Do thou fight for the sake of fighting (Bg 2.31 to 2.38)

For a kṣatriya, fighting in is equivalent to a brāhmaṇa performing sacrifices. The battle is compared to a fire, where the kṣatriya sacrifices his life, just as a brāhmaṇa offers oblations.

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Verse 31: sva-dharmam api cāvekṣya, na vikampitum arhasi

dharmyād dhi yuddhāc chreyo ’nyat, kṣatriyasya na vidyate

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.

Verse 32: yadṛcchayā copapannam, svarga-dvāram apāvṛtam

sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha, labhante yuddham īdṛśam

O Pārtha, happy are the kṣatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets.

Verse 33: atha cet tvam imam dharmyam, sangrāmam na kariṣyasi

tataḥ sva-dharmam kīrtim ca, hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi

If, however, you do not perform your religious duty of fighting, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and thus lose your reputation as a fighter.

Verse 34: akīrtim cāpi bhūtāni, kathayiṣyanti te ’vyayām

sambhāvitasya cākīrtir, maraṇād atiricyate

People will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.

Verse 35: bhayād raṇād uparatam, mamsyante tvām mahā-rathāḥ

yeṣām ca tvam bahu-mato, bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam

The great generals who have highly esteemed your name and fame will think that you have left the battlefield out of fear only, and thus they will consider you insignificant.

Verse 36: avācya-vādāmś ca bahūn, vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ

nindantas tava sāmarthyam, tato duḥkha-taram nu kim

Your enemies will describe you in many unkind words and scorn your ability. What could be more painful for you?

Verse 37: hato vā prāpsyasi svargam, jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm

tasmād uttiṣṭha kaunteya, yuddhāya kṛta-niścayaḥ

O son of Kuntī, either you will be killed on the battlefield and attain the heavenly planets, or you will conquer and enjoy the earthly kingdom. Therefore, get up with determination and fight.

Verse 38: sukha-duḥkhe same kṛtvā, lābhālābhau jayājayau

tato yuddhāya yujyasva, naivam pāpam avāpsyasi

Do thou fight for the sake of fighting, without considering happiness or distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat – and by so doing you shall never incur sin.

In these eight verses, Krsna presents arguments from a different side, examining the question from the side of the performance of duties according to the varṇāśrama system, as prescribed in the scriptures. The varṇāśrama system is also called varṇāśrama-dharma because it offers a process of elevation based on the performance of duties connected with one's nature. These duties, or sva-dharmas must be performed until one comes to the platform of liberation.

Everyone has to perform some kind of work or activity, and thus varṇāśrama-dharma is based on executing pious work according to one's nature, according to the prescriptions of the scriptures. Such duties are like a treatment for one's material contamination, and thus each should follow his own duty, just as each patient is supposed to follow the particular treatment given to him by the doctor according to his particular disease.

Brāhmaṇas are recommended to be forgiving and non-violent, but Arjuna is not a brāhmaṇa. As a kṣatriya, he has a fiery nature and is prone to fight for justice and honor. Even if he did not fight in the battle of Kurukṣetra, he would not be able to escape his nature. Instead of living a life of frustration trying to imitate the prescribed duties of a brāhmaṇa, it would be better to fulfill his prescribed duty as a kṣatriya, fighting for the just cause.

Srila Prabhupada quotes a verse from the Parāśara-smṛti that summarizes the duties of a kṣatriya: "The kṣatriya’s duty is to protect the citizens from all kinds of difficulties, and for that reason, he has to apply violence in suitable cases for law and order. Therefore he has to conquer the soldiers of inimical kings, and thus, with religious principles, he should rule over the world."

The general reason for Arjuna refusing to fight was ignorance about the nature of the soul and its relationship with the body, which resulted in an illusory sense of compassion for his family members. This was counteracted by Krsna through the transcendental knowledge given in the previous verses. Another issue was the fear that fighting in the battle would impair his material enjoyment due to the loss of his relatives. This point is counteracted in these eight verses by examining the question from the perspective of material results.

For a kṣatriya, fighting in the battle is equivalent to a brāhmaṇa performing fire sacrifices. Just a brāhmaṇa does not incur sin in performing fire ceremonies, the kṣatriya does not incur reactions by fighting in a battle under moral principles. In this case, the battle is compared to a fire, where the kṣatriya sacrifices his life, just as a brāhmaṇa offers oblations into the fire. By performing his duties, even an ordinary kṣatriya can be elevated to the celestial planets. Conversely, avoiding a battle is considered sinful for a kṣatriya, since he is neglecting his duty of protecting society. Arjuna was thinking he would avoid sinful reactions by not fighting in the battle, but it was the exact opposite: Arjuna would incur sinful reactions by avoiding the battle, and not by participating in it.

