Kṛṣṇa dismantles Arjuna’s hope that his withdrawal will be seen as a moral gesture. The great generals like Duryodhana and Karṇa will not believe that Arjuna suddenly became a non-violent saint. They will assume he panicked upon seeing the size of their army. Those who currently hold Arjuna in high regard will see him as insignificant and ‘light’. He will lose his status as a formidable leader. Kṛṣṇa warns him that his attempts at appearing compassionate will be interpreted as simple cowardice by his enemies and peers alike. In the world of warriors, reputation is everything. Kṛṣṇa is showing Arjuna that by quitting, he is committing social suicide. He won’t be saving his family’s honor; he will be destroying his own and making himself a laughingstock in the eyes of the other great generals.