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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 2.34
अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् ।
सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥ ३४ ॥
akīrtiṁ cāpi bhūtāni
kathayiṣyanti te ’vyayām
sambhāvitasya cākīrtir
maraṇād atiricyate
People will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
People will always speak of your disgrace; for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.
Kṛṣṇa explains that if Arjuna leaves before the battle begins, people will call him a coward.
Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna not to flee in fear. Dying in battle is better than misusing His friendship and losing respect.
These notes cover verses 2.31–38
Happiness comes from prescribed duty — By performing prescribed duty one gains material enjoyment
Benefits of Fighting (which is the prescribed duty in this case) (2.31 – 2.32)
Refutes Arjuna’s arguments of “Loss of Enjoyment” as mentioned in Texts 1.31 – 1.35
Fighting gives ‘real enjoyment’ in all ways
“If you win” – You get an unrivaled kingdom on earth
“If you lose” – You go to the heavenly planets
Losses by avoiding the prescribed duty of fighting – (2.33 – 2.37)
Refutes Arjuna’s arguments of “Fear of Sinful Reactions” as mentioned in (1.36)
3 losses are described:
Sin and infamy – Not fighting and avoiding the prescribed duties will be the real sin and cause of infamy (2.33). e.g. Loss of fame which was gained by: (3 examples quoted)
Fight with Lord Shiva – Lord Shiva gave him ‘Pasupata-astra’
Credits from Dronacarya and
Credits from Lord Indra – His adopted father
Dishonor – “For a respectable person dishonor is worse is death” (2.34)
Ridicule – “Your enemies will laugh at you, saying that you ran away” (2.35 – 2.36)
Ksatriya — This is the second of the four social orders. It is meant for good administration
Literal meaning of Ksatriya (2.31 purport) — One who gives protection from harm (‘ksat’ – hurt / ‘trayate’ – give protection)
Duty of Ksatriya — Ref. Parasara Smriti explains the duty of ksatriya (2.32 purport)
To protect citizens from all difficulties
Apply violence for law and order
Conquer inimical kings
Rule the world according to religious principles
Ksatriyas are never meant for directly accepting the order of sannyasa
Non-violence in politics may be diplomacy, but it is never a factor or principle
Training of a Ksatriya (2.31 purport)
Trained for challenging and killing because religious violence is a necessary factor
How they are trained – Would go to forest, challenge tiger face to face with a sword and offer tiger for royal order of cremation
Ref. Religious law books on ‘violence’ (2.31 purport) — The following are not acts of violence:
Sacrificial animal killing by brahmanas – Animal immediately gets a human body without evolutionary cycle / Brahmana gets heavenly planets
Ksatriyas fighting on religious principles – Get heavenly planets if killed
Result of avoidance of duty by Ksatriyas
Infamy (2.31 purport)
Sinful Reaction – Hellish planets
Fighting benefits both ways (2.32 purport) — Win or Lose – (Refer to main theme above)
Two types of ‘Sva-dharmas’ (Specific duties) — ‘Material’ and ‘spiritual’
Spiritual ‘sva-dharma’ – Attained after liberation
Material ‘sva-dharma’ (Varnashrama-dharma)
Definition – Duties which are performed in accordance with the religious principles, according to particular body, to gradually achieve liberation
Must for humanity
Human civilization begins at this point
As long as one is not liberated, these duties are very important to perform
Ordained by the Lord (Clarified further in Bg. Chapter 4)
They are unavoidable (Man’s stepping stone for spiritual understanding)
Benefit – If done in accordance with higher authorities, it elevates one to higher states of life
PLEASE NOTE — The remaining points of these purports are covered under the Common Theme above
Karma-kanda consciousness – By performing prescribed duties, gain material enjoyment:
Material gains (heaven or kingdom) from fighting
Material losses (infamy and sin) from not fighting
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: karma, sva-dharma.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 2.34 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to duty & action?
Do one task today purely because it is right.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.