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thy part! Be mindful of thy name, and tremble not!
Nought better can betide a martial soul Than lawful war;
happy the warrior To whom comes joy of battle- comes, as now,
Glorious and fair, unsought; opening for him A gateway unto Heav'n.
But, if thou shunn'st This honourable field- a
Kshattriya- If, knowing thy duty and thy task, thou bidd'st Duty and
task go by- that shall be sin!
And those to come shall speak thee infamy
From age to age; but infamy is worse For men of noble blood to bear
than death! The chiefs upon their battle-chariots Will deem 'twas
fear that drove thee from the fray. Of those who held thee mighty-souled
the scorn Thou must abide, while all thine enemies Will scatter
bitter speech of thee, to mock The valour which thou hadst; what
fate could fall More grievously than this? Either- being killed-
Thou wilt win Swarga's safety, or- alive And victor- thou wilt reign
an earthly king.
Therefore, arise, thou Son of Kunti!
brace Thine arm for conflict, nerve thy heart to meet- As
things alike to thee- pleasure or pain, Profit or ruin,
victory or defeat: So minded, gird thee to the fight, for so Thou
shalt not sin! Thus far I speak to thee As from the "Sankhya"-
unspiritually- Hear now the deeper teaching of the Yog, Which
holding, understanding, thou shalt burst
Thy Karmabandh, the bondage of wrought deeds.
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