Chapter 2 - Sānkhya Yog

Shloka नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः | उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ||२-१६|| Transliteration nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ . ubhayorapi dṛṣṭo.antastvanayostattvadarśibhiḥ ||2-16|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.16. Birth (or existence) does not happen to what is non-existent, and destruction (or non-existence) to what is existent; the finality of these two has been seen by the seers of the reality. Shri Purohit Swami 2.16 That which is not, shall never be; that which is, shall never cease to be....

Shloka अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् | विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति ||२-१७|| Transliteration avināśi tu tadviddhi yena sarvamidaṃ tatam . vināśamavyayasyāsya na kaścitkartumarhati ||2-17|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.17. And know That to be destructionsless, by Which all this (universe) is pervaded; no one is capable of causing destruction to this changeless One. Shri Purohit Swami 2.17 The Spirit, which pervades all that we see, is imperishable. Nothing can destroy the Spirit....

Shloka अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः | अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ||२-१८|| Transliteration antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ . anāśino.aprameyasya tasmādyudhyasva bhārata ||2-18|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.18. These physical bodies that have an end and suffer the peculiar destruction, are declared to belong to the eternal embodied Soul, Which is destructionless and imcomprehensible. Therefore fight, O descendent of Bharata ! Shri Purohit Swami 2.18 The material bodies which this Eternal, Indestructible, Immeasurable Spirit inhabits are all finite....

Shloka य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम् | उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते ||२-१९|| Transliteration ya enaṃ vetti hantāraṃ yaścainaṃ manyate hatam ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṃ hanti na hanyate ||2-19|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.19. Whosoever views This to be the slayer and whosoever believes This to be the slain, both these do not understand : This does not slay, nor is This slain. Shri Purohit Swami 2....

Shloka न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन् नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः | अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ||२-२०|| Transliteration na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin nāyaṃ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ . ajo nityaḥ śāśvato.ayaṃ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre ||2-20|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.20. This is neither born; nor ever dies; nor, having not been at one time, will This come to be again. This is unborn, destructionless, eternal and ancient and is not slain [even] when the body is slain....

Shloka वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् | कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम् ||२-२१|| Transliteration vedāvināśinaṃ nityaṃ ya enamajamavyayam . kathaṃ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṃ ghātayati hanti kam ||2-21|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.21. Whosever realises This to be changeless, destructionless, unborn and immutable, how can that person be slain; how can he either slay [any one] ? O son of Prtha ! Shri Purohit Swami 2.21 He who knows the Spirit as Indestructible, Immortal, Unborn, Always-the-Same, how should he kill or cause to be killed?...

Shloka वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि | तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा- न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ||२-२२|| Transliteration vāsāṃsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya navāni gṛhṇāti naro.aparāṇi . tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāni anyāni saṃyāti navāni dehī ||2-22|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.22. Just as rejecting the tattered garments, a man takes other new ones, in the same way, rejecting the decayed bodies, the embodied (Self) rightly proceeds to other new ones. Shri Purohit Swami 2....

Shloka नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः | न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ||२-२३|| Transliteration nainaṃ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṃ dahati pāvakaḥ . na cainaṃ kledayantyāpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ ||2-23|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.23. Weapons do not cut This; fire does not burn This; water does not (make) This wet; and the wind does not make This dry. Shri Purohit Swami 2.23 Weapons cleave It not, fire burns It not, water drenches It not, and wind dries It not....

Shloka अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च | नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः ||२-२४|| Transliteration acchedyo.ayamadāhyo.ayamakledyo.aśoṣya eva ca . nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuracalo.ayaṃ sanātanaḥ ||2-24|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.24. This is not to be cut; This is not to be burnt; (This is) not to be made wet and not to be dried too; This is eternal, all-pervading, stable, immobile and eternal. Shri Purohit Swami 2.24 It is impenetrable; It can be neither drowned nor scorched nor dried....

Shloka अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते | तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि ||२-२५|| Transliteration avyakto.ayamacintyo.ayamavikāryo.ayamucyate . tasmādevaṃ viditvainaṃ nānuśocitumarhasi ||2-25|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.25. This is declared to be non-evident, imponderable, and unchangeable. Therefore understanding This as such you should not lament. Shri Purohit Swami 2.25 It is named the Unmanifest, the Unthinkable, the immutable. Wherefore, knowing the Spirit as such, thou hast no cause to grieve. Sri Abhinav Gupta 2.23-25 Nainam etc. upto arhasi. The weapons etc....

Shloka अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम् | तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि ||२-२६|| Transliteration atha cainaṃ nityajātaṃ nityaṃ vā manyase mṛtam . tathāpi tvaṃ mahābāho naivaṃ śocitumarhasi ||2-26|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.26. On the other hand, if you deem This as being born constantly or as dying constantly, even then, O mighty-armed one, you should not lament This. Shri Purohit Swami 2.26 Even if thou thinkest of It as constantly being born, constantly dying, even then, O Mighty Man, thou still hast no cause to grieve....

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....

Shloka अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत | अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ||२-२८|| Transliteration avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata . avyaktanidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā ||2-28|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.28. O descendant of Bharata ! The beings have an unmanifest beginning, manifest middle and certainly the unmanifest end. On that account why mourning? Shri Purohit Swami 2.28 The end and the beginning of beings are unknown. We see only the intervening formations. Then what cause is there for grief?...

Shloka आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेन- माश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः | आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्यः शृणोति श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् ||२-२९|| Transliteration āścaryavatpaśyati kaścidenam āścaryavadvadati tathaiva cānyaḥ . āścaryavaccainamanyaḥ śṛṇoti śrutvāpyenaṃ veda na caiva kaścit ||2-29|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.29. This someone observes as a wonder; similarly another speaks of This as a wonder; another hears This as a wonder; but even after hearing, not even one understands This. Shri Purohit Swami 2.29 One hears of the Spirit with surprise, another thinks It marvellous, the third listens without comprehending....

Shloka देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत | तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ||२-३०|| Transliteration dehī nityamavadhyo.ayaṃ dehe sarvasya bhārata . tasmātsarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi ||2-30|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 2.30. O descendant of Bharata ! This embodied One in the body of every one is for ever incapable of being slain. Therefore you should not lament over all beings. Shri Purohit Swami 2.30 Be not anxious about these armies. The Spirit in man is imperishable....