Bhagavad Gita BG 2.35
Chapter 2, Verse 35 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः । येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम् ॥ ३५ ॥
bhayād raṇād uparataṃ maṃsyante tvāṃ mahārathāḥ yeṣāṃ ca tvaṃ bahum ato bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam
Meaning
The great generals who have highly esteemed your name and fame will think that you have left the battlefield out of fear only, and thus they will consider you insignificant.
Understanding
Krishna addresses Arjuna's social standing. The 'mahārathāḥ' — the great chariot warriors on both sides — who currently hold Arjuna in the highest regard (bahum ataḥ — highly esteemed) will conclude he left out of 'bhaya' (fear). From being the most esteemed warrior, he will fall to 'lāghava' — insignificance, lightness, contemptibility. The reversal is complete: the most honoured becomes the most despised.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| भयात् | bhayāt | out of fear |
| रणात् उपरतम् | raṇāt uparatam | one who has withdrawn from battle |
| मंस्यन्ते | maṃsyante | will think / will consider |
| महारथाः | mahārathāḥ | great chariot warriors |
| बहुमतः | bahum ataḥ | highly esteemed / greatly respected |
| लाघवम् | lāghavam | insignificance / contemptibility / lightness |
| त्वाम् | tvām | you (accusative) |
| येषाम् | yeṣām | by whom / in whose eyes |
| च | ca | and (conjunction) |
| त्वम् | tvam | you (nominative) |
| भूत्वा | bhūtvā | having been / after being (esteemed) |
| यास्यसि | yāsyasi | you will fall into / go down to |