This concept of wrongdoing by neglecting one's duty is still current in many circumstances, even in civilian life. A doctor who refuses to save a patient having the means to do so can be prosecuted in most countries, and similarly, a mother who seriously neglects her child may even go to jail.

In verse 2.32, Krsna argues that a battle like Kurukṣetra, where a kṣatriya can fight for the just cause, is a great opportunity, because one can be granted elevation to the higher planets by just participating in it. Kṣatriyas, conscious of their duty, would embrace such an opportunity and fight without hesitation, knowing that victory would bring prosperity on Earth, and falling in battle would mean elevation to the celestial planets. Arjuna has thus nothing to lament for his relatives who would fall in battle, because they would not only receive new bodies but would take their next birth in the celestial planets, enjoying much higher material facilities and knowledge. He would gain both in victory or demise, and the same applied to his relatives.

Higher than that is the fact that Krsna is directly guiding Him, and therefore his fighting is not only the right thing to do according to the principles of dharma but also an act of devotional service, which is the highest dharma. As a result of the presence of the Lord, the soldiers who would fall in the battle would not be elevated to the celestial planets, but would directly achieve liberation, and their wives and children would be well cared for and protected by Maharaja Yudhiṣṭhira afterwards, when he would become the emperor. The role of Arjuna in the battle was thus clear from all sides. All that was left was for the Lord to remove the ignorance that was clouding his judgment. Similarly, when we are enlightened by this knowledge of the Bhagavad-gītā, the proper path of action for us can also become clear.

On the other hand, running from the fight would bring only disgrace. If Arjuna did not fight, he would not only incur the sin of neglecting his duty (just like a doctor who neglects a patient or a mother who abandons her child) but would also lose his social reputation, being labeled as a coward. Dying in battle would not be something a kṣatriya would fear, but living in dishonor would be truly disgraceful.

As Prabhupada mentions: "Both as friend and philosopher to Arjuna, Lord Kṛṣṇa now gives His final judgment regarding Arjuna’s refusal to fight. The Lord says, “Arjuna, if you leave the battlefield before the battle even begins, people will call you a coward. And if you think that people may call you bad names but that you will save your life by fleeing the battlefield, then My advice is that you’d do better to die in the battle. For a respectable man like you, ill fame is worse than death. So, you should not flee for fear of your life; better to die in the battle. That will save you from the ill fame of misusing My friendship and from losing your prestige in society."

Ordinary people have material desires they wish to fulfill, and thus the varṇāśrama system offers a set of carrots and sticks in the form of material rewards for performing one's duties and karmic consequences for neglecting them. In this way, everyone is impelled to perform their respective duties, and thus not only does society work properly, with everyone being well cared for, but, more importantly, people stay on the path of piety, gradually elevating themselves in the spiritual path. The goal of the system, however, is to go beyond this fruitive mentality, coming to the stage of acting in a spirit of renunciation, simply performing one's duty because it has to be done, by the order of the Lord. This marks the transition from karma-kanda (ordinary fruitive activities) to a platform of devotional service.

That's what Krsna urges Arjuna to do in verse 2.38, one of the most iconic verses of the Bhagavad-gītā: "Do thou fight for the sake of fighting, without considering happiness or distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat – and by so doing you shall never incur sin."

In his purport, Srila Prabhupada directly relates the contents of the verse with the practice of Krsna Consciousness, showing how this practice is essential for us. In material activities, we perform activities according to the results we expect. No one will want to work if there is no expectation of a salary at the end, no one will enter into a relationship if there is no prospect of finding personal satisfaction in it, and so on. We can see that in material activities, the purpose of performing activities is fundamentally selfish, and we may become angry, neglectful, or even violent if the expectations are not fulfilled, as we can frequently see in romantic relationships. When we come to the platform of Krsna Consciousness, however, the reason for performing activities changes. Instead of doing things based on a calculation of personal gain, we start to perform our activities based on the idea of pleasing the Lord and making Him satisfied. In the beginning, we may serve out of a desire to achieve liberation, the end of material suffering, but as our love for the Lord grows, even this last selfish consideration is overwhelmed, and we come to the platform of unconditional service described by Lord Caitanya in the Śikṣāṣṭakam prayers. This is real love, very different from the perverted reflection we find in this material world.

