Chapter 2, Verse 18 (Bhagavad Gita 2.18)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः। अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत
Transliteration
antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śharīriṇaḥ anāśhino ’prameyasya tasmād yudhyasva bhārata
Word Meanings
anta-vantaḥ—having an end; ime—these; dehāḥ—material bodies; nityasya—eternally; uktāḥ—are said; śharīriṇaḥ—of the embodied soul; anāśhinaḥ—indestructible; aprameyasya—immeasurable; tasmāt—therefore; yudhyasva—fight; bhārata—descendant of Bharat, Arjun
Translation
The material bodies of the eternal, indestructible, and immeasurable soul are subject to an end; therefore, fight, O descendant of Bharata.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse addresses the fundamental human fear of death by distinguishing the perishable physical frame from the eternal consciousness that inhabits it. It teaches us that while our roles and circumstances in life are transient and destined to dissolve, our true essence remains untouched by time or trauma. By internalizing this truth, one gains the courage to perform their duty without being paralyzed by the loss of external forms. It is a call to align oneself with one's higher purpose, transcending the temporary anxieties of the material world to act with clarity and conviction.