2.33 But if thou wilt not fight this righteous war, then having abandoned thine own duty and fame, thou shalt incur sin.

2.33 See Comment under 2.37

2.33. Now if you do not fight this righteous war, then by abandoning your duty and honor, you will incur sin. Commentary: 2.33. Explanation—"Now if you... will incur sin"—Here the particle 'atha' (now) indicates an alternative viewpoint, and the particle 'chet' (if) conveys a sense of possibility. Their implication is that although you will be unable to remain without war, compelled by your inherent warrior nature you will indeed fight (Gita 18.60), nevertheless, if we suppose that you will not fight, then it will result in the abandonment of your Kshatriya duty. By abandoning the Kshatriya duty, you will incur sin, and your honor will also be destroyed. What will you do by renouncing the duty, which is your inherent Dharma? By abandoning your own duty, you will have to accept another's duty, which will cause you to incur sin. By renouncing the war, other people will think that even a hero like Arjuna has become afraid of death! This will destroy your honor.