As soon as we come to this pure platform of working for the pleasure of Krsna, chanting, spreading Krsna Consciousness, worshiping, or performing other activities that are pleasant to Him, there is no question of sinful or pious reactions. The activities performed in this platform of love are fully transcendental, the performer of the activities is transcendental, and, as Krsna will reveal later, even the offerings themselves and the so-called material environment where these activities are performed (such as a house) are fully transcendental. Such a devotee is no longer obliged to anyone or indebted to anyone.

Main points in the purports of Srila Prabhupada:

"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."

a) Kṣatriyas are specifically trained for fighting and killing because sometimes violence is necessary for upholding religious principles. Because of their mental constitution, kṣatriyas are not meant to take sannyāsa at any stage, different from brāhmaṇas.

b) Brāhmaṇas are meant for following the principle of ahimsā more strictly, while kṣatriyas are meant to take a more pragmatic approach. Idealistic or absolute nonviolence for a kṣatriya engaged in managing a state is impractical. Effective leadership sometimes requires taking strong measures, like when protecting citizens from aggressors or criminals. Such violence is according to the principles of dharma. If a kṣatriya refrains from applying such necessary violence, he becomes irreligious.

c) Brāhmaṇas also have to commit violence sometimes by sacrificing animals. Such violence, which is also according to the principles of dharma, is also beneficial for all involved, since the soul in the animal sacrificed is purified of the reactions that are binding it to the animal body and thus immediately promoted to a human form.

d) As long as one is not liberated, one has to perform duties according to his particular body and social position in the varṇāśrama system to become purified and ascend to the platform of liberation. In this case, the duties are still connected with the body, because one is still in the bodily platform. By following one's duties according to the orders of higher authorities, one can progress to a higher status of life.

e) After the platform of liberation, one's sva-dharma, or specific duty, becomes fully spiritual and transcends the material bodily concept. Ultimately, sva-dharma is ordained by the Lord; therefore, in the case of Arjuna, following the direct order of the Lord is the highest dharma.

"O Pārtha, happy are the kṣatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets."

a) Arjuna previously stated: "I do not find any good in this fighting. It will cause perpetual habitation in hell." This was due to ignorance of his specific duty. A kṣatriya has the responsibility of fighting when necessary for upholding the principles of dharma. For a kṣatriya, trying to uphold nonviolence when violence is necessary is a fool's philosophy. Krsna condemns such an attitude.

b) Considering the Parāśara-smṛti and other passages, Arjuna should not hesitate to fight. Both achieving victory and dying in battle would be beneficial to him.

"If, however, you do not perform your religious duty of fighting, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and thus lose your reputation as a fighter."

a) Arjuna was a famous fighter, having even satisfied Lord Shiva in a fight. He had received many celestial weapons from great authorities due to his skill and achievements. If he would leave the battle, he would not just incur sin for neglecting his duty as a kṣatriya, but also his fame and good name. He would go to hell not for fighting but for avoiding the battle.

"People will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death."

a) Even from the aspect of personal gain and loss, Arjuna should fight. Since he would not incur sin by fighting according to his duty, the worst that could happen was for him to lose his life in the battle. Even this would be better than the alternative. By avoiding the battle, Arjuna would lose his reputation, and for a respectable person like Arjuna, this kind of infamy is worse than death.

"The great generals who have highly esteemed your name and fame will think that you have left the battlefield out of fear only, and thus they will consider you insignificant."

a) No one would believe that Arjuna left the battlefield out of compassion. Everyone would consider him a coward and mock him. He would lose all the respect from his peers, like Duryodhana and Karṇa.

"Your enemies will describe you in many unkind words and scorn your ability. What could be more painful for you?"

a) Previously, Krsna defined Arjuna's proposal not to fight as befitting the non-aryans, or uncivilized people. Here, He continues to pose arguments.

"O son of Kuntī, either you will be killed on the battlefield and attain the heavenly planets, or you will conquer and enjoy the earthly kingdom. Therefore, get up with determination and fight."

a) By material calculation, the victory of Arjuna was not certain, since the Kauravas had a strong army. Still, if he was killed he would be elevated to the higher planets, and if he won he would enjoy a kingdom on Earth. Both alternatives would be positive, therefore he should fight.

"Do thou fight for the sake of fighting, without considering happiness or distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat – and by so doing you shall never incur sin."

a) For a pure devotee, there is no consideration of material happiness or distress, gain or loss. He is situated in transcendental consciousness, aloof from such trivialities. Because all his activities are an offering to Krsna, there is no material reaction.

b) Activities for personal interest result in good and bad reactions, but a person who surrenders all his activities to Krsna becomes free from all reactions and all material obligations.

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