Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 2: The Path of Understanding

Bhagavad Gita 2.34

akīrtiṃ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te'vyayām | saṃbhāvitasya cākīrtirmaraṇādatiricyate ||

People will speak of your disgrace for all time, and for one who has been honoured, disgrace is worse than death.

Modern context

This is an argument from reputation, and Krishna knows it is not the highest one. He uses it because it is true to how Arjuna feels: for someone who has lived by a standard, betraying it is worse than dying. The useful question is not 'what will people say?' but 'could I respect myself afterwards?'