Bg. 2.

14
मात्रास्पशार्स्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदःु खदाः ।
आगमापा�यनोऽ�नत्यास्तांिस्त�त�स्व भारत ॥ १४ ॥
mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
āgamāpāyino ’nityās
tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata
Synonyms
mātrā-sparśāḥ — sensory perception; tu — only; kaunteya — O son of Kuntī; śīta —
winter; uṣṇa — summer; sukha — happiness; duḥkha — and pain; dāḥ —
giving; āgama — appearing; apāyinaḥ — disappearing; anityāḥ — nonpermanent; tān —
all of them; titikṣasva — just try to tolerate; bhārata — O descendant of the Bharata
dynasty.
Translation
O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their
disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter
and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one
must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.
Purport
In the proper discharge of duty, one has to learn to tolerate nonpermanent appearances and
disappearances of happiness and distress. According to Vedic injunction, one has to take
his bath early in the morning even during the month of Māgha (January-February). It is
very cold at that time, but in spite of that a man who abides by the religious principles
does not hesitate to take his bath. Similarly, a woman does not hesitate to cook in the
kitchen in the months of May and June, the hottest part of the summer season. One has to
execute his duty in spite of climatic inconveniences. Similarly, to fight is the religious
principle of the kṣatriyas, and although one has to fight with some friend or relative, one
should not deviate from his prescribed duty. One has to follow the prescribed rules and
regulations of religious principles in order to rise up to the platform of knowledge,
because by knowledge and devotion only can one liberate himself from the clutches
of māyā (illusion).
The two different names of address given to Arjuna are also significant. To address him as
Kaunteya signifies his great blood relations from his mother’s side; and to address him as
Bhārata signifies his greatness from his father’s side. From both sides he is supposed to
have a great heritage. A great heritage brings responsibility in the matter of proper
discharge of duties; therefore, he cannot avoid fighting.
 Bg. 2.20
न जायते �म्रयते वा कदा�च-
न्नायं भत्ू वा भ�वता वा न भय
ू ः।
अजो �नत्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शर�रे ॥ २० ॥
na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin
nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ’yaṁ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre
Synonyms
na — never; jāyate — takes birth; mriyate — dies; vā — either; kadācit — at any time
(past, present or future); na — never; ayam — this; bhūtvā — having come into
being; bhavitā — will come to be; vā — or; na — not; bhūyaḥ — or is again coming to
be; ajaḥ — unborn; nityaḥ — eternal; śāśvataḥ — permanent; ayam — this; purāṇaḥ —
the oldest; na — never; hanyate — is killed; hanyamāne — being killed; śarīre — the
body.
Translation
For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being,
does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-
existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.
Purport
Qualitatively, the small atomic fragmental part of the Supreme Spirit is one with the
Supreme. He undergoes no changes like the body. Sometimes the soul is called the steady,
or kūṭa-stha. The body is subject to six kinds of transformations. It takes its birth from the
womb of the mother’s body, remains for some time, grows, produces some effects,
gradually dwindles, and at last vanishes into oblivion. The soul, however, does not go
through such changes. The soul is not born, but, because he takes on a material body, the
body takes its birth. The soul does not take birth there, and the soul does not die. Anything
which has birth also has death. And because the soul has no birth, he therefore has no past,
present or future. He is eternal, ever-existing and primeval – that is, there is no trace in
history of his coming into being. Under the impression of the body, we seek the history of
birth, etc., of the soul. The soul does not at any time become old, as the body does. The so-
called old man, therefore, feels himself to be in the same spirit as in his childhood or
youth. The changes of the body do not affect the soul. The soul does not deteriorate like a
tree, nor anything material. The soul has no by-product either. The by-products of the
body, namely children, are also different individual souls; and, owing to the body, they
appear as children of a particular man. The body develops because of the soul’s presence,
but the soul has neither offshoots nor change. Therefore, the soul is free from the six
changes of the body.
In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.18) we also find a similar passage, which reads:
na jāyate mriyate vā vipaścin
nāyaṁ kutaścin na babhūva kaścit
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ’yaṁ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre
The meaning and purport of this verse is the same as in the Bhagavad-gītā, but here in this
verse there is one special word, vipaścit, which means learned or with knowledge.
The soul is full of knowledge, or full always with consciousness. Therefore, consciousness
is the symptom of the soul. Even if one does not find the soul within the heart, where he is
situated, one can still understand the presence of the soul simply by the presence of
consciousness. Sometimes we do not find the sun in the sky owing to clouds, or for some
other reason, but the light of the sun is always there, and we are convinced that it is
therefore daytime. As soon as there is a little light in the sky early in the morning, we can
understand that the sun is in the sky. Similarly, since there is some consciousness in all
bodies – whether man or animal – we can understand the presence of the soul. This
consciousness of the soul is, however, different from the consciousness of the Supreme
because the supreme consciousness is all-knowledge – past, present and future. The
consciousness of the individual soul is prone to be forgetful. When he is forgetful of his
real nature, he obtains education and enlightenment from the superior lessons of Kṛṣṇa.
But Kṛṣṇa is not like the forgetful soul. If so, Kṛṣṇa’s teachings of Bhagavad-gītā would
be useless.
There are two kinds of souls – namely the minute particle soul (aṇu-ātmā) and the
Supersoul (vibhu-ātmā). This is also confirmed in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.20) in this
way:
aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān
ātmāsya jantor nihito guhāyām
tam akratuḥ paśyati vīta-śoko
dhātuḥ prasādān mahimānam ātmanaḥ
“Both the Supersoul [Paramātmā] and the atomic soul [ jīvātmā] are situated on the same
tree of the body within the same heart of the living being, and only one who has become
free from all material desires as well as lamentations can, by the grace of the Supreme,
understand the glories of the soul.” Kṛṣṇa is the fountainhead of the Supersoul also, as it
will be disclosed in the following chapters, and Arjuna is the atomic soul, forgetful of his
real nature; therefore he requires to be enlightened by Kṛṣṇa, or by His bona fide
representative (the spiritual master).

