Verse 2.18
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः। अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत॥
Transliteration (IAST)
antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ anāśino 'prameyasya tasmād yudhyasva bhārata
Word-by-Word Meanings
antavantaḥ-perishable/having an end
dehāḥ-bodies
nityasya-of the eternal
śarīriṇaḥ-of the embodied one
yudhyasva-fight
Translation
These bodies of the eternal, indestructible, and immeasurable embodied soul are said to have an end. Therefore, fight, O Bharata.
Commentary
Having established the eternality of the Self and the perishability of the body, Krishna draws the practical conclusion: since only bodies perish and the Self is eternal, Arjuna should fight without grief. This is the first time Krishna explicitly connects metaphysical knowledge to the duty of action.
Themes
atmandutykarma