Bhagavad Gita 1.40
Chapter 1, verse 40
Meaning
“When a family is destroyed, the traditions it has carried for generations die with it. And once those are gone, disorder takes over whatever is left of the family.”
The Sanskrit
कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः ।
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥ ४० ॥
kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ
dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnam adharmo 'bhibhavaty uta
Say it
koo-luh-kshuh-yay pruh-nush-yun-ti koo-luh-dhur-maah suh-naa-tuh-naah
dhur-may nush-tay koo-lum krit-snum uh-dhur-mo bhi-bhuh-vut-yoo-tuh
Word by word
- kula-kṣaye
- when a family is destroyed
- praṇaśyanti
- perish
- kula-dharmāḥ
- the family's dharma: its customs, duties and rites
- sanātanāḥ
- age-old
- dharme naṣṭe
- when dharma is lost
- kulam kṛtsnam
- the whole family
- adharmaḥ abhibhavati
- disorder overwhelms
- uta
- indeed
Read it in context: verses 1.37–40Arjuna argues for walking awayWith the story so far, commentary, and today's lesson: When the feeling comes first, the argument follows
Another translation and audio recitation: verse 1.40 on holy-bhagavad-gita.org.
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