Bg. 2.20
न जायते �म्रयते वा कदा�च-
न्नायं भत्ू वा भ�वता वा न भय
ू ः।
अजो �नत्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शर�रे ॥ २० ॥
na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin
nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ’yaṁ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre
light in the sky early in the morning, we can understand that the sun is in the sky.
Similarly, since there is some consciousness in all bodies – whether man or animal –
we can understand the presence of the soul. This consciousness of the soul is,
however, different from the consciousness of the Supreme because the supreme
consciousness is all-knowledge – past, present and future. The consciousness of the
individual soul is prone to be forgetful. When he is forgetful of his real nature, he
obtains education and enlightenment from the superior lessons of Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa
is not like the forgetful soul. If so, Kṛṣṇa’s teachings of Bhagavad-gītā would be
useless.
There are two kinds of souls – namely the minute particle soul (aṇu-ātmā) and the
Supersoul (vibhu-ātmā). This is also confirmed in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.20) in
this way:
aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān
ātmāsya jantor nihito guhāyām
tam akratuḥ paśyati vīta-śoko
dhātuḥ prasādān mahimānam ātmanaḥ
“Both the Supersoul [Paramātmā] and the atomic soul [ jīvātmā] are situated on the
same tree of the body within the same heart of the living being, and only one who
has become free from all material desires as well as lamentations can, by the grace
of the Supreme, understand the glories of the soul.” Kṛṣṇa is the fountainhead of the
Supersoul also, as it will be disclosed in the following chapters, and Arjuna is the
atomic soul, forgetful of his real nature; therefore he requires to be enlightened by
Kṛṣṇa, or by His bona fide representative (the spiritual master).

