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Day 4
मात्रास्पशास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः।
आगमापाियनोऽिनत्यास्तांस्तितक्षस्व भारत॥
आगमापाियनोऽिनत्यास्तांस्तितक्षस्व भारत॥
Mātrāsparśāstu kaunteya śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ.
Āgamāpāyino'nityāstāṁstitikṣasva bhārata.
Āgamāpāyino'nityāstāṁstitikṣasva bhārata.
O son of Kunti, the contact of the senses with their objects gives rise to feelings of heat and cold, pleasure and pain. These are temporary and appear and disappear. Therefore, O scion of Bharata, learn to tolerate them.
यं िह न व्यथयेते पुरुषं पुरुषषभ।
समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृताय कल्पते॥
समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृताय कल्पते॥
Yaṁ hi na vyathayantyete puruṣaṁ puruṣarṣabha.
Samaduḥkhasukhaṁ dhīraṁ so’mṛtatvāya kalpate.
Samaduḥkhasukhaṁ dhīraṁ so’mṛtatvāya kalpate.
O best among men (Arjuna), he who is not disturbed by these—who remains steady in pain and pleasure —is certainly eligible for liberation (immortality).
नासतो िवद्यते भावो नाभावो िवद्यते सतः।
उभयोरिप दृोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदिशिभः॥
उभयोरिप दृोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदिशिभः॥
Nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ.
Ubhayorapi dṛṣṭo’ntastvanayostattvadarśibhiḥ.
Ubhayorapi dṛṣṭo’ntastvanayostattvadarśibhiḥ.
Of the unreal, there is no existence; of the real, there is no non-existence. The seers of truth have concluded this distinction between these two.
अिवनािश तु तिद्वद्ध येन सविमदं ततम्।
िवनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न किश्चत्कतुमहित॥
िवनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न किश्चत्कतुमहित॥
Avināśi tu tadviddhi yena sarvamidaṁ tatam.
Vināśamavyayasyāsya na kaścitkartumarhati.
Vināśamavyayasyāsya na kaścitkartumarhati.
Know that by which all this (the entire body) is pervaded is indestructible. No one is able to destroy that immutable soul.
अन्तवन्त इमे देहा िनत्यस्योक्ताः शरीरणः।
अनािशनोऽप्रमेयस्य ताद्युध्यस्व भारत॥
अनािशनोऽप्रमेयस्य ताद्युध्यस्व भारत॥
Antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ.
Anāśino'prameyasya tasmādyudhyasva bhārata.
Anāśino'prameyasya tasmādyudhyasva bhārata.
The material bodies of the indestructible, immeasurable, and eternal living entity are subject to destruction. Therefore, O descendant of Bharata, fight.
य एनं वेि हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम्।
उभौ तौ न िवजानीतो नायं हन्त न हन्यते॥
उभौ तौ न िवजानीतो नायं हन्त न हन्यते॥
Ya enaṁ vetti hantāraṁ yaścainaṁ manyate hatam.
Ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṁ hanti na hanyate.
Ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṁ hanti na hanyate.
He who considers the soul as the slayer, and he who thinks it is slain, both are ignorant. For the soul neither slays nor is slain.
न जायते ियते वा कदािचायं भूा भिवता वा न भूयः।
अजो िनत्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे॥
अजो िनत्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे॥
Na jāyate mriyate vā kadācinnāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ.
Ajo nityaḥ śāśvato’yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre.
Ajo nityaḥ śāśvato’yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre.
The soul is never born, nor does it ever die; nor, having once existed, does it ever cease to be. The soul is unborn, eternal, everlasting, and ancient. It is not slain when the body is slain.
वेदािवनािशनं िनत्यं य एनमजमव्ययम्।
कथं स पुरुषः पाथ कं घातयित हन्त कम्॥
कथं स पुरुषः पाथ कं घातयित हन्त कम्॥
Vedāvināśinaṁ nityaṁ ya enamajamavyayam.
Kathaṁ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṁ ghātayati hanti kam.
O Pārtha (Arjuna), how can a person who knows the soul to be indestructible, eternal, unborn, and
Kathaṁ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṁ ghātayati hanti kam.
O Pārtha (Arjuna), how can a person who knows the soul to be indestructible, eternal, unborn, and
immutable, slay anyone or cause anyone to be slain?
वासांिस जीणािन यथा िवहाय नवािन गृाित नरोऽपरािण।
तथा शरीरािण िवहाय जीणान्यन्यािन संयाित नवािन देही॥
तथा शरीरािण िवहाय जीणान्यन्यािन संयाित नवािन देही॥
Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya navāni gṛhṇāti naro’parāṇi.
Tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇānyanyāni saṁyāti navāni dehī.
Tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇānyanyāni saṁyāti navāni dehī.
Just as a person casts off worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, similarly, the embodied soul casts off worn-out bodies and enters into new ones.
नैनं िछन्दन्त शािण नैनं दहित पावकः।
न चैनं ेदयापो न शोषयित मारुतः॥
न चैनं ेदयापो न शोषयित मारुतः॥
Nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ.
Na cainaṁ kledayantyāpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ.
Na cainaṁ kledayantyāpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ.
Weapons cannot cut the soul, nor can fire burn it; water cannot wet it, nor can wind dry it.
अच्छेद्योऽयमदाोऽयमेद्योऽशोष्य एव च।
िनत्यः सवगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः॥
िनत्यः सवगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः॥
Acchedyo’yamadāhyo’yamakledyo’śoṣya eva ca.
Nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuracalo’yaṁ sanātanaḥ.
Nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuracalo’yaṁ sanātanaḥ.
This individual soul is unbreakable, incombustible, beyond being moistened or dried. It is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable, and eternally the same.
अव्यक्तोऽयमिचोऽयमिवकायऽयमुच्यते।
तादेवं िविदैनं नानुशोिचतुमहिस॥
तादेवं िविदैनं नानुशोिचतुमहिस॥
Avyakto’yamacintyo’yamavikāryo’yamucyate.
Tasmādevaṁ viditvainaṁ nānuśocitumarhasi.
Tasmādevaṁ viditvainaṁ nānuśocitumarhasi.
The soul is said to be unmanifest, unthinkable, and unchangeable. Therefore, knowing it to be such, you should not grieve.
अथ चैनं िनत्यजातं िनत्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम्।
तथािप ं महाबाहो नैवं शोिचतुमहिस॥
तथािप ं महाबाहो नैवं शोिचतुमहिस॥
Atha cainaṁ nityajātaṁ nityaṁ vā manyase mṛtam.
Tathāpi tvaṁ mahābāho naivaṁ śocitumarhasi.
Tathāpi tvaṁ mahābāho naivaṁ śocitumarhasi.
Even if you consider the soul to be constantly born and constantly dying (as per materialistic view), even then, O mighty-armed (Arjuna), you should not grieve.
जातस्य िह ुवो मृत्युुवं जन्म मृतस्य च।
तादपरहायऽथ न ं शोिचतुमहिस॥
तादपरहायऽथ न ं शोिचतुमहिस॥
Jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyurdhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca.
Tasmādaparihārye'rthe na tvaṁ śocitumarhasi.
Tasmādaparihārye'rthe na tvaṁ śocitumarhasi.
For death is certain for one who has been born, and birth is certain for one who has died. Therefore, you should not lament over the inevitable.
अव्यक्तादीिन भूतािन व्यक्तमध्यािन भारत।
अव्यक्तिनधनान्येव तत्र का परदेवना॥
अव्यक्तिनधनान्येव तत्र का परदेवना॥
Avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata.
Avyaktanidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā.
Avyaktanidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā.
All created beings are unmanifest before birth, manifest during their life, and again unmanifest after death. What then is there to lament about, O scion of Bharata?
आश्चयवत्पश्यित किश्चदेनमाश्चयवद्वदित तथैव चान्यः।
आश्चयवैनमन्यः ृणोित ुाेनं वेद न चैव किश्चत्॥
आश्चयवैनमन्यः ृणोित ुाेनं वेद न चैव किश्चत्॥
Āścaryavatpaśyati kaścidenamāścaryavadvadati tathaiva cānyaḥ.
Āścaryavaccainamanyaḥ śṛṇoti śrutvāpyaenaṁ veda na caiva kaścit.
Āścaryavaccainamanyaḥ śṛṇoti śrutvāpyaenaṁ veda na caiva kaścit.
Some look upon the soul as amazing, some speak of it as amazing, and some hear of it as amazing, while others, even after hearing, cannot comprehend it at all.
देही िनत्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सवस्य भारत।
तात्सवािण भूतािन न ं शोिचतुमहिस॥
तात्सवािण भूतािन न ं शोिचतुमहिस॥
Dehī nityamavadhyo’yaṁ dehe sarvasya bhārata.
Tasmātsarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvṁ śocitumarhasi.
Tasmātsarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvṁ śocitumarhasi.
O Bharata, the soul residing in the body is eternal and can never be slain. Therefore, you should not grieve for any living being.
स्वधममिप चावेक्ष्य न िवकतुमहिस।
धाद्ध युद्धाच्छेयोऽन्यत्क्षित्रयस्य न िवद्यते॥
धाद्ध युद्धाच्छेयोऽन्यत्क्षित्रयस्य न िवद्यते॥
Svadharmaṁapi cāvekṣya na vikampitumarhasi.
