Step 4 of 7 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Pick any verse to see what it means and how to use it in your life.

  1. 1Tap a chapter, then a verse
  2. 2Read what it means
  3. 3Try the practice
700 verses37 detailed
Or browse by chapter
Chapter

Chapter 2 · Contents of the Gītā Summarized · 72 verses

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172

Deep profile← → keys move between verses

Duty & actionChapter 2 · Contents of the Gītā Summarized
2.332.35

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 2.34

The duty of a kṣatriya and equanimity

अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् ।

सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥ ३४ ॥

akīrtiṁ cāpi bhūtāni

kathayiṣyanti te ’vyayām

sambhāvitasya cākīrtir

maraṇād atiricyate

Translation

People will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

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

Dishonor Is Worse Than Death

  1. 1People will always speak of your disgrace; for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.
  2. 2Kṛṣṇa explains that if Arjuna leaves before the battle begins, people will call him a coward.
  3. 3Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna not to flee in fear. Dying in battle is better than misusing His friendship and losing respect.

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 2.34 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 2.32The 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.

Ask the study guide

Ask about BG 2.34 — 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.