Chapter 2 · Sankhya Yoga
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 33
सांख्य योग
॥ श्लोक ॥
अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि | ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ||२-३३||
Transliteration
atha cettvamimaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi . tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpamavāpsyasi ||2-33||
English Translation
On the other hand, if you will not fight this righteous battle, then, forsaking your own duty and fame, you will incur sin.
Detailed Commentary
2.33. Explanation: The phrase 'Atha chet tvam imam... papam avapsyasi' uses the indeclinable 'Atha' in the sense of an alternative, and 'Chet' in the sense of possibility. It implies that even if you cannot abstain from war, owing to your Kshatriya *svabhava*, you will inevitably fight (Gita 18.60). Nevertheless, if we assume that you do not fight, then it will constitute an abandonment of your *Kshatradharma*. By abandoning *Kshatradharma*, you will incur *papa* and your *kirti* will be destroyed. What will you achieve by forsaking the duty that has naturally come to you as *dharma*? By abandoning your own *Dharma*, you will be forced to accept *Paradharma*, which will lead to *papa*. If you relinquish the war, people will perceive that even a valorous warrior like Arjuna feared death! This will annihilate your *kirti*.
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