Chapter 2 · Sankhya Yoga - The Yoga of KnowledgeKrishna
Verse 34
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता अध्याय 2, श्लोक 34
Sanskrit Shloka (श्लोक)
अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम्।
सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते॥३४॥
Transliteration
Akirtim Cha-Api Bhutani Kathayishyanti Te'vyayam.
Sambhavitasya Cha-Akirtir-Maranad-Atirichyate.||34||
Word-by-Word Meaning (अन्वय)
अकीर्तिम्akirtimdishonor
भूतानिbhutanipeople
कथयिष्यन्तिkathayishyantiwill speak of
अव्ययाम्avyayamforever
सम्भावितस्यsambhavitasyafor an honored person
अकीर्तिःakirtihdishonor
मरणात्maranatthan death
अतिरिच्यतेatirichyateis worse than
Hindi Translation (हिन्दी अर्थ)
सब लोग तुम्हारी सदा अपकीर्ति बोलेंगे। और सम्मानित व्यक्ति के लिए अपमान मृत्यु से भी बढ़कर है।
English Translation
People will speak of your everlasting dishonor. And for a person who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death.
Commentary (टीका)
Krishna appeals to Arjuna's sense of honor — a powerful motivator for a Kshatriya. Eternal infamy for retreating from battle would be a fate worse than death. This argument works on the worldly level, complementing the earlier spiritual arguments about the soul's immortality.