Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse Brief Explanation - II 2:18 II

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|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

 

II 2:18 II

 

antavanta ime dehaa, nityasyoktaah saririnah

anaashino 'prameyasya, tasmaad yudhyasva bhaarata

 

" These bodies of the Indweller (soul) who is eternal, indestructible

and immeasurable, are said to have an end. Fight, therefore O'

Bharata (Arjuna). "

 

Comment -

 

In the previous verse, Lord Krishna stated that shariri (soul) is

indestructible, He declares now that all bodies are destructible, and are

destined to die. The essence of this is that body that is

received and that later departs from us, is not our true Self. The

body is an instrument for performing actions only. Its use is to only be of

service to others. The body is of no use, even the slightest bit for the Self.

For it's self, the body does not have even the slightest bit of use. In other

words, with the destruction of the body there is no loss to the Self.

 

From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 30 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

 

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Chapter 2, Verse 18 is as follows;

 

AntavantaH = having an end

Ime = these

DehaaH = bodies

Nityasya = of the everlasting

UktaaH = are said

ShareeriNaH = of the Embodied One / the Indweller / the Self

AnaashinaH = of the indestructible

Aprameyasya = of the immeasurable

Tasmaat = therefore

Yudhyasva = fight

Bhaarat = O Arjuna! O descendent of the King Bharat (after whom, the

nation is labeled as `Bhaarata-Varsha')!

 

English translation:-

 

These bodies, of the Embodied One - the Indweller - the Self; which

is eternal, indestructible and immeasurable, are said to have a

finite end. O Arjuna, therefore, you ought to fight.

 

`Shareeri' means `the Self' residing in a physical body of a living

being. It has to be conceptualised as it is not known by the

ordinary means of knowledge so far at our disposal. The instruments

of cognition, whether they may be sense organs or the mind or

the intellect are in themselves inert in nature and can possibly

have their knowledge of perception only when they are dynamised by

the Pure Consciousness, the true Spark-of-Life in every human being.

 

In the verse 7 in chapter 7 in Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta, Lord Krishna

has proclaimed, " There is nothing higher than Me, O Arjuna! All this

is strung on Me as rows of gems on a common thread. "

 

Lord Krishna, being a personification of the Brahman, holds the

entire Universe together like a string holds rows of gems in a

necklace. The Brahman extends everything, every being and

everywhere. There exists the Brahman, the infinite reservoir of

energy in every nook and corner of the entire Universe.

 

In this mortal world a child is born, he flourishes with the help of

the Mother Nature, he undergoes transformation into an adult, he

enjoys the various acquisitions in his life and ultimately his body

ceases to function due to his old age and afflictions of various

terminal diseases.

 

When the `Chetana', the enlivening principle departs from a physical

body, we declare the person to be dead. But that enlivening

principle, the Aatman itself does not perish when human bodies

perish. The Aatman is eternal in terms of the variable of time. The

Aatman is immeasurable in terms of the variable of space. The Aatman

is indestructible in terms of variable of causation.

 

In Calculus, we study the rate of change of one variable with

respect to another variable and express it as `dy/dx' where a small

change in variable `y' is measured with respect to a small change in

variable `x'. Without this unique tool, it is impossible to

imagine the progress of mankind in various branches of knowledge in

this world.

 

However, in the case of the `Aatman' or the `Brahman' it is not

possible to find any changes in them with respect to any variable

that we can imagine so far.

 

Therefore, by logical deduction, the `Aatman' the subset of the

superset the `Brahman' is everlasting, all-pervading and

imperishable.

 

The analogy of the electricity has a striking similarity. Every

electric bulb has a finite beginning and a finite end. When the

filament in an electric bulb snaps due to excessive heat, the bulb

ceases to function as the electric circuit cannot be completed

any longer. When such electric bulbs are destroyed, the enlivening

principle that is the electricity in this case, does not get

destroyed. It remains intact without any loss.

 

With his staggering intellect, Lord Krishna offers a quick snap shot

of the true picture of life to Arjuna. He succinctly illustrates the

perishable nature of the human bodies in the backdrop of the

incomprehensible, immeasurable, immutable, imperishable and

everlasting `Aatman' that continues its eternal journey forever.

 

" O Arjuna! O descendent of King Bharata! As you have been equipped

with this finer understanding of the `Aatman', now how can you have

any grief? Being a true warrior, it is your obligatory duty to fight

a righteous war " thus Lord Krishna extorts Arjuna to fight the

epic battle.

 

" Vinaashaaya Cha Dushkrutaam " i.e. the sacred advice of active

resistance and eventual defeat of all the wicked, evil and

unrighteous elements; is the foundation of Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta.

 

Thanks & Best Regards,

Shrikant Joshi.

===============================================================

OTHER SADHAKS

 

Hari Bol

 

As Shri Shrikantji Joshi pointed out, Gita 2:16, 17, 18 convey

immense significance. These shlokas are amongst the most discussed

in Bhagavad Gita.

 

Please allow me to add a few notes to Shri Joshi's lucid explanation

and commentary.

 

Unless we are constantly aware of the truths in these shlokas, any

kind of endeavor on our part will result in the perpetuation of

ignorance and its result: bondage. Nor are these abstractions to

merely accept intellectually. They must be lived; and until they can

be fully demonstrated in our life we must at least keep striving to

bring our conscious thoughts and deeds into conformity with them.

 

Bhagavan Krishna is telling Arjuna to fight–to act as though the

world were real. Why? Because all our experience is a training film

in the school of consciousness. By watching it and interacting with

it we come to experience its substantial reality, but we also come

to understand its meaning. For every particle of matter has a

purpose and is a message from the Eternal for us to read.

