Verse 2.33

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.33:

अथ चेत् त्वम् इमं धर्म्यं सङ्ग्रामं न करिष्यसि ।
ततः स्व-धर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापम् अवाप्स्यसि ॥ ३३ ॥

atha cet tvam imaṃ dharmyaṃ saṅgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi |
tataḥ sva-dharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi || 33 ||

atha–on the other hand; cet–if; tvam–you; imam–this; dharmyam–religious duty; saṅgrāmam–of war; na–do not; kariṣyasi–perform; tataḥ–then; sva-dharmam–personal duty; kīrtim–fame; ca–and; hitvā–losing; pāpam–sinful reaction; avāpsyasi–you will gain.

However, if you do not perform your scripturally prescribed religious duty of fighting this religious battle, you will lose your fame and your dharma as a kṣatriya. Furthermore, you will simply reap sinful reaction.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

In the present verse beginning with atha, and in the following three verses, Śrī Bhagavān is explaining the defects in taking the stance of not fighting.