Yatharth Geeta -Swami Adgadanand 138

Yatharth Geeta -Swami Adgadanand Ji

CHAPTER 2 Curiosity About Action अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि। तत: स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि॥33॥ [ “And if you do not engage in this righteous war, you will lose the dharm of your Self and glory, and be guilty of sin.’’ ] If Arjun does not fight in this war of matter and spirit, which will afford him access to the Supreme Spirit-to the immutable, eternal dharm, he will be deprived of his inherent capacity for action and struggle, and wallow in the mire of repeated birth and death, and of disgrace. Krishn then clarifies the nature of this disgrace: अकर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम्। सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्ति-र्मरणादतिरिच्यते॥34॥ [ “And all will for ever speak of your disgrace and such disgrace is worse than death itself for a man of honour.’’ ] People will long speak ill of Arjun’s unmanliness. Even today sages like Vishwamitr, Parasher, Nimi, and Shringi are remembered chiefly for their transgressions of the path of righteousness. So worshippers reflect on their dharm. They think about what others will say of them. Such thought is helpful in the process of spiritual seeking. It provides the urge for persevering with the quest for the ultimate reality. It also provides support over a certain length of the spiritual way. Infamy is even worse than death for honourable men.