
1.42. Confusion of castes leads to hell the slayers of the family, for their forefathers fall, deprived of the offerings of rice-ball and water (libations).
Commentary

1.42 सङ्करः confusion of castes? नरकाय for the hell? एव also? कुलघ्नानाम् of the slayers of the family?कुलस्य of the family? च and? पतन्ति fall? पितरः the forefathers? हि verily? एषां their? लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रियाः deprived of the offerings of ricall and water.No Commentary.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
1.42 And the intermingling in the family leads the ruiners of the family verily into hell. The forefathers of these fall down (into hell) because of being deprived of the offerings of rice-balls and water.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
1.42 Promiscuity ruins both the family and those who defile it; while the souls of our ancestors droop, through lack of the funeral cakes and ablutions.
Related values & verses
Related values
Satya (Truthfulness)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)
Related verses
BG 1.41 BG 1.43 BG 3.15 SB 1.17.38 SB 12.2.12 SB 3.13.37 CC Ādi 3.78 CC Madhya 7.83 CC Madhya 20.330 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.7Īśa Upaniṣad 2
Concepts
Dharma
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Without the offerings and remembrances rooted in dharma, the lineage of souls — past, present, and future — loses its anchor.
Practical Applications
  • Maintain regular remembrance of departed family members through Vaiṣṇava means (offering prasāda, chanting, śrāddha).
  • Treat your gṛhastha responsibilities as worship, not as competing with worship.
  • Pass on at least one spiritual practice to the next generation — not as duty but as gift.
Reflection Questions
  • How am I caring for the lineage of souls that came before me?
  • What spiritual gift am I leaving for those who come after?
Analogy

Arjuna is now naming the chain of consequence in full: family-destroyers → mixed offspring → loss of *jāti-dharma* → loss of *kula-dharma*. The logic is air-tight as dharma-sociology. What is missing is only the higher principle that the Gītā will reveal: *Kṛṣṇa Himself is the maintainer of dharma; refusing one's duty does not preserve dharma — it abandons it to Him to repair alone*.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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