अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् ।सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥
akīrtiṃ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te 'vyayām |sambhāvitasya cākīrtir maraṇād atiricyate ||
- अकीर्तिम् · akīrtim
- disgrace, infamy
- च · ca
- and
- अपि · api
- also
- भूतानि · bhūtāni
- beings, people
- कथयिष्यन्ति · kathayiṣyanti
- will speak, recount
- ते · te
- of you, your
- अव्ययाम् · avyayām
- enduring, everlasting
- सम्भावितस्य · sambhāvitasya
- for one honoured, esteemed
- च · ca
- and
- अकीर्तिः · akīrtiḥ
- disgrace
- मरणात् · maraṇāt
- than death
- अतिरिच्यते · atiricyate
- is worse, exceeds
“And beings will recount your undying disgrace. For one who has been honoured, disgrace is worse than death.”
— Original plain-language translation
Krishna now speaks the language of honour — the currency Arjuna the warrior actually spends. Philosophy having been offered, psychology follows: the teacher meets the student where his pride lives.
— Reader's notes (original)