Shloka

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च |
तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ||२-२७||

Transliteration

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyurdhruvaṃ janma mṛtasya ca .
tasmādaparihārye.arthe na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi ||2-27||

Translations

Dr.S.Sankaranarayan

2.27. Death is certain indeed for what is born; and birth is certain for what is dead. Therefore you should not lament over a thing that is unavoidable.

Shri Purohit Swami

2.27 For death is as sure for that which is born, as birth is for that which is dead. Therefore grieve not for what is inevitable.

Sri Abhinav Gupta

2.27 Jatasya etc. Destruction comes after birth, and after the destruction comes birth. Thus, this series of birth-and-death is like a circle. Hence to what extent is this to be lamented for ? Furthermore-

Sri Ramanuja

2.27 For what has originated, destruction is certain - it is seen to be inevitable. Similarly what has perished will inevitably originate. How should this be understood - that there is origination for that (entity)which has perished? It is seen that an existing entity only can originate and not a non-existent one. Origination, annihilation etc., are merely particular states of an existent entity.

Now thread etc., do really exist. When arranged in a particular way, they are called clothes etc. It is seen that even those who uphold the doctrine that the effect is a new entity (Asatkarya-vadins) will admit this much that no new entity over and above the particular arrangement of threads is seen. It is not tenable to hold that this is the coming into being of a new entity, since, by the process of manufacture there is only attainment of a new name and special functions. No new entity emerges.

Origination, annihilation etc., are thus particular stages of an existent entity. With regard to an entity which has entered into a stage known as origination, its entry into the opposite condition is called annihilation. Of an evolving entity, a seqence of evolutionary stages is inevitable. For instance, clay becomes a lump, jug, a potsherd, and (finally) powder. Here, what is called annihilation is the attainment of a succeeding stage by an entity which existed previously in a preceding stage. And this annihilation itself is called birth in that stage. Thus, the seence called birth and annihilation being inevitable for an evolving entity, it is not worthy of you to grieve.

Now Sri Krsna says that not even the slightest grief arising from seeing an entity passing from a previous existing stage to an opposite stage, is justifiable in regard to human beings etc.

Sri Shankaracharya

2.27 This being so, ‘death of anyone born’, etc. Hi, for; mrtyuh, death; jatasya, of anyone born; dhruvah, is certain; is without exception; ca, and mrtasya, of the dead; janmah, (re-) birth; is dhruvam, a certainly. Tasmat, therefore, this fact, viz birth and death, is inevitable. With regard to that (fact), apariharye, over an enevitable; arthe, fact; tvam, you; na arhasi, ought not; socitum, to grieve.

Swami Adidevananda

2.27 For, death is certain for the born, and re-birth is certain for the dead; therefore you should not feel grief for what is inevitable.

Swami Gambirananda

2.27 For death of anyone born is certain, and of the dead (re-) birth is a certainly. Therefore you ought not to grieve over an inevitable fact.

Swami Sivananda

2.27 For certain is death for the born, and certain is birth for the dead; therefore, over the inevitable thou shouldst not grieve.

Commentaries

Swami Sivananda

2.27 जातस्य of the born? हि for? ध्रुवः certain? मृत्युः death? ध्रुवम् certain? जन्म birth? मृतस्य of the dead? च and? तस्मात् therefore? अपरिहार्ये inevritable? अर्थे in matter? न not? त्वम् thou? शोचितुम् to grieve? अर्हसि (thou) oughtest.Commentary Birth is sure to happen to that which is dead death is sure to happen to what which is born. Birth and death are certainly unavoidable. Therefore? you should not grieve over an inevitable matter.