Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 2 - Shloka (Verse) 36

व्याख्या -- अवाच्यवादांश्च ৷৷. निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यम् अहित नाम शत्रुका है, अहित करनेवालेका है। तेरे जो दुर्योधन, दुःशासन, कर्ण आदि शत्रु हैं, तेरे वैर न रखनेपर भी वे स्वयं तेरे साथ वैर रखकर तेरा अहित करनेवाले हैं। वे तेरी सामर्थ्यको जानते हैं कि यह बड़ा भारी शूरवीर है। ऐसा जानते हुए भी वे तेरी सामर्थ्यकी निन्दा करेंगे कि यह तो हिजड़ा है। देखो! यह युद्धके मौकेपर हो गया न अलग! क्या यह हमारे सामने टिक सकता है? क्या यह हमारे साथ युद्ध कर सकता है? इस प्रकार तुझे दुःखी करनेके लिये तेरे भीतर जलन पैदा करनेके लिये न जाने कितने न कहनेलायक वचन कहेंगे। उनके वचनोंको तू कैसे सहेगा?

तथा वे तेरे शत्रुगण निवातकवचादिके साथ युद्ध करनेमें दिखलाये हुए तेरे सामर्थ्यकी निन्दा करते हुए बहुतसे अनेक प्रकारके न कहने योग्य वाक्य भी तुझे कहेंगे। उस निन्दाजनित दुःखसे अधिक बड़ा दुःख क्या है अर्थात् उससे अधिक कष्टकर कोई भी दुःख नहीं है।

"For this reason also, do not desist from the war"—He says this with 'Kincha' (Moreover).

Raising the doubt [that Arjuna might say], "Unable to bear the far more painful sorrow caused by the killing of Bhishma, Drona, and others, having desisted from the war, I will be able to endure the censure of my capability, etc., made by the enemies"—anticipating this, He says 'Tatah' (Than that).

Not only will they think just this much, but they will also utter unspeakable words in the form of "eunuch-sesame" (implying impotence or worthlessness) and the like, since they are 'ahita' (enemies)—He says this with 'Avachya', etc.

'Avachyavadan' means words unfit to be spoken.

'Ahitah' means enemies. The meaning is that there is no sorrow more painful than the sorrow arising from incurring that censure.

Moreover, 'Avachyavadan' means words unfit to be spoken—such as "Arjuna is a eunuch-sesame" (impotent/worthless), etc. Censuring your capability, (they will say)—"Fie on his heroism, who fled out of fear of Bhishma and others."

This speech is a sorrow greater even than death.

"What is a sorrow more painful than this?"—meaning, there is nothing at all.

In the presence of us heroes, how could this Partha stand even for a moment? His capability is indeed elsewhere than in our presence"—thus censuring your capability, your enemies—the sons of Dhritarashtra—will speak many 'unspeakable words' in front of heroes.

'Tatah'—What is a sorrow greater than that? "Death is indeed better than hearing such unspeakable words"—this you yourself will think.

Therefore, for a hero, killing others oneself or being killed by others—both indeed lead to the highest good; thus He says [in the next verse].

Moreover, 'Avachya' (etc.).

Your 'ahita'—meaning your enemies—will speak 'avachya-vadan', meaning words unworthy of being spoken.

Having thus mentioned the past offenses and the imputation of insignificance that will occur, He now reinforces [the argument against] misplaced affection by pointing out the future offenses as well; with this intention, He says 'Kincha' (Moreover).

The commentator explains the specific manner of "censuring capability" resulting from the present incident [of withdrawing] with the words "Shuranam asmakam" (In the presence of us heroes...), etc.

"Unspeakable words regarding heroes" means words that should not be spoken to heroes, but to 'Kandishikas' (cowards/runaways)—meaning words characterized by harshness, obscenity, and mockery. The word 'Ahita' here implies the cause of the unspeakable speech, and with this intention, it is glossed as 'Shatravo Dhartarashtrah' (Enemies, sons of Dhritarashtra). If Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Shalya, and such men were to say something, it might be bearable due to the weight of their heroism; but how could you bear the many "unspeakable words" uttered by those who are not heroes but claim to be heroes, and who are great offenders [against you]? This is the purport.

Objection: The comparative suffixes like 'tarap' are appropriate only for words denoting qualities (adjectives), not for words denoting class/genus (nouns); for instance, one does not say 'Ghatatara' (more pot). So how is 'Duhkhataram' (more sorrow) used here? To this, he answers with 'Tatah' (Than that). 'Tatah' implies "from that unspeakable speech," meaning "from hearing it"; this is the resulting meaning. The word 'Duhkha' here denotes the specific quality of 'pratikulya' (adverse nature/unpleasantness). Just as 'Pratikulataram' (more adverse) is said, so is 'Duhkhataram' said. By using the word 'Adhikataram' (greater/more), the commentator extracts and expresses the meaning of the suffix (excess).

