SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
akīrtiṁ cāpi bhūtāni
kathayiṣyanti te ’vyayām
sambhāvitasya cākīrtir
maraṇād atiricyate
‘Besides, people (the world) will be narrating of thy eternal disgrace; but disgrace to a man of honor is worse than death.’
Not only are loss of happiness and fame entailed, but the world at large – both men competent to judge, and those incompetent – will speak of thy disgrace, eternally; that is, at all times and in all places, will they talk thus: ‘Pārtha beat a retreat when war commenced.’ If thou sayst, ‘what matters that’?, then, understand that to one like thy noble self, imbued with such virtues as heroism, puissance, redoubtable courage, etc., the contrary behavior (of beating retreat), bringing thee bad reputation, is worse than death. Than acquiring ill-fame of this kind, death for thee is much better!
If thou should question how ignominy could attach itself to one who is a hero (like thee), and whose retirement from conflict is only prompted by motives of friendship and compassion for relatives, then know that:
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