Bhagavad Gita 2.34
akīrtiṁ cāpi bhūtāni
kathayiṣyanti te ’vyayām
saṁbhāvitasya cākīrtir
maraṇād atiricyate
“Infamy will forever stain your name,
People will speak of your lasting shame.
For one who has been honored, dishonor is life’s greatest pain,
A fate far more bitter than death that takes away all material gain.”
My dear Lord, doing the right thing in this illusion-filled world is notoriously difficult. Even when I know what the right thing to do is, I often lack the motivation to do it.
You, my Lord, are so magnanimous that you encourage and engage all possible means for elevating my consciousness and drawing me toward you. You declare unambiguously that it is best if I do the right thing, which ultimately means serving and doing your will with the right motivation—pleasing and expressing my love for you. Yet, you don’t reject me when my motivations fail to rise up to that standard of selfless loving service. You are so kind that you accept my service, even if it is somewhat selfishly motivated. When I do the right thing, not because it pleases you, but because not doing it will ruin my reputation, you still mercifully accept my effort.
Let me humbly remember, O Lord, that beggars cannot be choosers. When my service attitude doesn’t inspire me to do what is right, let me be grateful that at least my sense of honor is there for me to fall back on.
Bless me to see your acceptance of me, despite my impure motivation, as irrefutable evidence of your supremely noble disposition. You want me, O Lord, even when I don’t want you. Who can be as merciful as you!
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02.34 People will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.
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