'Tava' (For you)—The idea is that you are not a 'Rathya-purusha' (a common man on the street), nor are you established in Samadhi (meditation), such that you would not be pained in this matter.

He explains that the word 'Kim' is intended to recall the 'greater sorrow' mentioned in the previous verse with the word 'Evam' (Thus). "You yourself will think so"—[The allusion is:] In the context of the censure of the Gandiva bow's capability, you were ready to kill even the son of Dharma (Yudhisthira); what then to speak of Karna and others [if they censure you]? Therefore, the heart [intent of Krishna] is: even if you withdraw now, compelled then by that unbearable sorrow [of censure], you will certainly fight.

यह देखकर कि अर्जुन के मन में इन तर्कों का अनुकूल प्रभाव पड़ रहा है श्रीकृष्ण उसको युद्ध से पलायन करने में जो दोष हैं उन्हें और अधिक स्पष्ट करके दिखाते हैं। लोकनिन्दा युद्ध से पलायन का आरोप इतिहास में अपकीर्ति इनसे बढ़कर एक सम्मानित व्यक्ति के लिये और अधिक दुख क्या हो सकता है

And that very thing, out of fear of which you are desisting from war, will fall upon you with a hundred branches (manifold); He says this

with "Atha chet" etc. This group of five verses is spoken in the form of Abhyupagamavada (argument for the sake of hypothesis/accepting the opponent's standpoint). Even if you abide by worldly conduct, still this must necessarily be performed.

Objection: "Let the great chariot-warriors like Bhishma not hold me in high esteem, but the enemies like Duryodhana will certainly esteem me highly, because by withdrawing from the war I act as their benefactor." To this, He replies: Your enemies, Duryodhana and others, censuring your extraordinary capability which is renowned in the world, will speak many 'unspeakable words'—words unfit to be spoken, such as "eunuch-sesame" (impotent)—in various ways; they will not esteem you highly; this is the intention.

Alternatively, 'tava samarthyam' means your 'worthiness of praise'; censuring that, the enemies will speak unspeakable words; this is the syntax.

Objection: "Unable to bear the far more painful sorrow caused by the killing of Bhishma, Drona, and others, having desisted from the war, I will be able to endure the sorrow of the censure of my capability made by the enemies." To this, He replies: 'Tatah'—Than that sorrow of incurring censure, what is more painful? The meaning is that there is no sorrow whatsoever greater than that.

Moreover, censuring your capability, your 'ahita'—meaning enemies—will speak many 'unspeakable words'—sentences unfit to be spoken.

'Nu' is used in the sense of certainty.

"What is more painful than that?"—meaning, there is nothing at all.

'Avachyavadan'—meaning words unfit to be spoken, and those too 'bahun', meaning of many kinds—your 'ahitah', that is, enemies, will speak. 'Nindantah', meaning abusing or censuring 'tava', that is, your 'samarthyam' (prowess) which was displayed in the cause of the battle against the Nivatakavachas and others.

'Tatah'—meaning than that sorrow arising from incurring censure—'duhkhataram nu kim' (what is indeed more painful)? The meaning is that there is no sorrow more painful than that.

However, if the war is performed, [being killed] by Karna and others...

Moreover, 'Avachyavadan' (unspeakable words), etc.

(The meaning is) clear.

अवाच्यवादान् words that are improper to be spoken? च and? बहून् many? वदिष्यन्ति will say? तव thy? अहिताः enemies? निन्दन्तः cavilling? तव thy? सामर्थ्यम् power? ततः than this? दुःखतरम् more painful? नु indeed? किम् what.Commentary There is really no pain more unbearable and tormenting that that of slander thus incurred.

Ca, and besieds; tava, your; ahitah, enemies; vadisyanti, will speak; bahun, many, various kinds of; avacya-vadan, indecent words, unutterable words; nindantah, while denigrating, scorning; tava, your; samarthyam, might earned from battles against Nivatakavaca and others. Therefore, kim nu, what can be; duhkhataram, more painful; tatah, than that, than the sorrow arising from being scorned? That is to say, there is no greater pain than it.

Moreover, your enemies, the sons of Dhrtarastra, will make many remarks unutterably slanderous and disparaging to heroes, saying, 'How can this Partha stand in the presence of us, who are heroes, even for a moment? His prowess is elsewhere than in our presence.' Can there be anything more painful to you than this? You yourself will understand that death is preferable to subjection to disparagement of this kind.
Sri Krsna now says that for a hero, enemies being slain by oneself and oneself being slain by enemies are both conducive to supreme bliss.