Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 38

सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ ।
ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥२- ३८॥

sukhaduḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau ।
tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṃ pāpamavāpsyasi ॥2- 38॥

Having equally treated pain and please, gain and loss, victory and defeat; hence you must be engaged for the sake of the battle. Verily, you will not incur sin.  


Word-for-word translations

sukhaduḥkhe (neuter, accusative, dual) = pain and pleasure  

same (accusative case used adverbially) (indeclinable) = equally

kṛtvā (gerund) (indeclinable) = having treated

lābhālābhau (masculine, accusative, dual) = gain and loss

jayājayau (masculine, accusative dual) = victory and defeat 

tatas (adverb) (indeclinable) = hence

yuddhāya (neuter, dative, singular) = for the sake of the battle

yujyasva (passive, imperative, 2nd person, singular) = you must be engaged 

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not 

evam (indeclinable) = verily (emphatic particle emphasizing the preceding word) 

pāpam (neuter, accusative, singular) = sin

avāpsyasi (future tense, 2nd person, singular) = you will incur


Commentary

A grammatically rich verse forwarding the philosophy that one must treat everything equally within the duality of life. 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 37

हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् ।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः ॥२- ३७॥

hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṃ jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm ।
tasmāduttiṣṭha kaunteya yuddhāya kṛtaniścayaḥ ॥2- 37॥

Or Killed, you will attain heaven or having conquered, you will enjoy earth. Therefore, you rise up, O son-of-Kuntī, resolute for battle!


Word-for-word translations

hatas (past passive participle) = killed

vā (conjunction) (indeclinable) = or 

prāpsyasi (future tense, 2nd person, singular) = you will attain 

svargam (masculine, accusative, singular) = heaven

jitvā (gerund) (indeclinable) = having conquered 

vā (conjunction) (indeclinable) = or 

bhokṣyase (future tense, 2nd person, singular) = you will enjoy

mahīm (feminine, accusative, singular) = earth

tasmāt (adverb) (indeclinable) = therefore

uttiṣṭha (imperative, present tense, 2nd person, singular) = you rise up! 

kaunteya (masculine, vocative, singular) = O son-of-Kuntī

yuddhāya (dative, singular) = for battle

kṛtaniścayas (kṛta + niścayas) (compound) (adjective) (masculine, nominative, singular) = resolute 


Commentary

An interesting philosophical point in this verse of the win-win situation for Arjuna in this battle on whether he is killed by his enemy or is conquered by his enemy. 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 36

अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून्वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः ।
निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ॥२- ३६॥

avācyavādāṃśca bahūnvadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ ।
nindantastava sāmarthyaṃ tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim ॥2- 36॥

Enemies of you will speak many, vile words and will ridicule your power. Hence, what possibly can be more miserable? 


Word-for-word translations

avācyavādān (avācya + vādān) (compound) (masculine, accusative, plural) = vile words  

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

bahūn (adjective) (masculine, accusative, plural) = many

vadiṣyanti (future tense, 3rd person, plural) =  they will speak 

tavāhitās (tava + ahitās) (compound) (masculine, nominative, plural) = enemies of you

nindantas (present tense, 3rd person, plural) = they will ridicule 

tava (pronoun, 2nd person, genitive, singular) = your

sāmarthyam (neuter, accusative, singular) = power

tatas (adverb) (indeclinable) = hence

duḥkhataram (duḥkha + taram) (compound) (accusative, singular) = more miserable    

nu (adverb) (indeclinable) = possibly

kim (interrogative) (indeclinable) = what


Commentary

I must confess that I could not confirm the future, 3rd person, plural verb conjunction of the verb "nindantas" meaning "they will ridicule". It is rare that that happens to me. I will have to dig more for that conjunction paradigm. 

The phrase "nu kim" in this verse is a good example of an interrogative conjunction expressing doubt. 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 35

भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः ।
येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम् ॥२- ३५॥

bhayādraṇāduparataṃ maṃsyante tvāṃ mahārathāḥ ।
yeṣāṃ ca tvaṃ bahumato bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam ॥2- 35॥

The great chariot-warriors will think you withdrew from combat out of fear. And having been held in high esteem by those [great-warriors], you will become insignificant. 


