भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः ।
येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम् ॥
येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
महारथीलोग तुझे भयके कारण युद्धसे उपरत हटा हुआ मानेंगे । जिनकी धारणामें तू बहुमान्य हो चुका है, उनकी दृष्टिमें तू लघुताको प्राप्त हो जायगा ॥
English
The great warriors will think you withdrew from battle out of fear. Those who once held you in high regard will see you as small.
What this verse means
If Arjuna stops fighting, the great warriors will assume he fled from fear. People who respected him will now look down on him.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna stands frozen while Krishna presses him to act. Krishna warns that if Arjuna steps back now, the strongest warriors will read it as fear, and the honour he once held will shrink before their eyes.
Why this verse still matters
You back out of the difficult conversation at the last minute, and everyone notices. The silence protects you for a moment, then quietly rewrites how people see you.
The takeaway
Avoiding the hard act can cost you the respect you already earned.
Word-by-word translation
भयात् (from fear) / रणात् (from battle) / उपरतम् (withdrawn) / मंस्यन्ते (they will think) / त्वाम् (you) / महारथाः (great warriors) / येषाम् (of whom) / च (and) / त्वम् (you) / बहुमतः (highly regarded) / भूत्वा (having become) / यास्यसि (you will go) / लाघवम् (to smallness / low status)
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), arjuna (52 verses)