Devanagari
भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः ।
येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम् ॥ ३५ ॥
Verse text
bhayād raṇād uparataṁ
maṁsyante tvāṁ mahā-rathāḥ
yeṣāṁ ca tvaṁ bahu-mato
bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam
Synonyms
bhayāt
—
out of fear
;
raṇāt
—
from the battlefield
;
uparatam
—
ceased
;
maṁsyante
—
they will consider
;
tvām
—
you
;
mahā-rathāḥ
—
the great generals
;
yeṣām
—
for whom
;
ca
—
also
;
tvam
—
you
;
bahu-mataḥ
—
in great estimation
;
bhūtvā
—
having been
;
yāsyasi
—
you will go
;
lāghavam
—
decreased in value.
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 insignificant.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
35. The great warriors, by whom you were regarded highly, and will now be regarded with contempt, will think that you have abandoned the battlefield out of fear.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
35. The great warriors, by whom you were regarded highly, and will now gain insignificance, will think that you have abandoned the battlefield out of fear.
Purport
Lord Kṛṣṇa continued to give His verdict to Arjuna: “Do not think that the great generals like Duryodhana, Karṇa and other contemporaries will think that you have left the battlefield out of compassion for your brothers and grandfather. They will think that you have left out of fear for your life. And thus their high estimation of your personality will go to hell.”
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Those who have high regard for you as a warrior, even though you are an enemy, will no longer give you respect if you give up the battle. The mahā-rathas like Duryodhana will think that you have fled in fear from the battlefield. They will not think of any other reason for the kṣatriya to leave the field than fear. Strong bonds of friendship will not be considered.
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
“But how can I gain infamy from neglecting to fight out of compassion and avoiding the sin of destruction of the family?”
“Mahārathas like Duryodhana will think that you have left the battle from fear of Karṇa and others, not out of compassion for friends. Warriors do not give up battle out of compassion, and do so only out of fear of the enemy. Previously those who respected you as a warrior and worthy enemy, having many good qualities (bahumataḥ), will now, at the time of battle, think that you have given up the battle because you are a coward. You will reap intolerable contempt from them.”
Surrender Unto Me
Krsna is saying: "Arjuna when you try to explain to the generals and the other opposing army men: O I am leaving the battlefield out of great compassion and I don't want to kill although I am a ksatryia. They will go to say : O such a great ksatryia Arjuna is, he is leaving the battlefield, and it is not because he is affraid or anything, it is because he is compassionate, he doesn't want to hurt anyone. No! no o going to beleive in you O Arjuna and your high reputation as a ksatryia will be finished! And that will be more painful to you than even the arrows of the enemy. This will be one of your great losses!"