Bhagavad Gita 2.33अथ चैत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि।ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥
atha chet tvam imaṁ dharmyaṁ saṅgrāmaṁ na
kariṣhyasi tataḥ sva-dharmaṁ kīrtiṁ cha hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi
Sanskrit recitation
Duty when you are afraid · 2.31–2.38 · Teaching
Translation
But if you will not fight this righteous war, then having abandoned your own duty and reputation, you will incur sin.
Hindi translation
अब अगर तू यह धर्ममय युद्ध नहीं करेगा, तो अपने धर्म और कीर्तिका त्याग करके पापको प्राप्त होगा।
Meaning
The Lord reminds Arjuna of the fame he had already earned and which he would now lose if he refused to fight. Arjuna had acired great fame by fighting with Lord Siva. Arjuna proceeded on a pilgrimage to the Himalayas. He fought with Siva Who appeared in the guise of a mountaineer (Kirata) and got from Him the Pasupatastra, a celestial weapon.
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.
- 2.31Further, having regard to your duty, you should not waver, for there is nothing higher for…
- 2.32Happy are the Kshatriyas, O Arjuna! who are called to fight in such a battle that comes of…
2.33But if you will not fight this righteous war, then having abandoned your own duty and…
- 2.34People will also recount your everlasting dishonor; and for one who has been honored,…
- 2.35The great chariot-warriors will think that you have withdrawn from the battle out of fear,…
- 2.36Your enemies, scoffing at your power, will speak many abusive words—what could be more…
- 2.37Slain, you will obtain heaven; victorious, you will enjoy the earth; therefore, stand up,…
- 2.38Having made pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat equal, engage in battle…
Word-by-word→
- na
- not
- cha
- and
- imam
- this
- tvam
- you
- hitvā
- abandoning
- pāpam
- sin
- kīrtim
- reputation
- tataḥ
- then
- atha chet
- if, however
- avāpsyasi
- will incur
- sva-dharmam
- one’s duty in accordance with the Vedas
- kariṣhyasi
- act
- dharmyam saṅgrāmam
- righteous war
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