Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 2 › Verse 31
Bhagavad Gītā 2.31: Don’t tremble at your duty
स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि ।
धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ॥
svadharmamapi cāvekṣya na vikampitumarhasi
dharmyāddhi yuddhācchreyo'nyatkṣatriyasya na vidyate
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
Considering your own duty as well, you should not waver; for a kṣatriya there is nothing better than a righteous battle. Kṛṣṇa turns from metaphysics to Arjuna’s social duty as a warrior (2.31–2.38). The context is a war that has been declared just after every peace effort failed; it is not a general praise of fighting.
For children
Krishna says: “Arjuna, your job is to protect people. Don’t be scared of doing your job.”
Kṛṣṇa begins a new argument: apart from the nature of the self, Arjuna should consider his own duty as a protector.
Word by word
स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य — Looking at your own duty, too
- svadharma: one’s own duty
- avekṣya: having looked at, considering
न विकम्पितुमर्हसि — you should not tremble
- vikampitum: to tremble, to waver
- arhasi: you should
धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत् — for nothing is better than a fight for what is right
- dharmya: in keeping with dharma, righteous
- yuddha: battle
- śreyas: better, the highest good
क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते — for a warrior
- kṣatriya: a warrior, protector
Kṛṣṇa speaks this verse. The Sanskrit is checked against four editions; meanings and word notes are simple learning aids written for MahaPrabha Gurukul, awaiting review by a Sanskrit teacher.