Chapter 2, Verse 13 (Bhagavad Gita 2.13)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा। तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति
Transliteration
dehino ’smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati
Word Meanings
dehinaḥ—of the embodied; asmin—in this; yathā—as; dehe—in the body; kaumāram—childhood; yauvanam—youth; jarā—old age; tathā—similarly; deha-antara—another body; prāptiḥ—achieves; dhīraḥ—the wise; tatra—thereupon; na muhyati—are not deluded
Translation
Just as the soul experiences childhood, youth, and old age within this current body, it similarly undergoes the transition into another body; a person of steady wisdom is not deluded by this change.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse dismantles the fear of death by reframing it as a natural, continuous process of evolution rather than an end. It teaches that our identity is not anchored to the physical vessel, which is merely a garment that wears out and is replaced. By recognizing the soul as the immutable observer of these life stages, one transcends the grief associated with loss. This perspective fosters profound psychological resilience, allowing a person to remain tranquil amidst the inevitable flux of material existence.