Bhagavad-gita 1.41-46 Arjuna’s argument regarding concern for Forefathers and Family Welfare

Increase of unwanted population causes hellish life in the family. The ancestors of such corrupt families fall down, because the performances for offering them food and water, ceremonies like sraaddha and pindam are entirely stopped. Also all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are devastated.

Sometimes the forefathers may be suffering from various types of sinful reactions, and sometimes some of them cannot even acquire a gross material body and are forced to remain in subtle bodies as ghosts. Thus, when remnant of food or prasadam is offered to forefathers by descendants, the forefathers are released from ghostly or other kinds of miserable life.

Those who destroy the family tradition therefore commit sin. Hence such destroyers dwell always in hell. Therefore Arjuna was not willing to commit the great sin (maha-papam). He was ready to die unarmed rather than kill his family members (svajan).

Arjuna mistook that the war was arranged for his satisfaction so that he could enjoy the kingdom and the happiness thereof. Actually, it was not an ordinary activity since it was organized for the satisfaction of Lord Krishna’s mission. People under varnasrama-dharma are engaged in devotional life (life dedicated to serve Lord Vishnu or Lord Krishna). All welfare activities are fulfilled in such a society. It is even not required to perform rituals of offerings to forefathers since simply by performing devotional service, one can deliver hundreds and thousands of forefathers from all kinds of misery.