Verse 2.26
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम्। तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि॥
Transliteration (IAST)
atha cainaṁ nitya-jātaṁ nityaṁ vā manyase mṛtam tathāpi tvaṁ mahā-bāho naivaṁ śocitum arhasi
Word-by-Word Meanings
nitya-jātam-always being born
nityam-always
mṛtam-dead
mahā-bāho-mighty-armed one
na śocitum-not to grieve
Translation
But even if you think the Self is perpetually born and perpetually dies, even then, O mighty-armed one, you should not grieve.
Commentary
Krishna now addresses the materialist view: even if one believes the Self is not eternal but is born and dies repeatedly, grief is still inappropriate because what is inevitable cannot be changed by sorrow. This shows Krishna's teaching works regardless of one's metaphysical position.
Themes
jnanaduty