Bhagavad Gita BG 2.33
Chapter 2, Verse 33 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि । ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥ ३३ ॥
atha cet tvam imaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi tataḥ sva-dharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi
Meaning
If, however, you do not perform this righteous war, you will forsake your own duty and honour, and incur sin.
Understanding
The other side of the coin: what happens if Arjuna refuses? He loses 'sva-dharma' (his own duty), 'kīrti' (honour/fame), and gains 'pāpa' (sin). The three consequences of not fighting are precise: abandonment of duty, loss of honour, and acquisition of sin. Arjuna had argued that fighting would bring sin — but Krishna reverses this: refusing to fight is what incurs sin. The very thing Arjuna feared from fighting would come from not fighting.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अथ चेत् | atha cet | if however / but if |
| धर्म्यम् संग्रामम् | dharmyam saṃgrāmam | this righteous battle / this righteous war |
| न करिष्यसि | na kariṣyasi | you will not do / you will not perform |
| स्वधर्मम् | sva-dharmam | your own duty |
| कीर्तिम् | kīrtim | honour / fame / glory |
| हित्वा | hitvā | having forsaken / having abandoned |
| पापम् अवाप्स्यसि | pāpam avāpsyasi | you will incur sin / you will gain sin |
| त्वम् | tvam | you |
| इमम् | imam | this (righteous battle) |
| ततः | tataḥ | then / thereafter |
| च | ca | and (conjunction) |