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VerseThe Delight of Krishna

Verse 2·37

The worse of evils: living with dishonor

Verse

हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् ।तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः ॥

hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṃ jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīmtasmāduttiṣṭha kaunteya yuddhāya kṛtaniścayaḥ

Slain thou shalt win Heaven, victorious thou shalt enjoy the earth; therefore arise, O son of Kunti, resolved upon battle.

Gītā 2·37

This, says Krishna in effect, is my answer to you if you insist on joy and sorrow and the result of your actions as your motive of action. I have shown you in what direction the higher knowledge of self and the world points you; I have now shown you in what direction your social duty and the ethical standard of your order point you, svadharmam api. cāvekṣa Whichever you consider, the result is the same. But if you are not satisfied with your social duty and the virtue of your order, if you think that leads you to sorrow and sin, then I bid you rise to a higher and not sink to a lower ideal.

CWSA 19 · Essays on the Gita · p. 66

From The Delight of Krishna · Bhagavad Gītā · in the light of Sri Aurobindo · incarnateword.in