अथ चैत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि ।
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
अब अगर तू यह धर्ममय युद्ध नहीं करेगा, तो अपने धर्म और कीर्तिका त्याग करके पापको प्राप्त होगा ॥
English
If you do not fight this righteous war, you will abandon your duty and honor and incur blame.
What this verse means
Refusing a just battle would mean abandoning your duty and honor, and that choice would bring blame.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, Arjuna stands frozen while Krishna answers his collapse with hard clarity. After saying this battle is righteous, Krishna warns that refusing it would mean abandoning the role Arjuna was born to carry.
Why this verse still matters
You’re staring at a message you know you must send, because staying silent will hurt more. The fear of discomfort is real, but so is the cost of walking away from what you know is right.
The takeaway
Avoiding the hard right thing can feel safer, but it leaves a heavier mark than action.
Word-by-word translation
अथ (then) / च (and) / एत् (this) / त्वम् (you) / इमम् (this) / धर्म्यम् (righteous) / संग्रामम् (war) / न (not) / करिष्यसि (will do) / ततः (then) / स्वधर्मम् (one's own duty) / कीर्तिम् (honor) / च (and) / हित्वा (having abandoned) / पापम् (blame / wrongdoing) / अवाप्स्यसि (you will obtain)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga — The Yoga of Knowledge, which contains 72 verses.
Explore related themes: kurukshetra (95 verses)