Pradyumna: "Sūta Gosvāmī said: Dispite being instructed in his duty and encouraged to kill the son of Droṇācārya, Arjuna, a great soul, did not like the idea of killing him, although he was a heinous murderer of his family members."
Prabhupāda:
- sūta uvāca
- evaṁ parīkṣatā dharmaṁ
- pārthaḥ kṛṣṇena coditaḥ
- naicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutaṁ
- yadyapy ātma-hanaṁ mahān
- (SB 1.7.40)
So Kṛṣṇa, as an impartial observer, He advised Arjuna to kill Aśvatthāmā on the ground of so many offenses. He was also trying to see how Arjuna decides. But Arjuna's decision was very right. Arjuna's decision was right because, naicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutam. He thought that "Although Aśvatthāmā is criminal, he should be killed. But I am going to kill him on account of my sons's or our sons' being killed by him. We are so much aggrieved. So if I kill Aśvatthāmā, then his mother is there. She would be very much unhappy." For the sake of the spiritual master and teacher... Droṇācārya was dead in the fight, but his wife was living. So Arjuna and Draupadī, considering the grief of the wife of Droṇācārya... There were many instances like that. Not that "The person is criminal," but "What will be the effect of killing him?" That is to be considered.