Even though these (Duryodhana and others), whose discernment has been lost due to greed, do not see the fault arising from the destruction of the family and the sin arising from hostility towards friends, (still) O Janardana, why should we, who accurately know the fault arising from the destruction of the family, not consider desisting from this sin?
Commentary: 'Even though these do not see... the sin in hostility towards friends' – Greed is that inclination which advances towards wealth, land, houses, respect, praise, position, authority, etc., with the thought: 'This much has been obtained, let this much more be obtained; may such acquisition continue incessantly.' Due to this inclination of greed, the power of discernment in these, like Duryodhana, has been lost. Consequently, they are unable to reflect: For the sake of which kingdom are we about to commit such a great sin, about to destroy our kinsmen? How many days will that kingdom remain with us, and how many days will we remain with it? If the kingdom departs while we are still alive, what will be our condition? And if our bodies depart while the kingdom remains, what will be the condition? For, the sorrow a person experiences from separation is proportionate to the happiness he enjoys from union. Indeed, the sorrow in separation is greater than the happiness in union. The meaning is that because greed has overshadowed their hearts, they see only the kingdom. They do not see at all how terrible a sin will result from destroying the family.
Where there is war, there is destruction of time, wealth, and power. Various anxieties and calamities arise. Even between two friends, discord arises, and ill-feeling develops. Various disagreements occur. Disagreement leads to enmity. For example, Drupada and Drona—both were friends since childhood. However, upon gaining a kingdom, Drupada one day insulted Drona and rejected that friendship. This created enmity between King Drupada and Dronacharya. To avenge his insult, Dronacharya had King Drupada defeated by Dhrishtadyumna and took half his kingdom. In response, Drupada performed a sacrifice to destroy Dronacharya, from which Dhrishtadyumna and Draupadi were born. Thus, they are not seeing at all how terrible a sin will result from enmity with friends!
Special Point: The objects we currently lack—even without them, our affairs are running, we are living well. However, when those objects are obtained and then lost again, the pain of their absence is great. The meaning is that the constant absence of objects before was not as sorrowful as the sorrow that comes from union with objects and then separation from them. Even so, due to greed, man continually strives to obtain those objects whose absence he perceives. If considered, even if those objects, currently absent, are obtained in between according to destiny, in the end, their absence alone will remain. Therefore, our state remains the same as it was before obtaining the objects. In between, due to greed, only toil upon toil was our lot, only sorrow upon sorrow had to be endured. The slight happiness experienced from union with objects in between is solely due to greed. If there were no inner defect like greed, happiness from union with objects could not occur at all. Similarly, if there were no defect like attachment, happiness from kinsmen could not occur at all. If there were no defect like avarice, happiness from accumulation could not occur at all. The meaning is that worldly happiness arises from some defect or another. If there were no defect at all, happiness from the world could not occur at all. However, due to greed, man cannot even reflect thus. This greed obliterates his discernment.
'Why should we not know... O Janardana, we who see' – Now Arjuna states his point: Even though Duryodhana and others do not see the fault arising from the destruction of their family and the sin arising from hostility towards friends, still we must see the chain of calamities arising from the destruction of the family [which Arjuna will describe from the fortieth to the forty-fourth verses ahead]; because we know well the faults arising from the destruction of the family and also know well the sin arising from hostility (enmity, malice) towards friends. If those friends give us sorrow, that sorrow is not harmful for us. The reason is that sorrow will only destroy our past sins; it will only purify us. However, if there is hostility—enmity—in our mind, it will remain with us even after death and will continue to incite us to commit sins life after life, leading to our utter downfall. Why should we not consider avoiding this sin, which causes such calamities and creates hostility towards friends? That is, upon reflection, we must certainly avoid this sin.
Here, Arjuna's sight is directed towards the greed of Duryodhana and others, but he himself is speaking while bound by familial affection (attachment)—his sight is not going towards this. Therefore, he is not understanding his duty. It is a rule that as long as a man's sight remains on the faults of others, he does not see his own fault; on the contrary, there arises a pride that 'they have this fault, but we do not have this fault.' In such a state, he cannot even think that if they have some fault, we too may have some other fault. Even if there is no other fault, seeing the faults of others—this itself is a fault. Seeing the faults of others and taking pride in one's own goodness—these two faults always coexist. Arjuna too sees faults in Duryodhana and others and feels pride in his own goodness (in the shadow of pride in goodness, only faults remain), therefore he does not see the fault of attachment within himself.
Connection: What are those faults arising from the destruction of the family, which we know? The sequence of those faults is explained in the next five verses.
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