bhayād raṇād uparataṁ mansyante tvāṁ mahā-rathāḥ
yeṣhāṁ cha tvaṁ bahu-mato bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam
bhayāt — out of fear;
raṇāt — from the battlefield;
uparatam — have fled;
maṁsyante — will think;
tvām — you;
mahā-rathāḥ — warriors who could single handedly match the strength of ten thousand ordinary warriors;
yeṣhām — for whom;
cha — and;
tvam — you;
bahu-mataḥ — high esteemed;
bhūtvā — having been;
yāsyasi — you will loose;
lāghavam — decreased in value
In this verse, Lord Krishna is speaking to Arjuna, who is feeling unsure and overwhelmed about fighting in the battle. Krishna is warning Arjuna not to misinterpret how others, especially the great warriors like Duryodhana and Karna, will see his actions. If Arjuna decides to leave the battlefield and not fight, these warriors won't think he did it out of compassion for his family or respect for his elders. Instead, they will think he is running away because he is scared.
Krishna emphasizes that these warriors have a high regard for Arjuna and his skills. They have always seen him as a strong and brave fighter, someone who can match up against many enemies at once. If he backs down now, they will feel disappointed and will think less of him. His reputation will suffer badly if they see his refusal to fight as a sign of weakness. Instead of being honored for his compassion, he will be seen as a coward who is afraid of facing tough situations.
This point is important because it shows how our actions can be misunderstood by others. In situations where we are feeling heavy emotions, like fear or uncertainty, it’s crucial to think about how our decisions will affect not just ourselves but also how others perceive us. Arjuna needs to realize that there can be dire consequences to not fulfilling one's duties, especially when those duties are seen as courageous by others. Krishna is urging him to reconsider the impact of his choices and not to let fear push him away from his responsibilities.