यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम् |
सुखिन: क्षत्रिया: पार्थ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम् || 32||
yadṛichchhayā chopapannaṁ swarga-dvāram apāvṛitam
sukhinaḥ kṣhatriyāḥ pārtha labhante yuddham īdṛiśham
yadṛichchhayā—unsought; cha—and; upapannam—come; swarga—celestial abodes; dvāram—door; apāvṛitam—wide open; sukhinaḥ—happy; kṣhatriyāḥ—warriors; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; labhante—obtain; yuddham—war; īdṛiśham—such
Translation:
Happy indeed are the kshatriyas, O Pārtha, to whom comes such a war, offering itself unsought, opening the gate to heaven.
Commentary:
Arjuna is here addressed as Partha, the son of Pritha (Kunti). This reminds us of the message that the mother sent to her son on the eve of the battle through Lord Krishna.
“O Krishna! Tell Arjuna and the battle-minded Bhima that the time has come to justify why a Kshatriya mother desires to have sons.”
War against external enemies is the duty prescribed for the Kshatriya. But the internal conflict with bad instincts and impulses, like lust, greed, and hate, is taking place in the heart of every human being. The Kshatriya who fights a righteous war gains a kingdom or Heaven. The man who defeats the external enemies attains Moksha, liberation (‘Moksha dvaram apavrutam’). The true warrior is always eager to undertake a righteous war. The spiritual seeker is always ready and alert to fight ignorance in whatever form it may raise its head.
The righteous war is not a religious war against the followers of other religions. The righteous war may be waged even against our own evil-doer kith and kin (Rig Veda 6.75.19). Life is a continuous battle between the forces of evil and goodness. A valiant person must fight with the spirit of a warrior—with a will and determination for victory—and without any compromise with the forces of evil and difficulties. God helps the valiant who adhere to morality. Dharma (righteousness) protects those who protect Dharma (morality, justice, and righteousness).
It is better to die for a right cause and acquire the grace of sacrifice than to die an ordinary but compulsory death. The gates of heaven open wide for those who stand up to vindicate justice and righteousness (Dharma). Not to oppose an evil is to indirectly support it. Very similar ideas are expressed in other scriptures of the world. There is no sin in killing an aggressor. Whosoever helps and supports an aggressor is also an aggressor. Thus, all those who supported Kauravas were basically aggressors and deserved to be eliminated.
