klaibyaṁ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitat tvayy upapadyate kṣudraṁ hṛdaya-daurbalyaṁ tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa
"Do not yield to unmanliness, Arjuna. It does not suit you. Shake off this petty weakness of heart and stand up, O scorcher of enemies!"
What This Means:
Krishna gets even more direct: 'This cowardice doesn't suit you.' He reminds Arjuna of who he really is—a great warrior called 'Parantapa' (scorcher of enemies). Krishna is saying: 'You're better than this. Get up and be who you are.'
Going Deeper:
The word 'klaibyam' (impotence/unmanliness) is strong language. Krishna isn't being insensitive—he's using shock to break through Arjuna's mental paralysis. Sometimes compassion means being firm. The phrase 'hridaya-daurbalyam' (weakness of heart) identifies the real problem: it's not external circumstances, but Arjuna's internal state.
How To Apply This:
When facing a difficult situation, ask: Am I avoiding this because it's truly wrong, or because I'm afraid? There's a difference between wise restraint and cowardly avoidance. Don't let weakness of heart disguise itself as wisdom.
Key Sanskrit Terms: