41. On the prevalence of impiety, O Krishna, the women of the family become corrupt; and women being corrupted,

there arises, O Varshneya, intermingling of castes.

42. Admixture of castes, indeed, is for the hell of the family and the destroyers of the family; their ancestors fall, deprived of the offerings of rice-ball and water.

43. By these misdeeds of the destroyers of the family, bringing about confusion of castes, are the immemorial religious rites of the caste and the family destroyed.

44. We have heard, O Janardana, that inevitable is the dwelling in hell of those men in whose families religious practices have been destroyed.

45. Alas, we are involved in a great sin, in that we are prepared to slay our kinsmen, from greed of the pleasures of a kingdom!

46. Verily, if the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapons in hand, were to slay me, unresisting and unarmed, in the battle, that would be better for me.

Sanjaya said:

47. Speaking thus in the midst of the battle-field, Arjuna casting away his bow and arrows, sank down on the seat of his chariot, with his mind distressed with sorrow.

The end of chapter first, designated The Grief of Arjuna.

Footnotes

^1:1 True it is that the two parties were gathered together for battle, but was the influence of Kurukshetra, the sacred centre of religious and spiritual activity from of old, barren of any result? Did not the spiritual influence of the spot affect any of the leaders in a way unfavourable to the occurrence of the battle? is the purport of Dhritarashtra's question.

^2:2 Sanjaya's reply beginning with "But then" and describing Duryodhana's action is a plain hint to the old king that his son was afraid. For he went to his teacher (regarded as father) instead of to the commander-in-chief, as a child in fright would run to its parents in preference to others.

^3:3 As a scorpion would sting even that whose protection is sought to be free from fear, so did the wicked Duryodhana insult his teacher. His meaning in plain words comes to this: just think of your stupidity in teaching the science of fight to the son of Drupada and to those of Pandu. They are now arrayed to kill you!

^4:4 great-charioted: one who is well-versed in the science of war and commands eleven thousand bowmen.

^5:7 However well-versed in the science of war you might be, you are after all a Brahmana (best of the twice-born) a lover of peace, that is to say, a coward. It is therefore natural for you to be afraid of the Pandava force. But take heart, we too have, great warriors in our ranks--is the veiled meaning of Duryodhana's words.

^5:8 Afraid lest he had said too much Duryodhana is flattering Drona, by mentioning the latter before even Bhishma and qualifying Drona's brother-in law with the phrase 'victorious in war,' a move likely to touch the heart of most mortals.