Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 1, verse 40 · Arjuna
Bhagavad Gita 1.40 · Kulakshaye Pranashyanti
कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः ।
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥
kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ |
dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnamadharmo’bhibhavatyuta ||
Translation
When a family is destroyed, its age-old family traditions perish; and when dharma (the sacred order) is lost, lawlessness overwhelms the whole family.
Context
Spoken by Arjuna in chapter 1, Arjuna Vishada Yoga — “The Yoga of Arjuna’s Despondency”, which has 47 verses.
Frequently asked questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 1.40 mean?
When a family is destroyed, its age-old family traditions perish; and when dharma (the sacred order) is lost, lawlessness overwhelms the whole family.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 1.40?
Arjuna, in chapter 1, Arjuna Vishada Yoga (The Yoga of Arjuna’s Despondency).
Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.