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Chapter 02,Verse 35
भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः |
येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम् || 35 ||
bhayad nanad uparatam mamsyante tvam maharathah |
yesam cha tvam bahumato bhutva yasyasi laghavam || 35 ||
Word-by-Word Analysis
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
|
भयात् (bhayat) |
Out of fear |
|
रणात् (ranat) |
From battle |
|
उपरतम् (uparatam) |
Withdrawn |
|
मंस्यन्ते (mamsyante) |
Will think |
|
त्वाम् (tvam) |
You |
|
महारथाः (maharathah) |
Great warriors |
|
येषाम् (yesam) |
For whom |
|
च (cha) |
And |
|
त्वम् (tvam) |
You |
|
बहुमतः (bahumato) |
Highly honored |
|
भूत्वा (bhutva) |
Having been |
|
यास्यसि (yasyasi) |
You will attain |
|
लाघवम् (laghavam) |
Disgrace, insignificance |
Translation
“The great warriors who respect you will think you pulled away from the battle out of fear, and you will lose the respect of them all.”
Context of the Verse
Krishna also discusses what the consequences of Arjuna’s retreat would bring: acting like a coward by abandoning the battle would set the wrong example, particularly in the eyes of other skilled warriors like Bhisma, Droṇa, Karṇa, and others.
Key Teachings in This Verse
Reputation among warriors; Arjuna is a famed warrior and should he withdraw, others will think that it is cowardice, not compassion.
Loss of honour; The people who once looked up to Arjuna as a great hero will consider him weak, which will bring disgrace and shame to both them and Arjuna.
Warrior code; Kshatriyas (warriors) place bravery above life, and being called a coward would be an intolerable shame.
Relevance to Arjuna
Krishna attacks Arjuna’s pride and sense of honour, advising him that no good deed goes unpunished and that, however good his motives may be, others will see his actions as acts of cowardice. In order to keep his warrior dignity, there is no other chosen path but to fight.
Chapter 02,Verse 36
अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून्वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः |
निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् || 36 ||
avacyavadams cha bahun vadisyanti tavahitah |
nindantas tava samarthyam tato duhkhataram nu kim || 36 ||
Word-by-Word Analysis
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
|
अवाच्यवदाः (avacyavadah) |
Unworthy, disgraceful words |
|
च (cha) |
And |
|
बहून् (bahun) |
Many |
|
वदिष्यन्ति (vadisyanti) |
Will speak |
|
तव (tava) |
About you |
|
अहिताः (ahitah) |
Enemies |
|
निन्दन्तः (nindantah) |
Criticizing |
|
तव (tava) |
Your |
|
सामर्थ्यम् (samarthyam) |
Strength, capability |
|
ततः (tatah) |
Than that |
|
दुःखतरम् (duhkhataram) |
More painful |
|
नु किम् (nu kim) |
What can be? (Can anything be worse?) |
Translation
“Your enemies will utter many unmentionable things, and laugh at your might. What could be worse than that?”
Context of the Verse
Krishna keeps hammering away at Arjuna’s sense of honour and his pride, saying not only will he lose the respect of those on his side, but his enemies will openly laugh at him.
Key Teachings in This Verse
Duryodhana and Karṇa, his enemies will insult him (say a lot of harsh words); if Arjuna doesn’t fight, they will insult him with speech full of hata (harsh words).
Than death more pain brings lack of good name; Krishna woos Arjuna, playing on his warrior mind, reminding him that loss of reputation aches more than the pain of the body.
Acting with national tenacity and bravery, do not fear the consolation of others
Relevance to Arjuna
Krishna cautions Arjuna that his enemies will see any retreat as weakness, not virtue. Instead, they will call him weak and cowardly, the agony of disgrace is far worse than the pain of death in battle. Here it [i.e. this verse] once again emphasizes that as a warrior, honouring one’s honour is vital for one’s existence as a warrior.
