32. yadrechaya co 'papannath
svargadvaram apavrtam
sukhinaz ksatriyah partha
labhante yuddham idrsam
(32) Happy are the Ksatriyas, 0 Partha (Arjuna), for whom such a war comes of its own accord as an open door to heaven.
A K satriya's happiness consists not in domestic pleasures and comfort but in fighting for the right.[1]
33. atha cet tvam imam dharmyarh
samgramaln na karisyasi
tatah svadharnaam kirtirh ca
hitva papani avaasyasi
(33) But if thou doest not this lawful battle, then thou wilt fail thy duty and glory and will incur sin.
When the struggle between right and wrong is on, he who abstains from it out of false sentimentality, weakness or cowardice would be committing a sin.
34 akartim ca 'pi bhutani
kathayisyanti te 'vyayam
sambhavitasya ca 'kirtir
maranad atiricyate
(34) Besides, men will ever recount thy ill-fame and for one who has been honoured, ill-fame is worse than death.
35. bhayad ranad uuaratam
marnsyante tvam maharathah
yesam ca tvam bahumato
bhutva yasyasi laghavam
(35) The great warriors will think that thou bast abstained from battle through fear and they by whom thou wart highly esteemed will make light of thee.
36. avacyavadams. ca bahün
vadisyanti tava 'hitch
nindantas tava samarthyam
tato duhkhataram nu kim
(36) Many unseemly words will be uttered by thy enemies, slandering thy strength. Could anything be sadder than that ?
Contrast this with the central teaching of the Gita that one should be indifferent to praise and blame.
