In BG 2.11–30, Krishna thoroughly established the point that everyone’s body is perishable while the soul dwelling inside the body is eternal. From this bipartite identity that we all carry during our sojourn in this material world, there emerge two kinds of duties: (1) circumstantial duties, or duties based on the psychophysical make-up of our body and (2) constitutional duties, or duties based on our identity as the embodied soul attending to its need for freedom. In this section, Krishna brings out Arjuna’s psychophysical nature as a kṣatriya (a warrior) and the call for duty based on that nature.
Furthermore (api ca), considering (avekṣya) Arjuna’s own duty (sva-dharmam), he should (arhasi) not (na) vacillate (vikampitum). For a kṣatriya (kṣatriyasya), there is certainly (hi) no other (anyat) better engagement (chreyo) than fighting (yuddhāc) to protect righteous principles (dharmyād). (BG 2.31) Happy (sukhinaḥ) are the warriors (kṣatriyāḥ) who gain (labhante) such a fighting opportunity (yuddham īdṛśam), which comes (copapannaṁ) on its own accord (yadṛcchayā), opening for them (apāvṛtam) the doors of the heavenly planets (svarga-dvāram). (BG 2.32)
What is the flip side of neglecting one’s duties?
Now (atha), if (cet) Arjuna (tvam) does not perform (na kariṣyasi) this (imaṁ) duty (dharmyaṁ) of fighting (saṅgrāmaṁ), then (tataḥ) he will incur (avāpsyasi) sin (pāpam), losing (hitvā) his own position (sva-dharmaṁ) and fame (kīrtiṁ ca). (BG 2.33) Furthermore (cāpi), people (bhūtāni) will always (te ’vyayām) speak (kathayiṣyanti) of his infamy (akīrtiṁ), and (ca) for a respectable person (sambhāvitasya ), infamy (akīrtir) is worse (atiricyate) than death (maraṇād). (BG 2.34)
There are two ways infamy is going to haunt Arjuna. The great fighters (mahā-rathāḥ) will think (maṁsyante) that Arjuna (tvāṁ) has left the battlefield out of fear (bhayād raṇād uparataṁ), and (ca) thus he will become insignificant (bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam) before those who (yeṣāṁ) have regarded him highly (tvaṁ bahu-mato). (BG 2.35) His (tava) enemies (ahitāḥ) will describe (vadiṣyanti) him in many (bahūn) unmentionable words (avācya-vādāṁś ca) and scorn his ability (nindantas tava sāmarthyaṁ). Thereafter (tato), what could be more painful (duḥkha-taraṁ nu kim)? (BG 2.36)
If Arjuna is killed on the battlefield he will attain the heavenly planets (hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṁ), or he will conquer (jitvā vā) and enjoy the earthly kingdom (bhokṣyase mahīm). Therefore, he should get up (tasmād uttiṣṭha) to fight (yuddhāya) with determination (kṛta-niścayaḥ). (BG 2.37)