Chapter 02,Verse 37
हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् |
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः || 37 ||
hato va prapsyasi svargam jitva va bhoksyase mahim |
tasmad uttistha kaunteya yuddhaya krta-niscayah || 37 ||
Word-by-Word Analysis
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
|
हतः (hatah) |
If slain |
|
वा (va) |
Or |
|
प्राप्स्यसि (prapsyasi) |
You will attain |
|
स्वर्गम् (svargam) |
Heaven |
|
जित्वा (jitva) |
If victorious |
|
वा (va) |
Or |
|
भोक्ष्यसे (bhoksyase) |
You will enjoy |
|
महीम् (mahim) T |
he kingdom (earthly pleasures) |
|
तस्मात् (tasmat) |
Therefore |
|
उत्तिष्ठ (uttistha) |
Arise! (Stand up) |
|
कौन्तेय (kaunteya) |
O son of Kunti (Arjuna) |
|
युद्धाय (yuddhaya) |
For battle |
|
कृतनिश्चयः (krta-niscayah) |
With firm determination |
Translation
“If you get killed, then you’ll go to heaven, and if you win, then you’ll have the kingdom on earth. Therefore, you son of Kunti, fight in this battle and become a firm decision-maker (determinate art)!”
Context of the Verse
Krishna now erases the doubts of Arjuna by showing him the two possibilities of the war, both of which are favourable for him.
Key Teachings in This Verse
Either way, Arjuna wins; if Arjuna dies in the battle, he will achieve a heavenly prize.
If he prevails in the war, he will gain temporal prosperity.
Krishna urges Arjuna to stop hesitating and rise up to fulfil his duty.
Fearlessness in Dharma; Arjuna should go to war with determination and no thought of winning or defeat.
Relevance to Arjuna
Each negative lead of a particular lack of fulfilment has a two-edged sword manifesting a solution; which Krishna summarises at the end of the Bhagavad Gita by telling Arjuna that in performing his duty as a warrior there is no such thing as a negative outcome. In victory or in sacrifice, he will be repaid. So, he needs to hold the line and fight with all his might.
Explanation
So, if a Kshatriya dies fighting on the battlefield, facing his enemy, then he is immediately promoted to planets where the standard of living is very, very high. So Arjuna is being told if you die then you will go to heaven. If you live you are victorious, then you will enjoy the earthly kingdom. Thus, by all means you should fight.
Chapter 02,Verse 38
सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ |
ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि || 38 ||
Word-by-Word Analysis
sukkah-duhkhe same krtva labhalabhau jayajayau |
tato yuddhaya yujyasva naivam papam avapsyasi || 38 ||
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
|
सुखदुःखे (sukkah-duhkhe) |
Pleasure and pain |
|
समे (same) |
Treating equally |
|
कृत्वा (krtva) |
Having considered |
|
लाभालाभौ (labhalabhau) |
Gain and loss |
|
जयाजयौ (jayajayau) |
Victory and defeat |
|
ततः (tatah) |
Then |
|
युद्धाय (yuddhaya) |
For battle |
|
युज्यस्व (yujyasva) |
Engage yourself |
|
न (na) |
Not |
|
एवम् (evam) |
Thus |
|
पापम् (papam) |
Sin |
|
अवाप्स्यसि (avapsyasi) |
You will incur |
Translation
“Having the same attitude toward pleasure and pain, toward gain and loss, toward victory and defeat; battle for the sake of duty. By doing so you will not be sinning.”
Context of the Verse
Krishna presents the concept of equanimity, stating that Arjuna should engage in the war but free from bondage to the outcome.
Key Teachings in This Verse
Equality of opposites; a true Kshatriya or Yogin must be even-minded amidst foreign situations, considering:
Pleasure & pain as equal
Gain & loss as equal
Victory & defeat as equal
Fructifying action; ultimately, when one acts detached from the results, one frees oneself from karma (sinful reactions).
Foundation of Karma Yoga; it all starts here with karma yoga which does not perform due to desire or for the fruits; rather he performs like a duty.
Relevance to Arjuna
Krishna explains to Arjuna that if his actions are performed with detachment, they will not result in sin. So, through the selfless conflict for Dharma can lead Arjuna to the release, instead of karmic bondage.
Explanation
So, Arjuna was afraid to commit sins and, violate the laws of nature, that’s why we have to be very very careful undefined to commit sins. My dear friends, all, the sufferings that we have in our lives are due to breaching our own laws of nature. If they believe that there exists a world virus. It is creating a problem. Now let me solve it with a bit of tech. Technology could help secure the virus but if we have endangered the laws of nature more and more viruses are going to attack us.
So, you know, when you go against the laws of nature, you have bad people around you, bad situations around you, and bad governance, these are only tools, these people do not know. So, we need to be very very careful not to have sense. Basically, that was enough to say, and here Lord Krishna is telling Arjuna that if you fight even for fight’s sake, as a matter of duty, without getting attached to the results without caring for victory or gain profit or loss then such action never incurs them. So do not worry. Please fight in this attitude.