Audio Recitation

Transliteration

atha cettvamimaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi . tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpamavāpsyasi ||2-33||

Translation

2.33 But if thou wilt not fight this righteous war, then having abandoned thine own duty and fame, thou shalt incur sin.

Commentary

2.33 अथ चेत् but if? त्वम् thou? इमम् this? धर्म्यम् righteous? संग्रामम् warfare? न not? करिष्यसि will do? ततः,then? स्वधर्मम् own duty? कीर्तिम् fame? च and? हित्वा having abandoned? पापम् sin? अवाप्स्यसि shall incur.Commentary The Lord reminds Arjuna of the fame he had already earned and which he would now lose if he refused to fight. Arjuna had acired great fame by fighting with Lord Siva. Arjuna proceeded on a pilgrimage to the Himalayas. He fought with Siva Who appeared in the guise of a mountaineer (Kirata) and got from Him the Pasupatastra? a celestial weapon.