In the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, having established the eternal nature of the soul, Lord Krishna now dramatically shifts his line of reasoning. He moves from the universal, metaphysical truth to a specific, personal, and practical truth: the importance of one’s own duty. The Svadharmam Api Caveksya verse begins Krishna’s instruction on `karma-yoga`, the path of selfless action, by first appealing to Arjuna’s identity and sacred role as a warrior.
Sanskrit Verse
स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि ।
धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ॥ ३१ ॥Transliteration
svadharmam api cāvekṣya na vikampitum arhasi
dharmyād dhi yuddhāc chreyo ’nyat kṣatriyasya na vidyateWord for Word Translation
svadharmam — one’s own religious duty; api ca — also; avekṣya — considering; na vikampitum arhasi — you should not waver; dharmyāt — for a righteous cause; hi — certainly; yuddhāt — than fighting; śreyaḥ — better engagement; anyat — any other; kṣatriyasya — of a kshatriya; na vidyate — does not exist.
English Translation
Considering your specific duty as a kshatriya, you should know that there is no better engagement for you than fighting for a righteous cause. Therefore, you should not waver.
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
This verse marks a crucial pivot. Krishna is now saying, “Even beyond the philosophy of the soul, consider your own role in the world.”
- Svadharmam api cāvekṣya: “Considering also your own duty.” `Sva-dharma` is one of the most important concepts in the Gita. It means one’s own, personal, prescribed duty, determined by one’s nature (`svabhāva`) and position in society. It is the path of action that is most natural and beneficial for one’s spiritual evolution. Krishna is appealing to Arjuna’s identity.
- Na vikampitum arhasi: “You should not waver.” This is a direct command. `Vikampitum` means to hesitate, tremble, or waver. Krishna is telling him that for a man in his position, hesitation in this matter is a fault.
- Dharmyād dhi yuddhāt: “Than a righteous war.” The key is that this is a `dhārmik` war—a war fought for principles, for righteousness, to uphold justice. It is not a war of aggression. For a Kshatriya, or a member of the warrior/administrator class, participating in such a battle is not a sin; it is their highest duty.
- Śreyo ’nyat… na vidyate: “No other, better engagement exists.” Krishna is unequivocal. For a warrior facing a righteous battle, there is no higher religious or moral principle than to engage in that fight. To abandon it for any other activity, such as becoming a hermit or begging (as Arjuna had proposed), would be a dereliction of his sacred Dharma.
Conclusion
With this verse, Krishna brings the conversation from the sky of abstract philosophy down to the earth of practical, personal responsibility. He reminds Arjuna that he is not a generic soul in a void; he is Arjuna, a `Kshatriya`, a prince with a specific and sacred role to play in the world. From this new perspective, refusing to fight is not an act of piety, but a failure to perform his God-given duty. This introduces the idea that right action, performed according to one’s `svadharma`, is itself a path to spiritual advancement.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 – Verse 32 – Yadrcchaya Copapannam
