ISKCON OF BERGEN COUNTY
in New Jersey
2.31
sva-dharmam api cāvekṣya
na vikampitum arhasi
dharmyād dhi yuddhāc chreyo ’nyat
kṣatriyasya na vidyate
āhaveṣu mitho ’nyonyaṁ
jighāṁsanto mahī-kṣitaḥ
yuddhamānāḥ paraṁ śaktyā
svargaṁ yānty aparāṅ-mukhāḥ
yajñeṣu paśavo brahman
hanyante satataṁ dvijaiḥ
saṁskṛtāḥ kila mantraiś ca
te ’pi svargam avāpnuvan
sva-dharmam — one’s own religious principles; api — also; ca — indeed; avekṣya — considering; na — never; vikampitum — to hesitate; arhasi — you deserve; dharmyāt — for religious principles; hi — indeed; yuddhāt — than fighting; śreyaḥ — better engagement; anyat — any other; kṣatriyasya — of the kṣatriya; na — does not; vidyate — exist.
Considering your specific duty as a kṣatriya, you should know that there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious principles; and so there is no need for hesitation.
Synonyms
Translation
. . .
स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि ।
धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ॥ ३१ ॥