akīrtiṁ chāpi bhūtāni
kathayiṣhyanti te ’vyayām
sambhāvitasya chākīrtir
maraṇād atirichyate
akīrtim — infamy;
cha — and;
api — also;
bhūtāni — people;
kathayiṣhyanti — will speak;
te — of your;
avyayām — everlasting;
sambhāvitasya — of a respectable person;
cha — and;
akīrtiḥ — infamy;
maraṇāt — than death;
atirichyate — is greater
In this verse, Lord Krishna is talking to Arjuna about the consequences of not fighting in battle. He emphasizes that if Arjuna turns away from the fight, people will talk badly about him and label him a coward. This is significant because Arjuna is a respected warrior, and he has a good reputation. For someone like him, facing dishonor is worse than dying.
Think of it this way: when you respect someone—like a teacher or a leader—you expect them to act bravely and uphold their reputation. If that respected person were to back down from a challenge or run away, many would see that as a failure. They would whisper behind their backs, saying, 'Look at that person; they are afraid and have lost their honor.'
Krishna is telling Arjuna that instead of running away and risking his reputation, it would be better to die fighting. Dying in battle, while tragic, would at least preserve his honor and the respect that he has earned over time. In other words, it's better to face danger and uphold your dignity than to live with shame.
The main idea here is about how important reputation and honor are, especially for someone like Arjuna. It’s a reminder that sometimes we have to stand up for what is right and face difficult situations rather than avoid them just to save ourselves from potential embarrassment or fear. This message from Krishna encourages Arjuna to embrace his role and responsibilities as a warrior, highlighting that integrity and honor should take precedence over fear of loss.