Bhagavad-gita 1.36 Arjuna’s arguments not to Fight and commit Sin

pāpam eva āśrayed asmān hatvā etān ātatāyinah ... Arjuna claimed, “papam or sin will overcome us if we slay such aggressors atatayinah.” People should consider in every activity, whether it is papam or punyam, whether it is virtuous or sinful activities.

There are two classes of people. Sinful people are asura. They do not care what is sinful or what is right. Saintly persons are godly or deva or devata. A deva is a vishnu-bhakta. All the demigods are deva. All thirty-three crores (330 million) of demigods residing in the higher planetary system abide by the order of Lord Vishnu and vaisnavas.

Arjuna was saintly by character, and therefore he wanted to deal with the aggressors in saintliness. As such his aggressors were of special type, namely his own grandfather, own teacher, friends, sons, grandsons etc. Because of them, Arjuna thought that he should not take the severe steps necessary against ordinary aggressors. Saintly persons are advised to forgive.

Arjuna addressed Lord Krishna as “madhava” asking how he could be happy by killing his own kinsmen. Arjuna wanted to point out to Krsna that, as Madhava or husband of the goddess of fortune and happiness, He should not induce Arjuna to take up a matter which would ultimately bring about misfortune.

Lord Krishna, however never brings misfortune to anyone, to say nothing of His devotees. Arjuna is in fact consulting his friend whether he will be benefitted killing his kinsmen. Bhagavad gita explains the truth behind all events and eventualities, including war. There is divine example in Ramayana in which Lord Rama destroyed Ravana just to teach people that aggressors must be killed.