Ramanuja's Gita Bhashya - Chapter 2 - Samkhya Yoga - Sloka 34

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of  Ramanuja's Gita Bhashya, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

Swerve not from your Duty - 31-37

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 2 - Samkhya Yoga - Sloka 34

Akirtim cha api bhutani kathashyanta te avyayam I

sambhavitasya cha akirtih maranat atirichyate II sloka 34

अकीर्तिं च अपि भूतानि कथायष्यान्त ते अव्ययाम  ।

संभावितस्य च अकीर्तिः मरणात अतिरिच्यते ।।श्लोक ३४ 

Further people will speak ill of you for all time and for one accustomed to be honoured, dishonour is  worse than death.

You will then incur not merely the loss of all happiness and honour but will be the object of disrespect by all people, the qualified and even unqualified, for all time. They will ridicule you by saying, "When the battle began, Arjuna ran away". If it be asked, "So what?", the reply is, "To one who is honoured by all for courage, prowess and valour etc., this kind of dishonour arising from the reverse of these attributes, is worse than death." The meaning is that death itself would be better for you than this kind of dishonour.