Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingअकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम्।
संभावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते
akīrtiṁ chāpi bhūtāni
kathayiṣhyanti te ’vyayām
sambhāvitasya chākīrtir
maraṇād atirichyate
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaPeople also will speak of your unending infamy, and to an honored person, infamy is worse than death.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
और सब लोग तुम्हारी बहुत काल तक रहने वाली अपकीर्ति को भी कहते रहेंगे; और सम्मानित पुरुष के लिए अपकीर्ति मरण से भी अधिक होती है।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiअकीर्तिञ् चापि भूतानि
कथयिष् यन्ति तेऽव्य याम्
सम् भावि तस्य चाकीर् तिः
मरणा दति रिच्यते
॥ ३४ ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthaakīrtiminfamy
chaand
apialso
bhūtānipeople
kathayiṣhyantiwill speak
teof your
avyayāmeverlasting
sambhāvitasyaof a respectable person
chaand
akīrtiḥinfamy
maraṇātthan death
atirichyateis greater
Meaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA2.34What does Kṛṣṇa say is worse than death for a man of honour?
People also will speak of your unending infamy, and to an honored person, infamy is worse than death.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.