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Bhagavad Gita 2.31स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि।धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाछ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ॥

swa-dharmam api chāvekṣhya na vikampitum arhasi

dharmyāddhi yuddhāch chhreyo ’nyat kṣhatriyasya na vidyate

Sanskrit recitation

2.302.32
Read the reflection ↓Ask Madhav about this verse

Duty when you are afraid · 2.31–2.38 · Teaching

Translation

Further, having regard to your duty, you should not waver, for there is nothing higher for a Kshatriya than a righteous war.

Hindi translation

अपने स्वधर्म (क्षात्रधर्म) को देखकर भी तुम्हें विकम्पित अर्थात् कर्तव्य-कर्मसे विचलित नहीं होना चाहिये; क्योंकि धर्ममय युद्धसे बढ़कर क्षत्रियके लिये दूसरा कोई कल्याणकारक कर्म नहीं है।

Meaning

Lord Krishna now gives to Arjuna wordly reasons for fighting. Up to this time, He talked to Arjuna on the immortality of the Self and gave him philosophical reasons. Now He says to Arjuna, O Arjuna Fighting is a Kshatriyas own duty. You ought not to swerve from that duty. To a Kshatriyta (one born in the warrior or ruling class) nothing is more welcome than a righteous war. A warrior should fight.

After Swami Sivananda

Duty when you are afraid· 2.31–2.38→

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

Word-by-word→
hi
indeed
na
not
api
also
cha
and
anyat
another
arhasi
should
vidyate
exists
yuddhāt
than fighting
dharmyāt
for righteousness
avekṣhya
considering
vikampitum
to waver
śhreyaḥ
better
swa-dharmam
one’s duty in accordance with the Vedas
kṣhatriyasya
of a warrior

Related verses

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