Chapter 15, Verse 16 (Bhagavad Gita 15.16)
Chapter 15: Puruṣhottam Yog – The Yoga of the Supreme Divine Personality
Sanskrit Shloka
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च।क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते
Transliteration
dvāv imau puruṣhau loke kṣharaśh chākṣhara eva cha kṣharaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭa-stho ’kṣhara uchyate
Word Meanings
dvau—two; imau—these; puruṣhau—beings; loke—in creation; kṣharaḥ—the perishable; cha—and; akṣharaḥ—the imperishable; eva—even; cha—and; kṣharaḥ—the perishable; sarvāṇi—all; bhūtāni—beings; kūṭa-sthaḥ—the liberated; akṣharaḥ—the imperishable; uchyate—is said
Translation
There are two kinds of beings in this world: the perishable and the imperishable. All beings are said to be perishable, and the one who is unchanging is called the imperishable.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound revelation on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Bhagwan Shri Krishna classifies the entire manifest existence into two categories: the Ksar (perishable) and the Aksar (imperishable). The Ksar comprises all living entities dwelling in the material realm, subject to birth, death, and constant transformation. In contrast, the Kutastha, or the Aksar, represents the eternal, unchanging consciousness that remains unaffected by the cycles of time. Shri Krishna invites Arjuna, and through him all humanity, to look beyond the transient material shell and align the soul with this immutable truth. By realizing this eternal essence, a devotee transcends the dualities of the world and moves steadily toward the ultimate goal of liberation in the grace of the Supreme Lord Krishna.