Dharmyāddhi yuddhācchreyo’nyatkṣatriyasyana vidyate.
Dharmyāddhi yuddhācchreyo’nyatkṣatriyasyana vidyate.
Considering your own duty, you should not waver, for there is nothing more auspicious for a warrior than a righteous battle.
यदृच्छया चोपपं स्वगद्वारमपावृतम्।
सुखनः क्षित्रयाः पाथ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम्॥
सुखनः क्षित्रयाः पाथ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम्॥
Yadṛcchayā copapannaṁ svargadvāramapāvṛtam.
Sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha labhante yuddhamīdṛśam.
Happy are the warriors, O Pārtha, to whom such a battle comes unsought, opening the gates of heaven.
Sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha labhante yuddhamīdṛśam.
Happy are the warriors, O Pārtha, to whom such a battle comes unsought, opening the gates of heaven.
अथ चेत्त्विममं ध संामं न करष्यिस।
ततः स्वधम कीित च िहा पापमवाप्स्यिस॥
ततः स्वधम कीित च िहा पापमवाप्स्यिस॥
Atha cettvamimaṁ dharmyaṁ saṅgrāmaṁ na kariṣyasi.
Tataḥ svadharmaṁ kīrtiṁ ca hitvā pāpamavāpsyasi.
Tataḥ svadharmaṁ kīrtiṁ ca hitvā pāpamavāpsyasi.
But if you do not fight this righteous war, then you will incur sin by abandoning your duty and fame. This chunk of the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 2, Verses 14-33) marks a crucial turning point in Krishna's discourse, as he systematically dismantles Arjuna's grief and confusion by introducing the fundamental principles of the eternal nature of the soul. Krishna begins by instructing Arjuna to tolerate temporary dualities like pleasure and pain, heat and cold, as they are impermanent. He then elaborates on the distinction between the transient body and the indestructible, eternal soul, stating that the unreal has no existence and the real never ceases to be. The core teaching emphasizes that the soul (Atman) is unborn, undying, immutable, and beyond destruction by any material means, likening the change of bodies to changing old clothes for new ones. Krishna asserts that those who truly understand the soul's nature—as unborn, eternal, and beyond physical harm—are free from the illusion of being a killer or being killed. He also addresses the situation from a conventional perspective, arguing that even if one believes in constant birth and death, lamentation is futile given the inevitability of the cycle. The profound nature of the soul is highlighted as being difficult for many to grasp. Finally, Krishna shifts from metaphysical truth to practical dharma, urging Arjuna to perform his duty as a Kshatriya (warrior). He stresses that fighting a righteous battle is the most auspicious action for a warrior, opening the gates of heaven, and that neglecting this duty would lead to sin and loss of fame. This section provides a powerful intellectual and spiritual foundation for Arjuna to overcome his moral dilemma and fulfill his responsibilities without attachment to outcomes. 20-second Video Animation Concept: "The Eternal Self: A Gita Lesson" Characters: Lord Krishna (blue-skinned, serene, regal), Arjuna (noble warrior, initially despondent, later resolute). Both in traditional Mahabharata attire. Scene 1 (0-3 seconds) Visual: Close-up of Arjuna on his chariot, head bowed, expression of deep sorrow and conflict. Krishna, standing beside him, looks on calmly. Narration/On-screen Text: "Arjuna, distraught on the battlefield..." Scene 2 (3-8 seconds) Visual: Krishna gestures. Quick, illustrative flashes: images of scorching sun transitioning to biting snow, then a person laughing followed by a person crying. All appear fleeting. Krishna points to these scenes. Narration/On-screen Text: "Krishna reveals: Tolerate fleeting pains and pleasures, for they are temporary like seasons." Scene 3 (8-14 seconds) Visual: An ethereal, glowing form (the soul) emerges from a crumbling, old body. It then gracefully floats into a new, vibrant body. Krishna nods, explaining. Narration/On-screen Text: "The soul is eternal, unborn, undying. It sheds bodies like old clothes for new." Scene 4 (14-17 seconds) Visual: Arrows, flames, water, and wind rush towards the ethereal soul, but simply pass through it or dissipate, leaving it untouched. Narration/On-screen Text: "Unbreakable, unburnable, unwettable. The soul is immutable." Scene 5 (17-20 seconds) Visual: Arjuna's face transforms from doubt to firm resolve. He lifts his Gandiva bow, standing tall and ready. Krishna smiles gently. Narration/On-screen Text: "Therefore, O warrior, perform your righteous duty without lament. Fight!"