Word-for-word translations

bhayāt (neuter, ablative, singular) = from fear

raṇāt (neuter, ablative, singular) = from combat 

uparatam (past passive participle) (accusative, singular) = withdrew

maṃsyante (passive, future tense, 3rd person, plural) = they will think

tvām (pronoun, 2nd person, accusative, singular) = you

mahārathās (masculine, nominative, plural) = great chariot-warriors

yeṣām (relative demonstrative pronoun, genitive, plural) = of those whom

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

tvam (pronoun, 2nd person, nominative, singular) = you

bahumatas (bahu + matas) (compound) (past passive participle) (nominative, singular) = held in high esteem 

bhūtvā (gerund) (indeclinable) = having been 

yāsyasi (future, 2nd person, singular) = you will become  

lāghavam (neuter, accusative, singular) = insignificant 


Commentary 

This verse has good examples of past passive participle usage in in addition to the genitive case use of the verb "have". 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 34

अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् ।
सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥२- ३४॥

akīrtiṃ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te'vyayām ।
sambhāvitasya cākīrtirmaraṇādatiricyate ॥2- 34॥

And even beings will recount your eternal disgrace and of the honorable disgrace surpasses death. 


Word-for-word translations

akīrtim (feminine, accusative, singular) = disgrace

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

api (adverb) (indeclinable) = even

bhūtāni (neuter, nominative, plural) = beings

kathayiṣyanti (future tense, 3rd person, plural) = they will recount 

te (pronoun, 2nd person, genitive, singular) = your

avyayām (adjective) (feminine, accusative, singular)= eternal 


sambhāvitasya (past passive participle) (genitive, singular) = of the honorable 

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

akīrtis (feminine, nominative, singular) = disgrace

maraṇāt (ablative of comparison) (ablative, singular) = than death

atiricyate (passive, present tense, 3rd person, singular) = it surpasses 


Commentary

Another good example of the ablative of comparison in this verse. 

This verse really drives home the point that disgrace leaves a lasting mark and is worse than death. 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 33

अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि ।
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥२- ३३॥

atha cettvamimaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi ।
tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpamavāpsyasi ॥2- 33॥

Now if you will not engage in this battle related to dharma, then you will incur sin having avoided fame and one's own dharma. 


Word-for-word translations

atha (adverb) (indeclinable) = now

cet (conjunction) (indeclinable) = if (placed after the word to which it refers)

tvam (pronoun, 2nd person, singular) = you

imam (pronoun, masculine, 3rd person, accusative, singular) = this 

dharmyam (adjective) (masculine, accusative, singular) = related to dharma

saṃgrāmam (masculine, accusative, singular) = battle

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

kariṣyasi (future tense, 2nd person, singular) = you will engage

tatas (adverb) (indeclinable) = then 

svadharmam (masculine, accusative, singular) = one's own dharma

kīrtim (feminine, accusative, singular) = fame 

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

hitvā (gerund) (indeclinable) = having avoided 

pāpam (neuter, accusative, singular) = sin

avāpsyasi (future tense, 2nd person, singular) = you will incur 


Commentary 

This verse adds to the importance of doing one's duty according to their "dharma" in life to the point of it being an imperative. This verse contains the word "sin", which can be a very loaded word for some cultures. It does not carry the same guilt-ridden connotations in western cultures, but it has more of a meritless or "black mark" feel to it in eastern culture.  

I find it interesting that in this verse "one can incur sin, by avoiding their own fame". It is not the typical modesty virtue that one strives for in some cultures. 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 32

यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम् ।
सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम् ॥२- ३२॥

yadṛcchayā copapannaṃ svargadvāramapāvṛtam ।

sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha labhante yuddhamīdṛśam ॥2- 32॥

And by chance the warriors possessed of happiness reached the opened gate of heaven, they obtain such by the nature of war, O son-of-Prithā. 


Word-for-word translations

yadṛcchayā (feminine gender, instrumental, singular) = by chance

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

upapannam (past passive participle) (accusative, singular) = reached

svargadvāram (accusative, singular) = gate of heaven 

apāvṛtam (adjective) (past passive participle) (accusative, singular) = opened


sukhinas (adjective) (accusative, plural) = possessed of happiness 

kṣatriyās (nominative, plural) = warriors

pārtha (vocative, singular) = O son-of-Prithā (epithet of Arjuna)

labhante (present tense, 3rd person, plural) = they obtain

yuddham (adverbial usage of accusative case) (indeclinable) = by the nature of war

īdṛśam (adjective) (accusative, singular) = such 



Commentary 

I really feel the previous translations translate this verse based on their philosophical persuasions about war and gaining the "opened gate of heaven" by the nature of war. Previous translations agree on the first part of the verse, but the second part of the verse there are differing interpretations to the point that it does not make grammatical sense. The last three words, which are the point on contention are grammatically clear. "They obtain" meaning the warriors, "such" meaning "the opened gate of heaven", and "yuddham" which is an accusative case meaning "by the nature of war". Now the accusative case can be used adverbially in this context on the word "such" meaning "they obtained the opened gate of heaven by the nature of war". That makes "yuddham" an indeclinable by being an adverb. 

