What will people say?

Where we are

In the previous reading Krishna admitted the self is a wonder no one fully grasps, then turned to Arjuna's duty as a warrior. Now he finishes that argument: walking away from this just fight would cost Arjuna both his duty and his good name, and Krishna spells out bluntly how others would talk.

The verses

1. 2.33

   But if you refuse to fight this righteous battle, you throw away both your own duty and your good name, and that refusal itself becomes the wrong you commit.

   अShow the SanskritHide the Sanskrit for verse 2.33

   अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं सङ्ग्रामं न करिष्यसि ।
   ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥ ३३ ॥

   Hear it

   atha cet tvam imaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi
   tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi

   Say it

   uh-thuh chayt tvum i-mum dhur-myum sun-graa-mum nuh kuh-rish-yuh-si
   tuh-tuh svuh-dhur-mum kee-rtim chuh hi-tvaa paa-pum uh-vaap-syuh-si

   Word by word

   atha cet

   but if

   tvam imam dharmyam saṃgrāmam

   you, this righteous battle

   na kariṣyasi

   will not fight

   tataḥ

   then

   svadharmam kīrtim ca hitvā

   abandoning your own duty and your honour

   pāpam avāpsyasi

   you will incur wrongdoing

2. 2.34

   People will tell the story of your disgrace for a long time to come. And for someone who has been respected, losing that respect is worse than dying.

   अShow the SanskritHide the Sanskrit for verse 2.34

   अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् ।
   सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥ ३४ ॥

   Hear it

   akīrtiṃ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te 'vyayām
   saṃbhāvitasya cākīrtir maraṇād atiricyate

   Say it

   uh-kee-rtim chaa-pi bhoo-taa-ni kuh-thuh-yish-yun-ti tay 'vyuh-yaam
   sum-bhaa-vi-tuss-yuh chaa-kee-rtir muh-ruh-naad uh-ti-rich-yuh-tay

   Word by word

   akīrtim ca api

   and also disgrace

   bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti

   people will speak of

   te avyayām

   your lasting (disgrace)

   saṃbhāvitasya

   for one who has been held in honour

   akīrtiḥ

   dishonour

   maraṇāt atiricyate

   is worse than death

3. 2.35

   The great warriors will assume you pulled out of the fight because you were afraid. Those who once thought so highly of you will come to think you small.

   अShow the SanskritHide the Sanskrit for verse 2.35

   भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः ।
   येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम् ॥ ३५ ॥

   Hear it

   bhayād raṇād uparataṃ maṃsyante tvāṃ mahārathāḥ
   yeṣāṃ ca tvaṃ bahumato bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam

   Say it

   bhuh-yaad ruh-naa-doo-puh-ruh-tum mun-syun-tay tvaam muh-haa-ruh-thaah
   yay-shaam chuh tvum buh-hoo-muh-to bhoo-tvaa yaa-syuh-si laa-ghuh-vum

   Word by word

   bhayāt

   out of fear

   raṇāt uparatam

   withdrawn from battle

   maṃsyante tvām

   they will think of you

   mahārathāḥ

   the great chariot-warriors

   yeṣām ca tvam bahumataḥ bhūtvā

   and you, once highly regarded by them

   yāsyasi lāghavam

   will fall into contempt (be thought small)

4. 2.36

   Your enemies will say all kinds of things that should never be said, sneering at your strength and skill. What could hurt more than that?

   अShow the SanskritHide the Sanskrit for verse 2.36

   अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून्वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः ।
   निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ॥ ३६ ॥

   Hear it

   avācyavādāṃś ca bahūn vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ
   nindantas tava sāmarthyaṃ tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim

   Say it

   uh-vaach-yuh-vaa-daan-shchuh buh-hoon vuh-dish-yun-ti tuh-vaa-hi-taah
   nin-dun-tuss tuh-vuh saa-mur-thyum tuh-to doo-khuh-tuh-rum noo kim

   Word by word

   avācya-vādān ca bahūn

   and many unspeakable words

   vadiṣyanti tava ahitāḥ

   your enemies will say

   nindantaḥ tava sāmarthyam

   mocking your ability

   tataḥ duḥkhataram nu kim

   what could be more painful than that?

Context and commentary

These verses add kīrti, honour or reputation, to the appeal to svadharma (one's own duty). In the Mahābhārata's warrior culture a kṣatriya's name was part of his duty: others relied on him because he would not flee. "Worse than death" (2.34) is meant to jolt a man who has just said he would rather be killed unarmed. Interpretation: Śaṅkara and many others treat this as a practical, worldly argument beside the deeper teaching on the self. Krishna soon sets praise and blame aside altogether (2.38), so reputation is a step on the way, not the goal.