Bg. 2.22
वासां�स जीणार्�न यथा �वहाय
नवा�न गह्
ृ णा�त नरोऽपरा�ण ।
तथा शर�रा�ण �वहाय जीणार्-
न्यन्या�न संया�त नवा�न दे ह� ॥ २२ ॥
vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya
navāni gṛhṇāti naro ’parāṇi
tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāny
anyāni saṁyāti navāni dehī
Synonyms
vāsāṁsi — garments; jīrṇāni — old and worn out; yathā — just as; vihāya — giving
up; navāni — new garments; gṛhṇāti — does accept; naraḥ — a man; aparāṇi —
others; tathā — in the same way; śarīrāṇi — bodies; vihāya — giving up; jirṇāni — old
and useless; anyāni — different; saṁyāti — verily accepts; navāni — new sets; dehī —
the embodied.
Translation
As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new
material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.
 Purport
Change of body by the atomic individual soul is an accepted fact. Even the modern
scientists who do not believe in the existence of the soul, but at the same time cannot
explain the source of energy from the heart, have to accept continuous changes of body
which appear from childhood to boyhood and from boyhood to youth and again from
youth to old age. From old age, the change is transferred to another body. This has already
been explained in a previous verse (2.13).
Transference of the atomic individual soul to another body is made possible by the grace
of the Supersoul. The Supersoul fulfills the desire of the atomic soul as one friend fulfills
the desire of another. The Vedas, like the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad, as well as the Śvetāśvatara
Upaniṣad, compare the soul and the Supersoul to two friendly birds sitting on the same
tree. One of the birds (the individual atomic soul) is eating the fruit of the tree, and the
other bird (Kṛṣṇa) is simply watching His friend. Of these two birds – although they are
the same in quality – one is captivated by the fruits of the material tree, while the other is
simply witnessing the activities of His friend. Kṛṣṇa is the witnessing bird, and Arjuna is
the eating bird. Although they are friends, one is still the master and the other is the
servant. Forgetfulness of this relationship by the atomic soul is the cause of one’s
changing his position from one tree to another, or from one body to another. The jīva soul
is struggling very hard on the tree of the material body, but as soon as he agrees to accept
the other bird as the supreme spiritual master – as Arjuna agreed to do by voluntary
surrender unto Kṛṣṇa for instruction – the subordinate bird immediately becomes free
from all lamentations. Both the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (3.1.2) and Śvetāśvatara
Upaniṣad (4.7) confirm this:
samāne vṛkṣe puruṣo nimagno
’nīśayā śocati muhyamānaḥ
juṣṭaṁ yadā paśyaty anyam īśam
asya mahimānam iti vīta-śokaḥ
“Although the two birds are in the same tree, the eating bird is fully engrossed with
anxiety and moroseness as the enjoyer of the fruits of the tree. But if in some way or other
he turns his face to his friend the Lord and knows His glories – at once the suffering bird
becomes free from all anxieties.” Arjuna has now turned his face towards his eternal
friend, Kṛṣṇa, and is understanding the Bhagavad-gītā from Him. And thus, hearing from
Kṛṣṇa, he can understand the supreme glories of the Lord and be free from lamentation.
Arjuna is advised herewith by the Lord not to lament for the bodily change of his old
grandfather and his teacher. He should rather be happy to kill their bodies in the righteous
fight so that they may be cleansed at once of all reactions from various bodily activities.
One who lays down his life on the sacrificial altar, or in the proper battlefield, is at once
cleansed of bodily reactions and promoted to a higher status of life. So there was no cause
for Arjuna’s lamentation.

Bg. 2.23
नैनं �छन्दिन्त शस्त्रा�ण नैनं दह�त पावकः ।
न चैनं क्ल‍◌ेदयन्त्यापोन शोषय�त मारुतः ॥ २३ ॥
nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi
nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ
na cainaṁ kledayanty āpo
na śoṣayati mārutaḥ
 Synonyms
na — never; enam — this soul; chindanti — can cut to pieces; śastrāṇi — weapons; na —
never; enam — this soul; dahati — burns; pāvakaḥ — fire; na — never; ca —
also; enam — this soul; kledayanti — moistens; āpaḥ — water; na — never; śoṣayati —
dries; mārutaḥ — wind.
Translation
The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor
moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.
Purport
All kinds of weapons – swords, flame weapons, rain weapons, tornado weapons, etc. – are
unable to kill the spirit soul. It appears that there were many kinds of weapons made of
earth, water, air, ether, etc., in addition to the modern weapons of fire. Even the nuclear
weapons of the modern age are classified as fire weapons, but formerly there were other
weapons made of all different types of material elements. Fire weapons were counteracted
by water weapons, which are now unknown to modern science. Nor do modern scientists
have knowledge of tornado weapons. Nonetheless, the soul can never be cut into pieces,
nor annihilated by any number of weapons, regardless of scientific devices.
The Māyāvādī cannot explain how the individual soul came into existence simply by
ignorance and consequently became covered by the illusory energy. Nor was it ever
possible to cut the individual souls from the original Supreme Soul; rather, the individual
souls are eternally separated parts of the Supreme Soul. Because they are atomic
individual souls eternally (sanātana), they are prone to be covered by the illusory energy,
and thus they become separated from the association of the Supreme Lord, just as the
sparks of a fire, although one in quality with the fire, are prone to be extinguished when
out of the fire. In the Varāha Purāṇa, the living entities are described as separated parts
and parcels of the Supreme. They are eternally so, according to the Bhagavad-gītā also.
So, even after being liberated from illusion, the living entity remains a separate identity, as
is evident from the teachings of the Lord to Arjuna. Arjuna became liberated by the
knowledge received from Kṛṣṇa, but he never became one with Kṛṣṇa.

Bg. 2.27
जातस्य �ह ध्रव
ु ो मत्ृ युध्रव
ुर् ं जन्म मत
ृ स्य च ।
तस्मादप�रहाय�ऽथ� न त्वं शो�चतुमहर्�स ॥ २७ ॥
jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur
dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca
tasmād aparihārye ’rthe
na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi
Synonyms
jātasya — of one who has taken his birth; hi — certainly; dhruvaḥ — a fact; mṛtyuḥ —
death; dhruvam — it is also a fact; janma — birth; mṛtasya — of the dead; ca —
also; tasmāt — therefore; aparihārye — of that which is unavoidable; arthe — in the
matter; na — do not; tvam — you; śocitum — to lament; arhasi — deserve.