Bhagavad Gita BG 2.36
Chapter 2, Verse 36 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून्वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः । निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ॥ ३६ ॥
avācya-vādāṃś ca bahūn vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ nindantas tava sāmarthyaṃ tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim
Meaning
Your enemies will describe you in many unkind words and scorn your ability. What could be more painful than that?
Understanding
The final argument in this section: your enemies (ahitāḥ — those who wish you ill) will speak 'avācya-vādān' — unspeakable words, words not fit to be spoken — about you. They will 'nindanta sāmarthyam' — mock and scorn your ability, your strength, your skill. For the greatest archer of his age to be mocked by his enemies would be an unbearable humiliation. Krishna's question — 'what could be more painful than that?' — makes the point: the pain of fighting is far less than the pain of such dishonour.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अवाच्यवादान् | avācya-vādān | unspeakable words / words unfit to be said |
| अहिताः | ahitāḥ | enemies / those who wish ill |
| निन्दन्तः | nindantaḥ | mocking / scorning / condemning |
| सामर्थ्यम् | sāmarthyam | ability / power / strength |
| दुःखतरम् | duḥkhataraṃ | more painful / more sorrowful |
| नु किम् | nu kim | what indeed? / is there anything? |
| च | ca | and (conjunction) |
| बहून् | bahūn | many (unkind words) |
| वदिष्यन्ति | vadiṣyanti | will speak / will say |
| तव | tava | your |
| ततः | tataḥ | than that / from that |