अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् ।
सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥ ३४ ॥
सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥ ३४ ॥
akīrtiṃ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te’vyayām .
sambhāvitasya cākīrtirmaraṇādatiricyate .. 34 ..
People, too, will recount thy everlasting infamy; and, to one who has been esteemed, infamy is more than death.
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People, too, will recount your infamy, which will survive you long. To him who has been esteemed as a hero and as a righteous man and as one possessing other such noble qualities, death is preferable to infamy.