स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि ।धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ॥
svadharmam api cāvekṣya na vikampitum arhasi |dharmyād dhi yuddhāc chreyo 'nyat kṣatriyasya na vidyate ||
- स्वधर्मम् · svadharmam
- one's own duty
- अपि · api
- also, even
- च · ca
- and
- अवेक्ष्य · avekṣya
- regarding, looking to
- न · na
- not
- विकम्पितुम् · vikampitum
- to waver, tremble
- अर्हसि · arhasi
- you should
- धर्म्यात् · dharmyāt
- than righteous, lawful
- हि · hi
- indeed, for
- युद्धात् · yuddhāt
- than battle, war
- श्रेयः · śreyaḥ
- greater good
- अन्यत् · anyat
- other
- क्षत्रियस्य · kṣatriyasya
- for the warrior
- न · na
- not
- विद्यते · vidyate
- there is
“Considering your own duty too, you should not waver — for a warrior, there is no greater good than a righteous battle.”
— Original plain-language translation
The argument shifts from metaphysics to role: Arjuna is a kshatriya, and this war — for a just cause, against aggression — is his svadharma. Modern readers may bristle at duty-by-birth; the transferable kernel is vocation: each life has work that is properly its own, and evading it is its own failure.
— Reader's notes (original)