In the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna intensifies his psychological argument to break Arjuna’s resolve for inaction. After warning that abandoning his duty will lead to sin and the loss of fame, He now elaborates on the devastating and eternal nature of that infamy. The Akirtim Capi Bhutani verse explains that for a person of honor, public disgrace is a punishment far more terrible than death itself.
Sanskrit Verse
अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् ।
सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥ ३४ ॥Transliteration
akīrtiṁ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te ’vyayām
sambhāvitasya cākīrtir maraṇād atiricyateWord for Word Translation
akīrtim — infamy; ca api — and also; bhūtāni — people; kathayiṣyanti — will speak; te — of you; avyayām — everlasting; sambhāvitasya — for a respectable person; ca — and; akīrtiḥ — dishonor; maraṇāt — than death; atiricyate — is worse.
English Translation
People will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
Krishna now uses a powerful social and psychological argument that any warrior or public figure would understand intimately. He makes two devastating points.
- Akīrtiṁ… avyayām: “Everlasting infamy.” Krishna states that if Arjuna flees, people (`bhūtāni`) will speak of his dishonor (`akīrtiṁ`). The crucial word is `avyayām`, which means imperishable or everlasting. Glory on the battlefield might last for a generation, but the story of a great hero’s cowardice will be told forever. It is a permanent stain that can never be erased.
- Sambhāvitasya… maraṇād atiricyate: “For a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.” This is the core of the psychological argument. For a `sambhāvitasya`, a person who holds a high and honorable position, who is respected and celebrated, the loss of that reputation is a fate more terrible than the death of the body. Death is a momentary event, but dishonor is a continuous, living torment. Arjuna fears killing his relatives, but Krishna presents him with an alternative fate that is even worse: a social and psychological death that will last for all time.
Krishna is demonstrating that Arjuna’s proposed course of action—fleeing to “save” his relatives and avoid sin—will not lead to peace. Instead, it will lead to a different kind of suffering, one that is arguably more profound and lasting for a man of his stature and Dharma.
Conclusion
This verse is a powerful reminder that our actions have consequences not only on the physical or spiritual planes but also on the social and psychological planes. Krishna masterfully uses Arjuna’s own identity as a celebrated hero against him. He shows him that the death Arjuna fears is a simple, natural transition, while the dishonor he is courting by abandoning his duty is an eternal, self-inflicted wound. For a man of honor, a life of shame is no life at all.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 – Verse 35 – Bhayad Ranad Uparatam
