Verse 2.35

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.35:

भयाद् रणाद् उपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महा-रथाः ।
येषां च त्वं बहु-मतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम् ॥ ३५ ॥

bhayād raṇād uparataṃ maṃsyante tvāṃ mahā-rathāḥ |
yeṣāṃ ca tvaṃ bahu-mato bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam || 35 ||

bhayāt–out of fear; raṇāt–from the battle; uparatam–have fled; maṃsyante–they will think; tvām–you; mahā-rathāḥ–the great warriors; yeṣām–those for whom; ca–and; tvam–you; bahu-mataḥ–greatly honoured; bhūtvā–having been; yāsyasi–you will become; lāghavam–insignificant.

Great warriors such as Duryodhana will think that you have left the battlefield out of fear. Those who have always honoured you highly will deem you insignificant.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

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

“Your opponents are of the opinion, ‘Our enemy Arjuna is extremely valiant.’ If you run away from the battle after being the object of such honour, you will be deemed a coward in their eyes. Mahārathīs such as Duryodhana and others will think that you have fled the battlefield out of fear. ‘It must be due to fear, not affection for his relatives, that a kṣatriya becomes averse to fighting while on the battlefield.’ They will consider your position only in this way.”