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SANKHYA YOGA
COMMENTARY: Birth is inevitable to what is dead and death is inevitable to what is born. This is the law of Nature. Therefore, one should not grieve.
Jaatasya hi dhruvo mrityur dhruvam janma mritasya cha; Tasmaad aparihaarye'rthe na twam shochitum arhasi.
27. For, certain is death for the born and certain is birth for the dead; therefore, over the inevitable thou shouldst not grieve.
Avyaktaadeeni bhootaani vyaktamadhyaani bhaarata; Avyakta nidhanaanyeva tatra kaa paridevanaa.
28. Beings are unmanifested in their beginning, manifested in their middle state, 0 Arjuna, and unmanifested again in their end! What is there to grieve about?
COMMENTARY: The physical body is a combination of the five elements. It is perceived by the physical eye only after the five elements have entered into such combination. After death the body disintegrates and all the five elements return to their source. The body cannot be perceived now. It can be perceived only in the middle state. He who understands the nature of the body and human relationships based upon it will not grieve.
Aashcharyavat pashyati kashchid enam
Aashcharyavad vadati tathaiva chaanyah; Aashcharyavacchainam anyah shrinoti
Shrutwaapyenam veda na chaiva kashchit.
29. One sees This (the Self) as a wonder, another speaks of It as a wonder; another hears of It as a wonder; yet, having heard, none understands It at all.
COMMENTARY: The verse may also be interpreted in this manner: he that sees, hears and speaks of the Self is a wonderful man. Such a man is very rare. He is one among many thousands. Therefore, the Self is very hard to understand.
Dehee nityam avadhyo'yam dehe sarvasya bhaarata; Tasmaat sarvaani bhootaani na twam shochitum arhasi.
30. This, the Indweller in the body of everyone, is always indestructible, O Arjuna! Therefore, thou shouldst not grieve for any creature.
Swadharmam api chaavekshya na vikampitum arhasi; Dharmyaaddhi yuddhaacchreyo'nyat kshatriyasya na vidyate.
31. Further, having regard to thy own duty, thou shouldst not waver, for there is nothing higher for a Kshatriya than a righteous war.
