Devanagari
हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्ग जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् ।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः ॥ ३७ ॥
Verse text
hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṁ
jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm
tasmād uttiṣṭha kaunteya
yuddhāya kṛta-niścayaḥ
Synonyms
hataḥ
—
being killed
;
vā
—
either
;
prāpsyasi
—
you gain
;
svargam
—
the heavenly kingdom
;
jitvā
—
by conquering
;
vā
—
or
;
bhokṣyase
—
you enjoy
;
mahīm
—
the world
;
tasmāt
—
therefore
;
uttiṣṭha
—
get up
;
kaunteya
—
O son of Kuntī
;
yuddhāya
—
to fight
;
kṛta
—
determined
;
niścayaḥ
—
in certainty.
Translation
O son of Kuntī, either you will be killed on the battlefield and attain the heavenly planets, or you will conquer and enjoy the earthly kingdom. Therefore, get up with determination and fight.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
37. Being killed, you will attain heaven. Being defeated, you will enjoy the earth. Therefore, rise, O son of Kuntī, and fight with determination.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
37. Being killed, you will attain heaven. Being victorious, you will enjoy the earth. Therefore, rise, O son of Kuntī, and fight with determination.
Purport
Even though there was no certainty of victory for Arjuna’s side, he still had to fight; for, even being killed there, he could be elevated into the heavenly planets.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
“In this battle, my victory is not even certain. Therefore, why should you encourage this war?” He answers in this verse.
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
“I am giving up the battle because it is uncertain that I will even be victorious.”
“Even being defeated and killed, you will attain svarga. Being victorious, you will enjoy the earth. In both cases, you gain.”
Surrender Unto Me
Arjuna was thinking : "How will I be able to enjoy, because if I win this battle, what will happen! Those people who I want to enjoy with will be dead. So winning will not bring any enjoyement and if I loose the battle than I will be dead and I will not be able to enjoy. If I win, I loose and if I loose, I loose!"
These were Arjuna's arguments, but Krsna is reversing his arguments in this Text: "If you loose you win and if you win, you win. Therefore get up with determination and fight!"
But yet, this "acting in prescribed duties" it is not the highest spiritual arguments that Krsna is giving, this is basically based on sense enjoyement. That's why this Section is named Karma‑kanda, using one's prescribed duties and the Vedas for the purpose of one's enjoyement.
Now Krsna ends this Section bringing to a newer level, in next text, which is above the Karma‑kanda level but bringing it to the point of Karma‑yoga which will be continued in Buddhi‑yoga very soon.