Chapter II · Śloka 36
अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून्वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः |
निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ||
निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ||
avācya-vādāṃś ca bahūn vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ |
nindantas tava sāmarthyaṃ tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim ||
nindantas tava sāmarthyaṃ tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim ||
Your enemies will describe you in many unkind words and scorn your ability. What could be more painful than that?
The sting of contempt from enemies is sharper than the wound of battle. Krishna lists every form of worldly consequence — shame, infamy, scorn — not to frighten Arjuna but to show that his apparent act of mercy will produce no mercy in the world's judgment.