Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 30

Chapter 2 – Sankhya Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत ।
तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥

Transliteration

dehī nityamavadhyo.ayaṃ dehe sarvasya bhārata .
tasmātsarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi ॥

Meaning

O Bharata, the Self dwelling in the body of every being is eternally indestructible. Therefore you should not grieve for any creature.

Word meanings

देही – the embodied Self
नित्यम् – eternally
अवध्यः – cannot be slain
अयम् – this
देहे – in the body
सर्वस्य – of all
भारत – O Bharata
तस्मात् – therefore
सर्वाणि – all
भूतानि – beings
न – not
त्वम् – you
शोचितुम् – to grieve
अर्हसि – ought

Anvaya (word order)

भारत, सर्वस्य देहे अयं देही नित्यम् अवध्यः (अस्ति) । तस्मात् त्वं सर्वाणि भूतानि (उद्दिश्य) शोचितुं न अर्हसि ।

Explanation

This verse concludes the teaching on the Self (Sankhya-knowledge) that began in 2.11. Krishna sums up the whole discussion in a sentence: the Self dwelling in the body of every being is forever indestructible; therefore you should not grieve for any creature.

‘Sarvasya dehe’ — in the body of all — shows the universality of this knowledge. Not only Bhishma and Drona but every living being — human, animal, bird or insect — houses the same imperishable Self. From the standpoint of the Self, no being is a cause for grief.

‘Nityam avadhyah’ — eternally unslayable — is the key phrase of the teaching. All Arjuna's sorrow arose from the thought of slaying. Krishna ends by saying that the real ‘I’ and ‘you’ can never be slain.

In this section (2.11–2.30) Krishna has explained the Self from many angles: its eternity (2.12), the change of bodies (2.13, 2.22), the distinction of real and unreal (2.16), its indestructibility (2.17–2.25), the inevitability of birth and death (2.26–2.27) and its wondrous nature (2.29). Shankara calls this ‘sankhya-buddhi’, discerning knowledge of the ultimate truth. Krishna will now address Arjuna from another, practical standpoint: his svadharma, his own duty.

The message of this teaching for life is that when we see one imperishable consciousness in all beings, the fear of death fades, grief diminishes, and a deep reverence and kinship towards all arises.

Context

In 2.29 Krishna spoke of the rarity of Self-knowledge. This verse is the summary and conclusion of the teaching on the Self in 2.11–2.30. From the next verse (2.31) He urges Arjuna to fight from the standpoint of svadharma.

Life lesson

The same imperishable Self dwells in every being. Understanding this, rise above grief and fear, and hold every creature in respect and kinship.

Key terms

Avadhya: unslayable, indestructible
Dehi: the Self dwelling in the body
Sankhya-buddhi: knowledge based on discerning Self from not-Self