अवहास्या भविष्यन्ति ब्राह्मणाः सर्वराजसु ॥
कर्मण्य् अस्मिन्न् असंसिद्धे चापलाद् अपरीक्षिते ॥
यद्य् एष दर्पाद् धर्षाद् वा यदि वा ब्रह्मचापलात् ॥
प्रस्थितो धनुर् आयन्तुं वार्यतां साधु मा गमत् ॥
नावहास्या भविष्यामो न च लाघवम् आस्थिताः ॥
न च विद्विष्टतां लोके गमिष्यामो महीक्षिताम् ॥
avahāsyā bhaviṣyanti brāhmaṇāḥ sarvarājasu ||
karmaṇy asminn asaṃsiddhe cāpalād aparīkṣite ||
yady eṣa darpād dharṣād vā yadi vā brahmacāpalāt ||
prasthito dhanur āyantuṃ vāryatāṃ sādhu mā gamat ||
nāvahāsyā bhaviṣyāmo na ca lāghavam āsthitāḥ ||
na ca vidviṣṭatāṃ loke gamiṣyāmo mahīkṣitām ||
"[Some said:] 'The brahmins will become a laughingstock before all the kings, if this deed, undertaken out of rashness, untested, does not succeed. If he has stepped forward to string the bow out of pride, or excitement, or brahminical fickleness, let him be held back — better that he not go; then we shall not become a laughingstock, nor lose our dignity, nor bring upon ourselves the enmity of the lords of the earth.'"
cca22395da24 · प्रकाशित 12 जुल॰ 2026, 5:37:22 pm UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
Here concern for honor holds back boldness. Significant is the brahmins' fear: lest they be disgraced, lest they anger the kings — care for their good name makes them timid. Here it is shown that excessive fear for one's reputation hinders greatness: one who dreads ridicule will not dare a great deed. Thus the scripture shows the faintheartedness of the cautious; and while they worry about appearances, Arjuna is preparing to perform a deed that will put all their fears to shame.