Shloka 20
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya Resolve and the Slaying of Jarāsandha
योऽनित्येन शरीरेण सतां गेयं यशो ध्रुवम् । नाचिनोति स्वयं कल्प: स वाच्य: शोच्य एव स: ॥ २० ॥
yo ’nityena śarīreṇa satāṁ geyaṁ yaśo dhruvam nācinoti svayaṁ kalpaḥ sa vācyaḥ śocya eva saḥ
Merece censura y compasión quien, pudiendo hacerlo, no obtiene con su cuerpo pasajero la fama perdurable que los santos celebran en sus cantos.
FAQs
It teaches that since the body is temporary, one should use life to cultivate enduring, saint-praised glory—virtue and devotion that outlast the body—otherwise one becomes blameworthy and pitiable.
In the context of confronting Jarāsandha and upholding dharma, Kṛṣṇa emphasizes acting nobly in a fleeting life—so one’s deeds become worthy of being sung by the saintly.
Treat time and the body as temporary, and prioritize actions that leave lasting spiritual and moral value—devotion, integrity, service, and dharmic responsibility—rather than short-lived gains.