FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.16.7

ज्ञात्वा ज्ञातिवधं गर्ह्यमधर्मं राज्यहेतुकम् । ततो निवृत्तो हन्ताहं हतोऽयमिति लौकिक: ॥ ७ ॥
jñātvā jñāti-vadhaṁ garhyam
[jnaatvaa jnaati-vadham garhyam]
adharmaṁ rājya-hetukam
[adharmam raajya-hetukam]
tato nivṛtto hantāhaṁ
[tato nivritto hantaaham]
hato ’yam iti laukikaḥ
[hato ’yam iti laukikah]
Word-for-word
jñātvā — being aware jñāti — of his relatives vadham — the killing garhyam — abominable adharmam — irreligion rājya — to acquire a kingdom hetukam — having as the motive tataḥ — from such activity nivṛttaḥ — retired haratā — the killer aham — I am hataḥ — killed ayam — this group of relatives iti — thus laukikaḥ — mundane.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
jñātvā jñāti-vadhaṁ garhyam
jñātvā
being aware
jñāti
of his relatives
vadham
the killing
garhyam
abominable
adharmaṁ rājya-hetukam
adharmam
irreligion
rājya
to acquire a kingdom
hetukam
having as the motive
tato nivṛtto hantāhaṁ
tataḥ
from such activity
nivṛttaḥ
retired
haratā
the killer
aham
I am
hato ’yam iti laukikaḥ
hataḥ
killed
ayam
this group of relatives
iti
thus
laukikaḥ
mundane.
On the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra Arjuna thought that killing his relatives would be an abominable, irreligious activity, motivated only by his desire to acquire a kingdom. He therefore desisted from the battle, thinking, “I would be the killer of my relatives. They would be destroyed.” Thus Arjuna was afflicted with mundane consciousness.
Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa here explains to Uddhava the circumstances in which Śrī Arjuna posed his questions.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Arjuna, knowing that killing his relatives to acquire a kingdom was an abominable, irreligious activity, desisted from the battle, thinking, “I will be the killer of my relatives and they will be killed.” Thus Arjuna was afflicted with material consciousness. How did Arjuna, desiring to fight, ask this question about vibhūtis? He gave up the battle, knowing it was against dharma to kill relatives for gaining a kingdom. He took on the mood of a material person and thought “I will be the killer and they will be killed.”
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Arjuna at Kurukṣetra thought killing relatives was abominable irreligious work for a kingdom and withdrew. Even great souls have moments of paralysis when family and duty seem to conflict.
Reflection Questions
  • Where in my life have I withdrawn from duty by calling it virtue?
  • What would the Lord's enlightenment look like for me there?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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