Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 31

स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि । धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते

svadharmamapi cāvekṣya na vikampitumarhasi | dharmyāddhi yuddhācchreyo'nyatkṣatriyasya na vidyate

Translation

Having regard to thine own duty also, thou oughtst not to waver. For, to a Kṣatriya, there is nothing more wholesome than a lawful battle.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

svadharmam

of own, duty

api

also

ca

and

avekṣya

having seen

na

not

vikampitum

to tremble

arhasi

(thou) oughtest

dharmyāt

(than) righteous

hi

indeed

yuddhāt

than war

śreyaḥ

better

anyat

other

kṣatriyasya

of the Kṣatriya

na

not

vidyate

is

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

Even granting that you cannot grasp the Self-knowledge just taught, still, having regard to your own caste-duty (svadharma) you ought not to falter. For a Kṣatriya there is nothing more wholesome than a battle which is just, undertaken by lawful means and for righteous ends — for the protection of the dependent, the punishment of the wicked, and the like. Such a battle is the very prescribed duty of his caste.