Bhagavan Krishna is instructing Arjuna in the attitude, the

perspective, needed to live life meaningfully. Arjuna wants to turn

away from the battlefield, to avoid doing what he considers to

be a terrible wrong, but Bhagavan holds him and warns him against

such a mistaken course of action, because to do so is to fail in

learning the purpose of the situation. To leave the battle would

be to deny the unreality of external appearance and to deny the

reality of the inner spirit.

For us practically this verse carries great and freeing insight. For

example, we need not brood over our faults or be elated over our

virtues since they have never really come into being! Neither

should we be displeased at misfortune or pleased at good fortune,

for they have never happened.

Rather, the pictures of these things are being shown to us for our

development and education leading to our mastery of them. (Swami

Nirmalananda).

 

SankarAcArya summarised this shloka as followd:

 

'...Therefore, the unreality of entities like the body, and all

duality, with its cause, is shown by the statement " na vidyate

bhAvaH. " Similarly, the cognition of the real Atman is never absent.

As we have already observed, this is constant everywhere. Thus,

those who see the Truth (tattva) see the ultimate truth of both the

real and the unreal, the Atman and the anAtman - the real is always

real and the unreal is always unreal.

 

" tat " is the name of the " all " that is brahman. " tat " being the name

of brahman, the nature of brahman is " tat-tva. " Those who are fit to

directly perceive this (nature of brahman) are the seers (tattva-

darSis).

You too (O Arjuna), endure Soka (grief) and moha (delusion), and

take the perspective of the seers - unstable dualities like cold-

heat etc. are simply transformations, ultimately unreal, and appear

falsely, like water in a mirage. The opinion (of Krishna)

is, " Setting your mind upon this conclusion, titikshasva

(endure cold, heat etc) " .......'

 

But, while things maybe unreal in the gross world, we should not say

the world is unreal and dismiss it. For example, a sign saying 'Danger' is not

danger, but it indicates danger. Words,

figures, and lines on paper are not anything " real, " but their

import is very real. The word " fire " is not fire, yet when

someone yells it we should get moving. In the same way, the world

around us may not be ultimately real, but its message can lead us to

the perception of the Reality behind it all and which is its Source.

 

Hari Om,

Krishna S. Narinedath

-------------------------------

 

-Shree Hari-

 

See paste: '6. The Brahman does not have a specific purpose to

achieve and therefore even in the absence of any purpose; it

continues to pervade the entire Universe.'

 

My thought is, where lies the creative drive and intellect of

creation, for that must be as unborn as The Brahman.

 

With Respect and Divine Love,

 

Mike (Keenor).

 

 

Hari Bol

 

With reference to 2:17 -

 

In Svetasvatara Upanisad, the soul is described as one ten-

thousandth part of

the upper portion of the hair point in size.

 

balagra-sata-bhagasya satadha kalpitasya ca

bhago jivah sa vijneyah sa canantyaya kalpate

 

" When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts

and again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred

parts, each such part is the measurement of the dimension of the

spirit soul. "

 

And, in the Bhagavatam the same version is stated:

 

kesagra-sata-bhagasya satamsah sadrsatmakah

jivah suksma-svarupo 'yam sankhyatito hi cit-kanah

 

" There are innumerable particles of spiritual atoms, which are

measured as

one ten-thousandth of the upper portion of the hair. "

 

In the Mundaka Upanisad the measurement of the atomic spirit soul is

further explained:

 

eso 'nur atma cetasa veditavyo

yasmin pranah pancadha samvivesa

pranais cittam sarvam otam prajanam

yasmin visuddhe vibhavaty esa atma

 

The soul is atomic in size and can be perceived by perfect

intelligence. This atomic soul is floating in the five kinds of air

[prana, apana, vyana, samana and udana], is situated within the

heart, and spreads its influence all over the body of the embodied

living entities.

When the soul is purified from the contamination of the five kinds

of material air, its spiritual influence is exhibited. " (Mund.

3.1.9)

 

Hari Om

Krishna S. Narinedath

 

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Dear Sir,

 

I am YOGA student and I desire to learn BHAGWAT GEETA and also to

memorise entire gita as a whole. In this regard, I need your

assistance and guidance.

 

Dr Mohan

-----------------------------

Shree Hari Ram Ram

ALL SADHAKS, If you are aware of good suggestions of Dr. Mohanji,

please email us.

Dr. Mohanji, we will compile and send responses in one posting.

Ram Ram

------------------------------

|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

 

All Sadhaks can and should contribute as well. Discussion /

clarification is encouraged

 

OTHER REQUESTS FROM SADHAKS -

 

Please feel free to take the lead in any of these areas so that all

sadhaks may benefit.

 

- Introduction to Chapters (GT MODERATOR FROM SADHAK SANJIVANI)

- Chapter Summary - Principles and Laws emanating from it.(N.B. VYAS)

- Summary of Chapter from Sadhak Sanjivani " AS IS "

- Yes, Epilogue / Important Facts in each verse good to bring out.

- Any subtle thoughts / interpretation (MIKE)

- In-depth explanation of " Om Tat Saditi Srimadbhagavadgitaasu,

Upanishadsu..... " is a very good idea. (GT MODERATOR FROM SADHAK

SANJIVANI)

 

From Gita Talk Moderators

Ram Ram

-----------------------------

 

Shree Hari

Ram Ram

We deeply thank Shri Shrikantji Joshi for taking the initiative to

support this divine work of daily one verse Bhagavad Gita

explanation and Shri Madan Kauraji for the Gita Prabodhani

translation Chapter 1 and 2 and to Mrs. K Asani for requesting shloka

explanation on a daily basis.

From Gita Talk Moderators

Ram Ram