हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्ग जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् ।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः ॥ ३७ ॥
hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṁ
jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm
tasmād uttiṣṭha kaunteya
yuddhāya kṛta-niścayaḥ
Synonyms
hataḥ — being killed; vā — either; prāpsyasi — you gain; svargam — the heavenly kingdom; jitvā — by conquering; vā — or; bhokṣyase — you enjoy; mahīm — the world; tasmāt — therefore; uttiṣṭha — get up; kaunteya — O son of Kuntī; yuddhāya — to fight; kṛta — determined; niścayaḥ — in certainty.
Translation
O son of Kuntī, either you will be killed on the battlefield and attain the heavenly planets, or you will conquer and enjoy the earthly kingdom. Therefore, get up with determination and fight.
Purport
Even though there was no certainty of victory for Arjuna’s side, he still had to fight; for, even being killed there, he could be elevated into the heavenly planets.