In the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna delivers the final, and perhaps most cutting, element of his psychological argument against Arjuna’s retreat. He has already described the loss of fame and the assumption of cowardice. Now, in the Avacya-vadams Ca Bahun verse, He describes the specific, painful words his enemies will use and asks Arjuna to consider if there could be any greater suffering.
Sanskrit Verse
अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून्वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः ।
निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ॥ ३६ ॥Transliteration
avācya-vādāṁś ca bahūn vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ
nindantas tava sāmarthyaṁ tato duḥkhataraṁ nu kimWord for Word Translation
avācya-vādān — unspeakable words; ca — also; bahūn — many; vadiṣyanti — will say; tava — your; ahitāḥ — enemies; nindantaḥ — slandering; tava — your; sāmarthyam — ability; tataḥ — than that; duḥkha-taram — more painful; nu — indeed; kim — what.
English Translation
Your enemies will describe you in many unspeakable words and slander your ability. What could be more painful for you than that?
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
This verse is a direct appeal to Arjuna’s warrior spirit and his sense of self-worth. Krishna paints a vivid picture of the verbal assault that awaits him if he flees.
- Avācya-vādān… vadiṣyanti: “They will speak unspeakable words.” Krishna predicts that Arjuna’s enemies (`tavāhitāḥ`) will not be silent. They will speak `avācya-vādān`, which means harsh, unkind, or unspeakable words. This is the nature of slander.
- Nindantas tava sāmarthyaṁ: “Slandering your ability.” This is the specific target of their insults. They will attack his `sāmarthyaṁ`—his ability, competence, and power as a warrior. For a Kshatriya like Arjuna, whose entire identity is built on his unparalleled skill in combat, this is the most painful insult imaginable. They won’t just call him a coward; they will mock the very foundation of his life’s work.
- Tato duḥkhataraṁ nu kim: “What could be more painful than that?” Krishna concludes with a powerful rhetorical question. He asks Arjuna to look within himself and honestly consider if there is any greater pain (`duḥkhataram`) than listening to his sworn enemies belittle his strength and courage. He is framing the situation so that the psychological pain of inaction appears far worse than the physical pain of action.
By fleeing, Arjuna would not find peace. He would be forced to endure a lifetime of hearing his enemies mock him, knowing that he gave them the right to do so by abandoning his Dharma.
Conclusion
Krishna’s psychological deconstruction of Arjuna’s desire for inaction is now complete. He has shown that retreat leads to sin, the loss of an eternal reputation, the scorn of his respected peers, and finally, the unbearable pain of hearing his enemies slander his very essence. He has systematically proven that the suffering Arjuna is trying to avoid by fleeing is insignificant compared to the suffering he will create for himself. This leaves Arjuna with no rational choice but to accept his duty.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 – Verse 37 – Hato Va Prapsyasi Svargam
