Texts 53-54 ] The Son of Drona Punished 371
mayaivobhayam amnatam
partpahy anusasanam
kuru pratisrutam satyam
yat tat santvayata priyam
priyam ca bhima-senasya
pancalya mahyam eva ca
sri bhagavan—the Personality of Godhead; uvaca—said; brahma-bandhuh
—the relative of a brahmana; na—not; hantavyah—to be killed; atatayi—
the aggressor; vadhah-hanah—is due to be killed; maya—by Me; eva—
certainly; ubhayam—both; admnatam—described according to rulings of the
authority; paripahi—just carry out; anusdsanam—rulings; kuru—just abide
by: pratigrutam—as promised by; satyam—truth; yat tat—that which;
santvayata—while pacifving; priyam—dear wife; priyam—satisfaction; ca—
also: bhima-senasya—of Sri Bhimasena; pafcalyah—of Draupadi; mahyam
—unto Me also; eva—certainly; ca—and.
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna said: A friend of a brahmana is
not to be killed, but if he is an aggressor he must be killed. All these
rulings are in the scriptures, and you should act accordingly. You have to
fulfill your promise to your wife, and you must also act to the satisfaction
of Bhimasena and Me.
PURPORT
Arjuna was perplexed because Agvatthama was to be killed as well as
spared according to different scriptures cited by different persons. As a
brahma-bandhu, or a worthless son of a brahmana. Asvatthama was not to be
killed, but he was at the same time an aggressor also. And according to the
rulings of Manu, an aggressor, even though he be a brahmana (and what to
speak of an unworthy son of a brahmana), is to be killed. Dronacarya was
certainly a brahmana in the true sense of the term, but because he stood
in the battlefield he was killed. But although Asvatthama was an aggressor,
he stood without any fighting weapons. The ruling is that an aggressor,
when he is without weapon or chariot, cannot be killed, All these were
certainly perplexities. Besides that, Arjuna had to keep the promise he had
made before Draupadi just to pacify her. But he also had to satisfy both
Bhima and Krsna, who advised killing him. This dilemma was present
before Arjuna, and the solution was awarded by Krsna.
