Bravery in the face of fear
Act despite fear. The Gita teaches that courage is not the absence of fear, but action in spite of it.
Klaibyam ma sma gamah partha naitat tvayy upapadyate, kshudram hridaya-daurbalyam tyaktvottishtha parantapa
O Partha, do not yield to this degrading impotence. It does not become you. Give up such petty weakness of heart and arise, O chastiser of the enemy.
Tasmāt tvam uttiṣhṭha yaśho labhasva jitvā śhatrūn bhuṅkṣhva rājyaṁ samṛiddham, mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sāchin
Therefore, arise and attain glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. They are already slain by My arrangement; you are merely an instrument.
Hato va prapsyasi svargam jitva va bhokshyase mahim tasmad uttishtha kaunteya yuddhaya krita-nishchayah
Either you will be killed on the battlefield and attain the heavenly planets, or you will conquer and enjoy the earthly kingdom. Therefore, get up with determination and fight. Krishna presents Arjuna with a win-win scenario — both outcomes of righteous battle lead to benefit. There is no reason for hesitation.
Sukha-duhkhe same kritva labhalabhau jayajayau, tato yuddhaya yujyasva naivam papam avapsyasi
Fight for the sake of duty, treating alike happiness and distress, loss and gain, victory and defeat. Fulfilling your responsibility in this way, you will never incur sin.
Niyatam kuru karma tvam karma jyayo hy akarmanah, sharira-yatrapi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmanah
You should thus perform your prescribed Vedic duties, since action is superior to inaction. By ceasing activity, even your bodily maintenance will not be possible.
Tasmad asaktah satatam karyam karma samachara, asakto hy acharan karma param apnoti purushah
Therefore, without attachment, constantly perform action which is duty, for by performing action without attachment, one attains the Supreme.
Shreyan sva-dharmo vigunah para-dharmat sv-anushthitat, sva-dharme nidhanam shreyah para-dharmo bhayavahah
It is far better to discharge one's prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another's duties perfectly. Better to die performing one's own duty than adopt another's, for that is dangerous.
sreyan sva-dharmo vigunah para-dharmat sv-anusthitat sva-bhava-niyatam karma kurvan napnoti kilbisam
Better is one's own duty, though imperfectly performed, than the duty of another well performed. By performing duty ordained by one's own nature, one does not incur sin. This echoes the teaching of chapter three on the primacy of svadharma.
Sañjaya uvācha: ityarjunaṁ vāsudevas tathoktā svakaṁ rūpaṁ darśhayām āsa bhūyaḥ, āśhvāsayām āsa cha bhītam enaṁ bhūtvā punaḥ saumya-vapur mahātmā
Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus to Arjuna, Vasudeva showed him once again His own form. The great soul assumed His gentle form and pacified the frightened Arjuna.
Sva-dharmam api cavekshya na vikampitum arhasi dharmyad dhi yuddhac chreyo 'nyat kshatriyasya na vidyate
Considering your own dharma, you should not waver, for nothing is better for a warrior than a righteous war. Arjuna's prescribed duty as a Kshatriya is to fight a just war. To shrink from this duty would be a violation of his very nature and social responsibility.
Atha cet tvam imam dharmyam sangramam na karishyasi tatah sva-dharmam kirtim cha hitva papam avapsyasi
But if you do not perform your righteous duty in this battle, then having abandoned your prescribed duty and reputation, you will incur sin. The consequences of abandoning dharma are not merely social — they are spiritual. Failure to act on one's highest duty creates karmic debt and inner corruption.
Shraddhaval labhate jnanam tat-parah samyatendriyah, jnanam labdhva param shantim acirenadhigacchati
Those who have faith, are devoted, and have mastered their senses quickly attain divine knowledge. Upon attaining such knowledge, they soon achieve supreme peace.
Partha naiveha namutra vinashas tasya vidyate, na hi kalyana-krit kashchid durgatim tata gacchati
O Arjuna, neither in this world nor in the next is there destruction for such a person. Never does one who does good come to grief.
Saha-jam karma kaunteya sa-dosham api na tyajet, sarvarambha hi dosena dhumenagnir ivavritah
One should not abandon one's natural work, even if it has some fault, O Arjuna. Indeed, all undertakings are enveloped by some fault, as fire is by smoke.
Arjuna uvaca: Nashto mohah smritir labdha tvat-prasadan mayacyuta, sthito 'smi gata-sandehah karishye vacanam tava
Arjuna said: O infallible Krishna, my illusion is dispelled, and by Your grace I have regained memory. I am now firm and free from doubt, and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.
Yatra yogeshvarah krishno yatra partho dhanur-dharah, tatra shrir vijayo bhutir dhruva nitir matir mama
Wherever there is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality.
Nehabhikrama-nasho 'sti pratyavayo na vidyate, svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat
In this path, no effort is wasted and no loss is suffered. Even a little progress on this path protects one from the most fearful danger.
Mayi sarvani karmani sannyasyadhyatma-cetasa, nirashir nirmamo bhutva yudhyasva vigata-jvarah
Therefore, surrendering all your works unto Me, with mind intent on the self, free from desire and possessiveness, and cured of mental fever, fight.
Mat-karma-kṛin mat-paramo mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ, nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣhu yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava
O Pandava, one who performs My work, considers Me as the supreme, is devoted to Me, is free from attachment, and is without enmity toward any being — such a person comes to Me.
Mac-chittah sarva-durgani mat-prasadat tarishyasi, atha cet tvam ahankaran na shroshyasi vinankshyasi
If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. But if you do not work in such consciousness, but act through ego, you will be lost.
Read slowly and contemplate. Don't rush through these verses. Pick one that resonates and sit with it for a few minutes.
Return regularly. Ancient wisdom reveals itself gradually. Come back to these verses when you need them.
Apply to your situation. Consider how each teaching relates specifically to what you're experiencing right now.
Share what helps. If a verse brings you peace or clarity, share it with others who might need it.