Gita 01.40 – Protecting Women And Ensuring Good Progeny Are Important Social Responsibilities
adharmābhibhavāt kṛṣṇa
praduṣyanti kula-striyaḥ
strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya
jāyate varṇa-saṅkaraḥ
Word-for-word:
adharma — irreligion; abhibhavāt — having become predominant; kṛṣṇa — O Kṛṣṇa; praduṣyanti — become polluted; kula-striyaḥ — family ladies; strīṣu — by the womanhood; duṣṭāsu — being so polluted; vārṣṇeya — O descendant of Vṛṣṇi; jāyate — comes into being; varṇa-saṅkaraḥ — unwanted progeny.
Translation:
When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Kṛṣṇa, the women of the family become polluted, and from the degradation of womanhood, O descendant of Vṛṣṇi, comes unwanted progeny.
Explanation:
Here in this verse, Arjuna continues his description of the consequences of fighting that will lead to the destruction of the dynasty, describing the catastrophic effects on society that will result from this destruction. One parameter he gives is:
adharmābhibhavāt kṛṣṇa: Having said in the previous verse that kṣatriyas are meant to be the protectors of dharma, when they are destroyed, then adharma will prevail in society, and when adharma prevails,
praduṣyanti kula-striyaḥ: anti-social elements will exploit the vulnerable members of society, especially the women.
We see this in brutal wars throughout history—when the martial guardians of society are overpowered and defeated, the invaders pillage the conquered kingdom. During this pillaging, they often prey upon the women. In many wars, soldiers consider it their right to violate the women of the defeated kingdom, and in even more perverse cases, children. Nowadays, gang rape is sometimes used as a brutal instrument of war to humiliate, subjugate, and emasculate the conquered population. This is an extremely brutal reality, and it is an unfortunate aspect of human nature that conquerors often perceive such acts as their rightful claim to wreak havoc upon the vanquished.
strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya: When women are violated, it inevitably leads to—
jāyate varṇa-saṅkaraḥ: —unwanted progeny.
The term “bastard,” which is often used as a swear word, originally referred to an illegitimate child. While it has come to carry a dishonorable connotation, its usage is rooted in an unfortunate historical reality. Often, men prey upon women, leading to pregnancies where the children born are never acknowledged by their fathers. As a result, these children frequently lead miserable lives, neglected and exploited due to their lack of recognition. This neglect can foster deep resentment toward society, potentially resulting in violence. This is one way we can understand Arjuna’s concerns from today’s sociological context.
When we study scripture, it is essential to understand it in its original context. We must then identify the time-independent and context-independent principles within the scripture and see how these principles apply to today’s context. When irreligion flourishes and antisocial or antispiritual elements gain prominence in society, they cause significant harm. This harm is not limited to their criminal activities—when such elements acquire power, they can destroy entire generations. They have the potential to beget future generations that are contaminated and distorted, leading to varna-saṅkara (unwanted progeny).
The specific ways in which unwanted progeny can arise may vary. In Arjuna’s case, his concern is that if women are violated—whether seduced and misled or forcibly brutalized—the resulting degradation of the next generation is a serious social issue. This concern extends beyond Vedic culture—in all traditional societies, the responsibility of begetting good progeny to continue the dynasty is deemed important, not just for the patriarch but for all members of the dynasty.
Every member of society has debts, particularly to our ancestors, who gave us birth and our human bodies. From the perspective of material karma-kāṇḍa, we repay our debt to our ancestors by begetting children and ensuring the continuity of the dynasty. However, continuing the dynasty is not merely about reproduction—it involves replicating positive character traits and enhancing qualities in the next generation. This requires proper saṁskāras to ensure that the next generation grows up to be responsible citizens who contribute positively to the world. Neglecting this responsibility is considered a grievous loss for the dynasty.
We see that Arjuna was aware of the importance of ensuring a good lineage. It was also a significant issue for Pandu, who, when cursed not to have any contact with his wives for the purpose of begetting children, considered the Niyoga ceremony. This ceremony allowed his wives to conceive children through sages. While Kunti had the unique benediction to bear children through the gods, the key point is that Pandu recognized the responsibility of begetting progeny—especially good progeny—as a vital duty to the dynasty.
If he could not fulfill this duty himself, he wanted it to be accomplished by someone cultured, dharmic, and of high character, ensuring that the offspring would also be of good character. Therefore, he suggested that the sages in the forest, known for their virtuous nature, should be involved. However, when Kunti proposed the idea of invoking the gods, who are even more powerful and glorious, Pandu immediately agreed, seeing the fortune in having sons born of divine lineage. In fact, he was delighted by this prospect.
The principle here is that responsible patriarchs of society, particularly the heads of families in Vedic culture, regarded it as their important duty to ensure the continuation of their dynasty. This duty was especially significant for kings, as they were tasked not only with begetting good progeny but also with fostering individuals who would uphold dharma in society. These heirs were expected to contribute positively through their exemplary conduct and effective administration, especially if they belonged to the royal family.
Hence, Arjuna expresses his concern that if adharma flourishes, we should not view it merely as a mysterious dark force that pervades society. While adharma does influence our minds in subtle ways, it flourishes by allowing adharmic individuals to come to power. These individuals then destroy the protectors of dharma and violate its principles. They prey upon and exploit the vulnerable members of society, particularly women, leading to unwanted progeny. Arjuna feels that he will fail in his duty to his dynasty, his family, and his kingdom at large. Consequently, he views the destruction of the dynasty caused by war as wholly undesirable and believes that the best way to prevent such a disaster is to desist from warfare.
Again, Arjuna’s concerns about protecting the dynasty from contamination and destruction are valid. Kṛṣṇa will address these issues and, in the third chapter, demonstrate that Arjuna’s concerns will actually be best addressed by fighting the war and setting an example of dutifulness in protecting the vulnerable members of society, rather than abdicating that responsibility in the name of safeguarding them, which would ultimately allow the adharmic to maintain their power and perpetuate adharma.
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