Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "If, however, you do not fight this religious war, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and thus lose your reputation as a fighter."

Prabhupäda:

atha cet tvam imaà dharmyaà
saìgrämaà na kariñyasi
tataù sva-dharmaà kértià ca
hitvä päpam aväpsyasi

So imaà dharmyam, religious fight. Just like even nowadays also, if the soldier disobeys the order of the commander, that soldier is shot down by martial law. Because to disobey the order of the commander is sinful. So Kåñëa says, atha cet tvam imaà dharmyaà saìgrämaà na kariñyasi. This fight is not ordinary fight. It is not the politician's fight. "For the sake of religion, you must fight. And if you do not, then sva-dharmam... You are a kñatriya. Not only kñatriya, you are a very well known fighter. You have been recognized by so many demigods." Arjuna got the päçupata-astra. To test Arjuna's fighting capacity, sometimes Lord Çiva, when Arjuna was hunting in the forest, so Lord Çiva also, as a hunter, he appeared before him, and when a boar was killed by hunting, Lord Çiva claimed that "I have done this killing." Arjuna said, "No, I have done this." So there was controversy, who will claim that hunt, I mean to say, killed animal. So Arjuna was claiming, and Lord Çiva as a hunter, he was also claiming. Then there was fight between Lord Çiva and Arjuna. So Lord Çiva was defeated. So he then disclosed his identity that "I am very much pleased that you (are) such a nice fighter." So he presented him one arrow which is called päçupata-astra. Similarly, he sometimes fought with Indra. He gave him some astra, weapon. This was the system, that a kñatriya is presented with a kind of weapon, a brähmaëa is presented with Vedas, and so far vaiçyas and çüdras are concerned, they are not very important.

So Arjuna was recognized by Lord Çiva, by King Indra, and many others also. So Kåñëa says that "You have got recognition from big personalities. So if you don't fight, then not only you shall be irreligious but also you'll lose your reputation." Tataù sva-dharmaà kértià ca hitvä päpam aväpsyasi. Päpam means sin or sinful reaction. So it has to be judged, when... Sometimes fighting is päpam, means sinful activity, and sometimes fighting is puëyam, pious activities. It requires the time, circumstances, on what ground the fighting was going on, on whose order the fighting was going on. These are to be studied. So violence and nonviolence. Our great leader, Mahatma Gandhi, he wanted to prove from Bhagavad-gétä, nonviolence. He started the nonviolence movement, and he wanted to support... Everyone takes advantage of Bhagavad-gétä and tries to support his view on the strength of Bhagavad-gétä. Therefore you will find so many interpretations. Everyone wants to utilize. There are more than six hundred publication, commentaries, on Bhagavad-gétä. One Dr. Rele in Bombay, he has interpreted Bhagavad-gétä as talks between a physician and a patient.

So these things are going on, but that is not Bhagavad-gétä. That is nämno baläd yasya hi päpa-buddhiù. Näma-aparädha, ten kinds of offenses... This is offense. Just like nämno baläd yasya hi päpa-buddhiù. We say, the çästra says, that by chanting Hare Kåñëa mantra, you become cleansed of your sinful activities. That's a fact. But if somebody thinks that "I shall go on committing sinful activity and chant Hare Kåñëa mantra so it will be adjusted, neutralized, this is the most sinful activity, nämno balät, by the strength of chanting, committing sin. So similarly on the strength of Bhagavad-gétä, if one wants to prove his foolish philosophy, that is a great offense. That's a great offense. Therefore Bhagavad-gétä cannot be interpreted by foolish commentators. It must be studied through the paramparä system, äcärya upäsanam. One must worship the äcärya and learn from him what is Bhagavad-gétä. Äcäryavän puruño veda. This is the Vedic injunction. Who knows things as they are. Äcäryaà mäà puruña, one who is under the guidance of äcärya. So you won't find this foolish nonviolence theory from any äcärya. Many äcäryas have commented on Bhagavad-gétä. There is Rämänujäcärya, Madhväcärya, even Çaìkaräcärya. But never said that Bhagavad-gétä is proof of nonviolence. Nonviolence is good but when there is dharma-yuddha, righteous fighting, there is no question of nonviolence. Violence is approved.

Therefore Kåñëa says that tataù sva-dharmaà kértià ca: "You will, by neglecting your sva-dharma, your professional or occupational duty, and minimizing the importance of your recognition, kérti..." Kértir yasya sa jévati: "Anyone who is reputed for his good activities, he lives forever." Kértir yasya sa jévati. Bhaja sädhu-samägamam. Tyaja durjana-saàsargaà bhaja sädhu-samägamam. Cäëakya Paëòita also says kértiù sa... Who lives forever? One who has got reputation for his, one who is famous for his good activities. "So don't try to lose your reputation. You are a great fighter, recognized by so many authorities, and if you don't fight, then people will say, 'Now Arjuna is finished. He cannot anymore fight.' So don't lose this reputation. Don't be deviated from your occupational duty as a kñatriya. If you do all these things, then päpam aväpsyasi. You don't think that it will be pious. You will, on the other hand you will become impious." Päpam aväpsyasi. Next verse.

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

Translation: "People will always speak of your infamy, and for one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death."

Prabhupäda:

akértià cäpi bhütäni
kathayiñyanti te 'vyayäm
sambhävitasya cäkértir
maraëäd atiricyate

Sambhävitasya, one who is very reputed, famous man, if he does something wrong, then it was better to die before such infamy is grown. This is advised. Arjuna is famous as a great fighter. Not only that, he is personal friend of Kåñëa, so much so that Kåñëa has agreed to become his chariot driver. Just try to understand what is his position. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, who is worshiped by Lord Brahmä, govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi **, He has agreed to drive the chariot of Arjuna on account of friendship. Now, we have to imagine how much famous he is. "Everyone will say, 'Oh, Kåñëa is his so intimate friend that He has agreed to drive his chariot!' This is your reputation all over the world." So sambhävitasya cäkértiù. "And if you don't fight now, what people will say? Better you die." Kåñëa is advising that "Instead of becoming a very good man, nonviolent, you lay down your life. That is My advice. You die. I shall see that you have died. I will be very much pleased." This is Kåñëa's advice. How much He has become, I mean to say, dissatisfied with the decision of Arjuna, "Kåñëa, I am not going to fight this battle." So Kåñëa's last advice is that if you don't fight, better you die before him. I shall be very much pleased." Then?

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

Translation: "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 a coward."

Prabhupäda:

bhayäd raëäd uparataà
maàsyante tväà mahä-rathäù
yeñäà ca tvaà bahu-mato
bhütvä yäsyasi läghavam

This spirit of kñatriya was prevalent even, say, three hundred years ago in India. There was a king, Yasomanta Sena. He was the commander-in-chief of Emperor Aurangzeb. So in one fight, he was defeated and came back to his home. So his wife heard that "My husband has been defeated. He's coming back home." So she asked the caretaker to close the door of the palace. So when Yasomanta Sena came there, he saw that his palace door is closed. Then he sent message to the queen that "Why you have closed the door? I have come home." So messenger came and informed that "The king has come. So he is asking to open the door." The queen replied, "Who is king? Yasomanta Sena. No, no. Yasomanta Sena cannot come being defeated. Yasomanta Sena either he conquers the battle or he lays down his body there dead. So the man who has come, he must be somebody pretender. He is not King Yasomanta Sena." So she refused to open the door. This is the spirit of kñatriya spirit.