sÅ«ta uvÄca
evaá¹ parÄ«ká¹£atÄ dharmaá¹
pÄrthaḥ kṛṣṇena coditaḥ
naicchad dhantuá¹ guru-sutaá¹
yadyapy Ätma-hanaá¹ mahÄn
sÅ«taḥ - SÅ«ta GosvÄmÄ«; uvÄca - said; evam - this; parÄ«ká¹£atÄ - being examined; dharmam - in the matter of duty; pÄrthaḥ - ÅšrÄ« Arjuna; kṛṣṇena - by Lord Kṛṣṇa; coditaḥ - being encouraged; na aicchat - did not like; hantum - to kill; guru-sutam - the son of his teacher; yadyapi - although; Ätma-hanam - murderer of sons; mahÄn - very great.
Arjuna was a great soul undoubtedly, which is proved here also. He is encouraged herein personally by the Lord to kill the son of Droṇa, but Arjuna considers that the son of his great teacher should be spared, for he happens to be the son of DroṇÄcÄrya, even though he is an unworthy son, having done all sorts of heinous acts whimsically for no one’s benefit.
Lord ÅšrÄ« Kṛṣṇa encouraged Arjuna outwardly just to test Arjuna’s sense of duty. It is not that Arjuna was incomplete in the sense of his duty, nor was Lord ÅšrÄ« Kṛṣṇa unaware of Arjuna’s sense of duty. But Lord ÅšrÄ« Kṛṣṇa puts to the test many of His pure devotees just to magnify the sense of duty. The gopÄ«s were put to such tests as well. PrahlÄda MahÄrÄja also was put to such a test. All pure devotees come out successful in the respective tests by the Lord.