Bhagavad Gita BG 2.3
Chapter 2, Verse 3 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते । क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप ॥ ३ ॥
klaibyaṃ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitat tvayy upapadyate kṣudraṃ hṛdaya-daurbalyaṃ tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa
Meaning
O Partha, do not yield to impotence. It does not become you. Shake off this petty faint-heartedness and arise, O scorcher of enemies!
Understanding
Krishna uses two sharp words: 'klaibyam' (unmanliness/impotence) and 'hṛdaya-daurbalyam' (weakness of heart). But he also uses 'Parantapa' — scorcher of enemies — reminding Arjuna of his true nature and power. This is a deliberate juxtaposition: you who are a scorcher of enemies are behaving with the weakness of heart that does not suit you. Arise! The word 'uttiṣṭha' — arise! — is one of the Gita's most direct imperatives.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| क्लैब्यम् | klaibyam | unmanliness / impotence / weakness |
| मा स्म गमः | mā sma gamaḥ | do not yield to / do not go toward |
| क्षुद्रम् | kṣudram | petty / trivial / small |
| हृदयदौर्बल्यम् | hṛdaya-daurbalyam | weakness of heart / faint-heartedness |
| उत्तिष्ठ | uttiṣṭha | arise! / stand up! |
| परन्तप | parantapa | O scorcher of enemies (Arjuna's epithet) |
| पार्थ | pārtha | O Partha (son of Pritha / Arjuna) |
| न एतत् | naitat | this is not / this does not |
| त्वयि | tvayy | in you / for you |
| उपपद्यते | upapadyate | is becoming / befits / is appropriate |
| त्यक्त्वा | tyaktvā | having cast away / shaking off |