Bhagavad Gita · Sankhya YogaChapter 2, Shloka 36 (2.36)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून् वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः
निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम्
॥ 2.36 ॥
avācyavādāṃśca bahūn vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ
nindantastava sāmarthyaṃ tato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim
Translation
"Your enemies, belittling your ability, will say many things that should not be said. What could be more painful than that?"
Interpretation
The enemy's mockery. The enemies will not only criticise — they will say avācya-vāda (things that should not be said) and mock Arjuna's samarthya (ability). Shankaracharya: the ability that had been proven in battle with the Nivatakavachas and others (a story from the Mahabharata — Arjuna fought the asuras during his stay in heaven).
The greatest pain? Krishna says — what pain could be greater than this? Shankaracharya: nindā-prāpteḥ duḥkhāt kaṣṭataraṃ duḥkhaṃ nāsti — there is no pain harder than the pain of being reviled.
The limit of the argument. The argument of this shloka rests on human ego and reputation — this is the worldly level (Shankara). Later the Gita will call dear the one who treats blame and praise alike (12.19) — there even this pain will not remain. Here Krishna is speaking at Arjuna's current level.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.