The whole philosophical point in this verse and in the previous verses is that one should do their duties to the best of their abilities because that is one's role, whatever role that may be. Everyone has their part and it must be played out. The first part of the verse says "warriors, by chance, can reach the open gate of heaven". That means, according to the philosophy in this text, that killing in war is not an abomination for a warrior conducting his/her duty as the slayer or the slain. Being the slayer or slain is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, per a previous verse. 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 31

स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि ।
धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ॥२- ३१॥

svadharmamapi cāvekṣya na vikampitumarhasi ।
dharmyāddhi yuddhācchreyo'nyatkṣatriyasya na vidyate ॥2- 31॥

And even considering one's own dharma, you should not tremble. Indeed, for a warrior, no other better is found than a dharmic war.  


Word-for-word translation

svadharmam (accusative, singular) = one's own dharma 

api (adverb) (indeclinable) = even

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

avekṣya (derivative abstract) = considering

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

vikampitum (infinitive) (indeclinable) = to tremble

arhasi (present tense, 2nd person, singular) = you should

dharmyāt (adjective) (ablative, singular) = dharmic 

hi (adverb) (indeclinable) = indeed

yuddhāt (ablative of comparison) (ablative, singular) = than war 

śreyas (nominative, singular) = better 

anyat (adjective) (nominative, singular) = other

kṣatriyasya (genitive, singular) = of a warrior

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

vidyate (passive, present tense, 3rd person, singular) = is found 


Commentary

This verse shows a good example of the Sanskrit grammar construction known as the "ablative of comparison" that compares people and things within a sentence. 

Translations differ especially when translating the many meaning word "dharma", but all translations put forth the interpretation that there is nothing better for a warrior to do than to fight in a dharmic war and one should not tremble when contemplating one's own dharma. This whole verse conveys the idea that we are bound to certain duties based on our roles in life, even if the duties are unsavory.

Also note, that the passive verb "vidyate" can mean "is found" or "is known". "Is found" is the more appropriate choice for this verse.   

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 30

देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत ।
तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥२- ३०॥

dehī nityamavadhyo'yaṃ dehe sarvasya bhārata ।
tasmātsarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi ॥2- 30॥

This embodied in the body of all is perpetually inviolable, O descendant-of-Bharata. Therefore, you should not grieve all beings.


Word-for-word translation

dehī (nominative, singular) = embodied 

nityam (adverb) (nominative, singular) = perpetually 

avadhyas (nominative, singular) = inviolable (cannot be killed)

ayam (demonstrative pronoun, nominative, singular) = this

dehe (locative, singular) = in the body

sarvasya (genitive, singular) = of all 

bhārata (vocative, singular) = O descendant-of-Bharata (epithet for Arjuna)

tasmāt (indeclinable) = therefore 

sarvāṇi (adjective) (accusative, singular) = all

bhūtāni (accusative, singular) = beings

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

tvam (pronoun, 2nd person, nominative, singular) = you

śocitum (infinitive) (indeclinable) = to grieve

arhasi (present tense, 2nd person, singular) = you should


Commentary 

"Avadhyas" is an interesting word meaning "one cannot be killed". Even in the English language the word "inviolable" meaning "one cannot be killed" is very rare in usage. 

"Deha" is the word for body in Sanskrit. The word "dehī" is the nominative case for the word "dehin" that means a "one possessed of a body", which most Sanskrit dictionaries list as "a being possessed of a body".  So one cannot simply translate "dehī" as "soul" because it is inherently connected to a word meaning "a body" by the base of the noun. Later in the verse is the word "dehe", which means "in the body." So the word "embodied" means "a being or soul possessed of a body". 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 29

आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेनमाश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः ।
आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्यः शृणोति श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् ॥२- २९॥

āścaryavatpaśyati kaścidenamāścaryavadvadati tathaiva cānyaḥ ।
āścaryavaccainamanyaḥ śṛṇoti śrutvāpyenaṃ veda na caiva kaścit ॥2- 29॥

Someone sees this [indestructible] as marvelous and also another speaks [of this indestructible] as marvelous, and another hears of this [indestructible] as marvelous. And even having heard, no one knows this [indestructible]. 


