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Chapter 2 · Contents of the Gītā Summarized · 72 verses

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Duty & actionChapter 2 · Contents of the Gītā Summarized
2.312.33

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 2.32

The duty of a kṣatriya and equanimity

यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम् ।

सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम् ॥ ३२ ॥

yadṛcchayā copapannaṁ

svarga-dvāram apāvṛtam

sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha

labhante yuddham īdṛśam

Translation

O Pārtha, happy are the kṣatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

A Warrior’s Duty

  1. 1Kṛṣṇa says kṣatriyas are fortunate when such battles come unsought, opening the doors to the heavenly planets.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that a kṣatriya must protect citizens, using violence when needed to uphold law, order, and religious principles.
  3. 3Arjuna had no reason to avoid fighting: victory would bring him the kingdom, and death in battle would bring him to the heavenly planets.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 2, Contents of the Gītā Summarized: the duty of a kṣatriya and equanimity.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Act dutifully without attachment to fruits.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: karma, sva-dharma.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 2.32 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to duty & action?

Practice

Do one task today purely because it is right.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 2 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 2.31The duty of a kṣatriya and equanimityBG 2.33The duty of a kṣatriya and equanimityBG 3.21Leadership by example

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Ask about BG 2.32 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.