Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 38

English Translation

Treating happiness and sorrow, gain and loss, and conest and defeat with eanimity, then engage in battle. Thus you will not incur sin.

Detailed Commentary

।।2.38।। Explanation: Arjuna was concerned that killing relatives in war would incur *papa* (sin), but here Bhagavan says that war is not the cause of *papa*, but one's own desires are. Therefore, renounce desires and prepare for battle. 'Pleasure-pain...', 'then prepare for battle'— In war, victory and defeat come first. Victory and defeat result in gain and loss, and gain and loss result in pleasure and pain. To be pleased or pained by victory-defeat and gain-loss is not your objective. Your objective is to perform your duty with equanimity amidst all three. In war, victory-defeat, gain-loss, and pleasure-pain are bound to occur. Therefore, decide beforehand that you must only perform your duty and not be concerned with victory-defeat, etc. Then, fighting will not incur *papa*, meaning it will not lead to bondage to the world. It is essential to perform one's duty with both *sakāma* (desire-driven) and *niṣkāma* (desireless) attitudes. One who acts with *sakāma-bhava* should not be lazy or negligent, but should perform their duty with alertness. And one who acts with *niṣkāma-bhava* should also perform their duty with full alertness. Pleasure feels good when it comes and bad when it goes. Pain feels bad when it comes and good when it goes. In such a situation, which is good, which is bad? Both are equal. Therefore, one should perform one's duty with equanimity in pleasure and pain. May your actions not be driven by the lure of pleasure nor cease due to the fear of pain. May your engagement in and disengagement from actions be in accordance with the *śāstras*. 'Then you will not incur *papa*'— Here, the word '*papa*' denotes both *papa* (sin) and *puṇya* (merit), the fruits of which are bondage to the attainment of heaven and hell, which deprive a human of their welfare and keep them entangled in repeated birth and death. Bhagavan says, "O Arjuna! By performing the duty of war, established in *samatva* (equanimity), neither *papa* nor *puṇya* will bind you." Special Note Regarding the Context: In the eight *ślokas* from the thirty-first to the thirty-eighth, Bhagavan has expressed several unique insights; for example: (1) If one has to give a discourse and explain a subject, Bhagavan illustrates the art of it in these eight *ślokas*. For instance, if one has to discourse on *vidhi* (injunctions, i.e., what ought to be done) and *niṣedha* (prohibitions, i.e., what ought not to be done), like performing duty-bound actions and not performing non-duty-bound actions, one should begin with *vidhi*, move to *niṣedha* in the middle, and conclude with *vidhi* again. Here, Bhagavan first described the benefits of duty-bound actions in the two *ślokas* (31-32), then in the middle, described the disadvantages of not performing duty-bound actions in four *ślokas* (33-36), and finally, in the last two *ślokas* (37-38), described the benefits of duty-bound actions and commanded their performance. (2) Bhagavan has addressed the arguments Arjuna presented from his perspective in the first chapter, within these eight *ślokas*; for example, Arjuna says— I do not see welfare in fighting (1.31), to which Bhagavan says— For a *Kṣatriya*, there is no greater means of welfare than a righteous war (2.31). Arjuna says— How will we be happy by fighting? (1.37) To which Bhagavan says— Only those *Kṣatriyas* who get such a war are happy (2.32). Arjuna says— The result of war will be the attainment of hell (1.44) To which Bhagavan says— Fighting will lead to the attainment of heaven (2.32, 37). Arjuna says— Fighting will incur *papa* (1.36) To which Bhagavan says— Not fighting will incur *papa* (2.33). Arjuna says— War will destroy *dharma* (1.40) To which Bhagavan says— Not fighting will destroy *dharma* (2.33). (3) Arjuna's insistence was that abandoning the terrible act of war and sustaining himself by begging was superior for him (2.5), to which Bhagavan commanded him to fight (2.38); and when Uddhava desired to remain with Bhagavan, Bhagavan commanded him to go to Uttarakhand and perform *tapas* (Śrīmad Bhāgavata 11.29.41). This implies that welfare is not achieved without abandoning one's mental insistence. That insistence, no matter its form, prevents liberation. (4) The points Bhagavan briefly stated in the second and third *ślokas* of this chapter are elaborated here; for example— where 'unworthy of an *ārya*' (*anāryajuṣṭam*) was said, here 'than a righteous war, there is no other path of welfare' (*dharamyāddhi yuddhācchreyo'nyat*) is stated. Where 'not leading to heaven' (*asvargyam*) was said, here 'the open door to heaven' (*svargadvāramapāvṛtam*) is stated. Where 'causing infamy' (*akīrtikaram*) was said, here 'people will speak of your everlasting infamy' (*akīrtiṁ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te'vyayām*) is stated. Where the command to fight was given— 'arise, O Scorcher of Foes' (*tyaktvottiṣṭha paraṁtapa*), the same command is given here— 'therefore, engage yourself in battle' (*tato yuddhāya yujyasva*). Connection: In the previous *śloka*, Bhagavan spoke of *samatā* (equanimity); in the next two *ślokas*, commanding to listen to it, He describes its glory.