View source for Dishonor is worse than death

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{{terms|"dishonor is worse than death"|"ill fame is worse than death"|"insult from a relative is worse than death"}}
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{{compiler|Visnu Murti}}
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{{first|24Oct10}}
{{last|24Oct10}}
{{totals_by_section|BG=1|SB=1|CC=0|OB=0|Lec=2|Con=1|Let=0}}
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[[Category:Dishonor|2]]
[[Category:Worse Than|2]]
[[Category:Death|2]]
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<div id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is" class="section" sec_index="0" parent="compilation" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is"><h2>Bhagavad-gita As It Is</h2>
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<div id="BG_Chapters_1_-_6" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is" text="BG Chapters 1 - 6"><h3>BG Chapters 1 - 6</h3>
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<div id="BG234_0" class="quote" parent="BG_Chapters_1_-_6" book="BG" index="73" link="BG 2.34" link_text="BG 2.34">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:BG 2.34 (1972)|BG 2.34, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">People will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>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."</p>
<p>So, the final judgment of the Lord was for Arjuna to die in the battle and not withdraw.</p>
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" class="section" sec_index="1" parent="compilation" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
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<div id="SB_Canto_4" class="sub_section" sec_index="4" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 4"><h3>SB Canto 4</h3>
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<div id="SB4324_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_4" book="SB" index="116" link="SB 4.3.24" link_text="SB 4.3.24">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 4.3.24|SB 4.3.24, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">Therefore you should not see your father, although he is the giver of your body, because he and his followers are envious of me. Because of his envy, O most worshipful one, he has insulted me with cruel words although I am innocent.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>For a woman, both the husband and the father are equally worshipable. The husband is the protector of a woman during her youthful life, whereas the father is her protector during her childhood. Thus both are worshipable, but especially the father because he is the giver of the body. Lord Śiva reminded Satī, "Your father is undoubtedly worshipable, even more than I am, but take care, for although he is the giver of your body, he may also be the taker of your body because when you see your father, because of your association with me, he may insult you. An insult from a relative is worse than death, especially when one is well situated.</p>
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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Lectures" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures"><h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonBG22738LosAngelesDecember111968_0" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="94" link="Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968" link_text="Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968|Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Devotee: 34: "People will always speak of your infamy, and for one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death ([[Vanisource:BG 2.34 (1972)|BG 2.34]])."</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: "Now, you are so much honored as Arjuna the great fighter, Dhanañjaya, and if you leave, you go away from this fighting and leave and people will say, 'Oh, Arjuna has become coward. He did not fight,' then what is the use of your living in such a way? Better die. Fight and die. That is good for you."</p>
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<div id="LectureonBG23335LondonSeptember31973_1" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="99" link="Lecture on BG 2.33-35 -- London, September 3, 1973" link_text="Lecture on BG 2.33-35 -- London, September 3, 1973">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 2.33-35 -- London, September 3, 1973|Lecture on BG 2.33-35 -- London, September 3, 1973]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)</p>
<p>Translation: "People will always speak of your infamy, and for one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death."</p>
<p>Prabhupāda:</p>
:akīrtiṁ cāpi bhūtāni
:kathayiṣyanti te 'vyayām
:sambhāvitasya cākīrtir
:maraṇād atiricyate
:([[Vanisource:BG 2.34 (1972)|BG 2.34]])
<p>Sambhāvitasya, one who is very reputed, famous man, if he does something wrong, then it was better to die before such infamy is grown. This is advised. Arjuna is famous as a great fighter. Not only that, he is personal friend of Kṛṣṇa, so much so that Kṛṣṇa has agreed to become his chariot driver. Just try to understand what is his position. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is worshiped by Lord Brahmā, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **, He has agreed to drive the chariot of Arjuna on account of friendship. Now, we have to imagine how much famous he is. "Everyone will say, 'Oh, Kṛṣṇa is his so intimate friend that He has agreed to drive his chariot!' This is your reputation all over the world." So sambhāvitasya cākīrtiḥ. "And if you don't fight now, what people will say? Better you die." Kṛṣṇa is advising that "Instead of becoming a very good man, nonviolent, you lay down your life. That is My advice. You die. I shall see that you have died. I will be very much pleased." This is Kṛṣṇa's advice.</p>
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<div id="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="section" sec_index="5" parent="compilation" text="Conversations and Morning Walks"><h2>Conversations and Morning Walks</h2>
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<div id="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="9" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1976 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1976 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3>
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<div id="MorningWalkMarch111976Mayapur_0" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="49" link="Morning Walk -- March 11, 1976, Mayapur" link_text="Morning Walk -- March 11, 1976, Mayapur">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- March 11, 1976, Mayapur|Morning Walk -- March 11, 1976, Mayapur]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Viṣṇujana: Śrīla Prabhupāda, how did Choṭa Haridāsa achieve perfection by killing himself after apparently pouring water on his devotional creeper by talking to a woman?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: His instance was that even an associate of Caitanya Mahāprabhu can fall down. And if one falls down, his punishment is that, suicide. There is no other punishment. He must commit suicide. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruc.... Otherwise he is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's personal servant. He cannot fall down. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed this instance that "Even one is My personal servant, he can fall down." And if anyone by any cause he falls down, his punishment is he must commit suicide. This is instruction.</p>
<p>Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very strict.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. "You have fallen down? You must commit suicide. No more My association."</p>
<p>Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Is that the same as in the Bhagavad-gītā where Kṛṣṇa says, "For one who is honored, dishonor is worse than death"?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. That is another thing. Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally taught this. To be victimized by māyā is possi.... There is possibility.... Just like Jaya and Vijaya. They were gatekeepers in the Vaikuṇṭha. They also fell down, Hiraṇyakaśipu. So this falldown, there is possibility in any moment because we are very small. We can be captivated by māyā at any moment. Therefore we shall be very, very careful. And if you fall down, then punishment is you make suicide. That's all. Then next life we shall see.</p>
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