अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम्। संभावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते ॥

akīrtiṁ chāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣhyanti te ’vyayām sambhāvitasya chākīrtir maraṇād atirichyate

Men will recount thy perpetual dishonour, and, to one highly esteemed, dishonour exceedeth death.

In plain words: Krishna tells Arjuna that if he runs away, people will talk about his shame forever. For someone who is deeply respected, losing honor is worse than dying.