আছে দুঃখ, আছে মৃত্যু, বিরহদহন লাগে। তবুও শান্তি, তবু আনন্দ, তবু অনন্ত জাগে ॥

 8th April 2025-- One month passed by..

আছে দুঃখ, আছে মৃত্যু, বিরহদহন লাগে।

তবুও শান্তি, তবু আনন্দ, তবু অনন্ত জাগে ॥

--There is sorrow, there is death, there is separation. Yet peace, yet joy, yet eternity awakens.

अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः ।

अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्मद्युध्यस्व भारत ॥ १८॥

antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ |

anāśino’prameyasya tasmadyudhyasva bhārata || 18 ||

The atman neither kills nor can be killed, as it is eternal and unaffected by birth or death. The analogy of changing clothes is used to illustrate how the soul discards old bodies for new ones.

The Self (Atma) cannot change, cannot be destroyed, is not an object of knowledge, whereas these bodies are subject to end. Hey Arjuna! Therefore pick up your bow and arrow and fight.

Explanation: Continuing the discussion on Atma(Sathya) and Anaatma (Mithya), the Lord is highlighting the fickle nature of the bodies and is urging Arjuna to fight. Let us look at the purport, esoterically, the Lord here tells here focus on the big picture, don’t get stuck in the middle on account of challenges, face them and proceed till you have achieved your goal. Will this not apply to our day to day life? One thing which we have to ensure, is, the big picture is a big picture not in opposition to natural harmony.

In this shloka, the Lord has discussed two ideas. A. The bodies are subject to an end, meaning any object of knowledge is subject to an end (Sareerinah Antavantah). B. Atma is not available as an object of knowledge to be known (aprameyah). We will discuss both these ideas elaborately.

তরঙ্গ মিলায়ে যায় তরঙ্গ উঠে,

তোমার অসীমে প্রাণমন লয়ে যত দূরে আমি ধাই--

কোথাও দুঃখ, কোথাও মৃত্যু, কোথা বিচ্ছেদ নাই ॥

মৃত্যু সে ধরে মৃত্যুর রূপ, দুঃখ হয় হে দুঃখের কূপ,

তোমা হতে যবে হইয়ে বিমুখ আপনার পানে চাই॥

Waves meet, waves rise,

In your infinite realm, however far I travel with my heart and mind,

I find no sorrow, separation or death.

Death takes a fearful form and sorrow becomes a deep pit,

When I am full of self-concern and my attention turns away from you.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च |

तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि || 27||

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛityur dhruvaṁ janma mṛitasya cha

tasmād aparihārye ’rthe na tvaṁ śhochitum arhasi

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2, Verse 27

Death is certain for one who has been born, and rebirth is inevitable for one who has died. Therefore, you should not lament over the inevitable.