Verse 2.36
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून्वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः। निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम्॥
Transliteration (IAST)
avācya-vādāṁś ca bahūn vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ nindantas tava sāmarthyaṁ tato duḥkhataraṁ nu kim
Word-by-Word Meanings
avācya-vādān-unspeakable words
tavāhitāḥ-your enemies
nindantaḥ-slandering
sāmarthyam-ability/prowess
duḥkhataram-more painful
Translation
Your enemies will speak many unspeakable words, slandering your prowess. What could be more painful than that?
Commentary
Krishna concludes the social argument by pointing to the mockery Arjuna would face from enemies. While these worldly arguments may seem less elevated than the metaphysical ones, Krishna meets Arjuna where he is, using multiple levels of reasoning to motivate right action.
Themes
dharmaduty