2.36
अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून्वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः | निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ||३६||
avāchya-vādāṁśh cha bahūn vadiṣhyanti tavāhitāḥ nindantas tava sāmarthyaṁ tato duḥkhataraṁ nu kim
Translation
Your enemies will describe you in many unkind words and scorn your ability. What could be more painful than that?
Interpretation
Enemies will mock and deride Arjuna's supposed cowardice. For a man of honor and martial fame, this derision from those he has always defeated in battle would be uniquely painful. Krishna is appealing to Arjuna's sense of honor as a warrior — a path of motivation that can work even before the deeper spiritual teaching takes hold.