doṣair etaiḥ kula-ghnānāṁ varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāś ca śāśvatāḥ
"By these sins of the destroyers of family, causing mixing of social orders, community traditions and family customs are destroyed."
What This Means:
Arjuna summarizes: these sins destroy community and family traditions that have lasted for generations. Once destroyed, they can't easily be rebuilt. He's making a preservationist argument.
Going Deeper:
Arjuna speaks of 'shashvata' (eternal) traditions, but Krishna will later explain what is truly eternal (the soul) versus what is temporary (social structures). Arjuna is clinging to forms while missing essence.
How To Apply This:
We often defend structures and traditions as 'eternal' when they're actually temporary forms. This isn't to dismiss their value, but to recognize what's truly permanent versus what changes.
Key Sanskrit Terms: