Bhagavad Gita · 2.32 · Transcendental Knowledge·32 of 72
यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम्।सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम् ॥
yadṛichchhayā chopapannaṁ swarga-dvāram apāvṛitam
sukhinaḥ kṣhatriyāḥ pārtha labhante yuddham īdṛiśham
Sanskrit recitation
Duty when you are afraid · 2.31–2.38 · Teaching
Translation
Happy are the Kshatriyas, O Arjuna! who are called to fight in such a battle that comes of its own accord as an open door to heaven.
Meaning
The scriptures declare that if a Kshatriya dies for a righteous cause on the battlefield, he at once goes to heaven.
After Swami Sivananda
Duty when you are afraid· 2.31–2.38→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 2.31Further, having regard to your duty, you should not waver, for there is nothing higher for a Kshatriya than a righteous war.
2.32Happy are the Kshatriyas, O Arjuna! who are called to fight in such a battle that comes of its own accord as an open door to heaven.
- 2.33But if you will not fight this righteous war, then having abandoned your own duty and reputation, you will incur sin.
- 2.34People will also recount your everlasting dishonor; and for one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death.
- 2.35The great chariot-warriors will think that you have withdrawn from the battle out of fear, and you will be held in low esteem by those who have held you in high regard.
- 2.36Your enemies, scoffing at your power, will speak many abusive words—what could be more painful than this?
- 2.37Slain, you will obtain heaven; victorious, you will enjoy the earth; therefore, stand up, O son of Kunti, resolved to fight.
- 2.38Having made pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat equal, engage in battle for the sake of battle; thus, you shall not incur sin.
Word-by-word→
- cha
- and
- swarga
- celestial abodes
- dvāram
- door
- pārtha
- Arjun, the son of Pritha
- yuddham
- war
- labhante
- obtain
- upapannam
- come
- sukhinaḥ
- happy
- apāvṛitam
- wide open
- īdṛiśham
- such
- kṣhatriyāḥ
- warriors
- yadṛichchhayā
- unsought
Related verses
- 2.4Arjuna said, "O Madhusudana, how can I fight in battle with arrows against Bhishma and…
- 2.35The great chariot-warriors will think that you have withdrawn from the battle out of fear,…
- 4.22Content with what comes to him without effort, free from the pairs of opposites and envy,…
- 2.1Sanjaya said: To him, who was thus overcome with pity, despondent, with eyes full of tears…