doṣair etaiḥ kula-ghnānāḿ
varṇa-sańkara-kārakaiḥ
utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ
kula-dharmāś ca śāśvatāḥ

Translation of Bhagavad Gita 1.42

By the evil deeds of those who destroy the family tradition and thus give rise to unwanted children, all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are devastated.

Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:

Community projects for the four orders of human society, combined with family welfare activities, as they are set forth by the institution of sanatana-dharma, or varnashrama-dharma, are designed to enable the human being to attain his ultimate salvation. Therefore, the breaking of the sanatana-dharma tradition by irresponsible leaders of society brings about chaos in that society, and consequently people forget the aim of life—Vishnu. Such leaders are called blind, and persons who follow such leaders are sure to be led into chaos.

Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:

By the faults of mixture of castes, both the caste rules and the family rules will be destroyed (utsadyate).

Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:

1.26 – 1.47 Arjuna said — Sanjaya said — Sanjaya continued: The high-minded Arjuna, extremely kind, deeply friendly, and supremely righteous, having brothers like himself, though repeatedly deceived by the treacherous attempts of your people like burning in the lac-house etc., and therefore fit to be killed by him with the help of the Supreme Person, nevertheless said, ‘I will not fight.’ He felt weak, overcome as he was by his love and extreme compassion for his relatives. He was also filled with fear, not knowing what was righteous and what unrighteous. His mind was tortured by grief, because of the thought of future separation from his relations. So he threw away his bow and arrow and sat on the chariot as if to fast to death.

The Supreme Lord Krishna, Hrsikesa, the master of the senses. The Supreme Controller, internally and externally of all living entities evolving and evolved. Who although the Supreme Lord of all, yet descended down to Earth out of His causeless mercy for the redemption of the faithful and even more, He condescended to be Arjuna’s chariot driver, carrying out his wish to station their chariot in such a commanding position as to be able to readily view the belligerent Kauravas and put within the range of his vision such heroes as Bhishmadeva, Dronacarya and Kripa and the Kings of royal dynasties. At that time the Supreme Lord Krishna said to Arjuna: see what chances there are for the Kauravas victory over thee.

Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:

The sinfulness referred to is being concluded in this verse beginning with: From these sins etc. The traditions of the caste or tribe and the family are destroyed, lost, forgotten and disregarded. This also includes the four asrama’s or prescribed orders of life being: brahmacarya or celibate student life, grihasta or married house-holder life, vanaprastha or preperation for spiritual life and sannyasi or total renunciation from material life and complete attachment to spiritual life.

Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:

Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka.

Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:

In the previous verse the effects of the intermixture of castes as described in the Vedic scriptures regarding the ancestors has been determined. Now Arjuna describes the misery experienced for those who are responsible for causing this intermixture of castes beginning with dosair etaih. Due to these evils the essential duties prescribed in the Vedic scriptures for the four castes which are the authorised and proven means leading humanity to the highest good and which are faithfully instructed by holy sages and spiritual masters are all forsaken.

Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:

1.42 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.

Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:

1.35 1.44 Nihatya etc. upto anususruma. Sin alone is the agent in the act of slaying these desperadoes. Therefore here the idea is this : These ememies of ours have been slain, i.e., have been take possession of, by sin. Sin would come to us also after slaying them. Sin in this context is the disregard, on account of greed etc., to the injurious consequences like the ruination of the family and the like. That is why Arjuna makes a specific mention of the [ruin of the] family etc., and of its duties in the passage ‘How by slaying my own kinsmen etc’. The act of slaying, undertaken with an individualizing idea about its result, and with a particularizing idea about the person to be slain, is a great sin. To say this very thing precisely and to indicate the intensity of his own agony, Arjuna says only to himself [see next sloka]:

Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:

dosair etaih kula-ghnanam
varna-sankara-karakaih
utsadyante jati-dharmah
kula-dharmas ca sasvatah

Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:

doṣaiḥ — by such faults; etaiḥ — all these; kula-ghnānām — of the destroyers of the family; varṇa-sańkara — of unwanted children; kārakaiḥ — which are causes; utsādyante — are devastated; jāti-dharmāḥ — community projects; kula-dharmāḥ — family traditions; ca — also; śāśvatāḥ — eternal.