Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 33

Chapter 2 – Sankhya Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि ।
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥

Transliteration

atha cettvamimaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi .
tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpamavāpsyasi ॥

Meaning

But if you will not fight this righteous war, then, abandoning your own duty and your honour, you will incur sin.

Word meanings

अथ – but
चेत् – if
त्वम् – you
इमम् – this
धर्म्यम् – righteous
संग्रामम् – battle
न करिष्यसि – will not wage
ततः – then
स्वधर्मम् – your own duty
कीर्तिम् – honour, fame
च – and
हित्वा – abandoning, losing
पापम् – sin
अवाप्स्यसि – you will incur

Anvaya (word order)

अथ चेत् त्वम् इमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि, ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापम् अवाप्स्यसि ।

Explanation

In the previous verse Krishna spoke of the gain in fighting; now He speaks of the loss in not fighting. This is the method of a wise counsellor — making both sides of the choice clear. Arjuna believed that fighting would bring sin (1.36); Krishna says that it is refusing to fight that would bring sin.

This is a vital ethical principle: running away from duty is also an action, and it too bears fruit. When a person is charged with protecting the innocent and steps back out of sentiment, his inaction strengthens injustice. ‘Doing nothing’ is not always innocent.

Krishna lists three losses: abandonment of svadharma, loss of honour and the incurring of sin. Shankara explains that one who forsakes his prescribed duty violates the injunction of scripture, and this is sin. His honour, the most precious possession of a warrior, is also destroyed.

In life too, when we avoid a necessary but difficult task — failing to speak against injustice, putting off a responsibility — it leaves a stain on our character. To do the right thing at the right time is dharma.

Context

In 2.32 Krishna called the righteous war a gate to heaven. Here He describes the consequences of not fighting — loss of duty and honour, and sin. In the next verse (2.34) He elaborates on the evil of dishonour.

Life lesson

Fleeing from duty is itself an action with consequences. When a rightful task is yours to do, avoiding it is not innocence but a failure of your dharma.

Key terms

Dharmya sangrama: a righteous battle
Kirti: honour, good name
Papa: sin; the fault arising from violating dharma