Verse 2.38

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.38:

सुख-दुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ ।
ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापम् अवाप्स्यसि ॥ ३८ ॥

sukha-duḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau |
tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṃ pāpam avāpsyasi || 38 ||

sukha–happiness; duḥkhe–and distress; same kṛtvā–understanding them to be equal; lābha-alābhau–both gain and loss; jaya-ajayau–both victory and defeat; tataḥ–then (being like this); yuddhāya–for fighting; yujyasva–be ready; na–not; evam–in this way; pāpam–sinful reaction; avāpsyasi–will incur.

Considering happiness and distress, gain and loss, and victory and defeat to be equal, you should prepare to fight. In this way you will not incur any sin.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

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

Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, “O Arjuna, fighting is your only duty. You doubt this and think that by fighting you will incur sin, but you should accept My instructions and fight. By doing so, you will not incur sinful reaction. Through victory or defeat you will either gain a kingdom or lose one, and as a consequence, you will experience either happiness or distress. Therefore, O Arjuna, deliberate on this with proper wisdom, and fight, knowing victory and defeat to be equal. You will not incur sin as long as you are endowed with this quality of equanimity.”

This subject is also described later in the Gītā (5.10):

lipyate na sa pāpena padma-patram ivāmbhasā

Just as a lotus leaf remains in water but never becomes wet, similarly, though engaged in battle, you will not incur sin.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

In the Gītā (1.36), Arjuna is thinking, “I will incur sin by killing them.” In speaking this verse, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is refuting Arjuna’s argument as baseless. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is saying, “There is a possibility of incurring sin by killing one’s relatives in battle when the battle is fought with attachment to one’s happiness and distress. I am explaining to you the means by which you can become free from sin. Sin will not touch you if you perform your duty of fighting as per My instructions, considering happiness, distress, gain, loss, victory and defeat as equal.” One becomes sinful, or bound by action (karma), if he is attached to the fruits of his action. Therefore, it is certainly necessary to renounce attachment to action.

This conclusion has been established in the Gītā (5.10):

brahmaṇy ādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ
lipyate na sa pāpena padma-patram ivāmbhasā

Those who give up all attachment to work and surrender all the results of their work unto Me, the Supreme Controller, do not become affected by sin, just as a lotus leaf remains untouched by water.