Word-for-word translation

āścaryavat (adjective) (accusative, singular) = marvelous 

paśyati (present tense, 3rd person, singular) = one sees

kaścit (adverb) (indeclinable) = someone

enam (pronoun, 3rd person, accusative, singular) = this

āścaryavat (adjective) (accusative, singular) = marvelous 

vadati (present tense, 3rd person, singular) = one speaks 

tathā (adverb) (indeclinable) = also

eva (indeclinable) = (emphatic particle, emphasizes preceding word) 

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

anyas (adjective) (nominative, singular) = another

āścaryavat (adjective) (accusative, singular) = marvelous 

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

enam (pronoun, 3rd person, accusative, singular) = this

anyas (adjective) (nominative, singular) = another

śṛṇoti (present tense, 3rd person, singular) = one hears

śrutvā (gerund) (indeclinable) = having heard

api (adverb) (indeclinable) = even

enam (pronoun, 3rd person, accusative, singular) = this

veda (irregular verb in the perfect tense, but refers to the present tense, 3rd person, singular) = one knows

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

eva (adverb) (indeclinable) = (emphatic particle, emphasizing preceding word)

kaścit (adverb) (indeclinable) = anyone


Commentary

There are two main interpretations of this verse surrounding the adjective "āścaryavat". One interpretation, including mine, sees "āścaryavat" as an adjective of the pronoun "enam". Other interpretations sees "āścaryavat" as a noun. The ambiguity arises due to the the neuter gender of the word, "āścaryavat", that has the same singular number declensions for the nominative and accusative cases. If the word was masculine or feminine in gender, then there would be no ambiguity. 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 28

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत ।
अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥२- २८॥

avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata ।
avyaktanidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā ॥2- 28॥

Beings [have] unmanifest beginnings, manifest middles, and unmanifest endings, O descendant-of-Bharata! What reason then to laminate there?


Word-for-word translation

avyaktādīni (avyakta + ādīni) (compound) (adjective) (nominative, plural) = unmanifest beginnings 

bhūtāni (nominative, plural) = beings

vyaktamadhyāni (adjective) (nominative, plural) = manifest middles 

bhārata (vocative, singular) = O descendant-of-Bharata (epithet for Arjuna)


avyaktanidhanāni (avyakta + nidhanāni) (adjective) (nominative, plural) = unmanifest endings

eva (adverb) (indeclinable) = (emphatic particle, emphasizing preceding word)

tatra (adverb) (indeclinable) = there

kā (adverb) (indeclinable) = what reason then? 

paridevanā (desiderative) = to laminate 


Commentary

The grammar of this verse is very interesting and almost all the translations show wide interpretations from the literal Sanskrit grammar. The first part of this verse lists the adjectives (in neuter gender, of course) modifying the neuter gender noun, "beings". The last three words of this verse also have some interesting grammar attached to them, but the feminine gender of the last two words help with figuring the last part of the verse out. Understanding the inherent gender of the words of this verse and the grammar of noun/adjective agreement is key to correctly interpreting this verse. 

This verse also has some cosmological points about beings and when and when they are not manifest and takes it as a point of wisdom and happiness. 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 27

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च ।
तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥२- २७॥

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyurdhruvaṃ janma mṛtasya ca ।

tasmādaparihārye'rthe na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi ॥2- 27॥

Indeed inevitable is death of birth and birth is inevitable of death. Therefore, in regards to inevitable business you should not grieve. 


Word-for-word translation

jātasya (genitive, singular) = of birth 

hi (adverb) (indeclinable) = indeed

dhruvas (nominative, singular) = inevitable

mṛtyus (accusative, singular) = death

dhruvam (accusative, singular) = inevitable

janma (nominative, singular) = birth

mṛtasya (genitive, singular) = of death

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and


tasmāt (indeclinable) = therefore 

aparihārye (adjective) (locative, singular) = in regards to the inevitable 

arthe (locative, singular) = in regards to business

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

tvam (pronoun, 2nd person, nominative, singular) = you

śocitum (infinitive) (indeclinable) = to grieve

arhasi (present tense, 2nd person, singular) = you should


Commentary

The locative case words "aparihārye" and "arthe" use the less used locative case usage meaning "in regards to" verses the typical meaning of "at" or "in". 

"Arthe" is one of those big, abstract words in Sanskrit whose meaning is hard to pin down to one specific word. "Arthe" is more a philosophical concept of life which involves the part of life when resources are gathered and worked for. "Arthe" is the business side of life.