Chapter 2, Verse 24 (Bhagavad Gita 2.24)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च। नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः
Transliteration
achchhedyo ’yam adāhyo ’yam akledyo ’śhoṣhya eva cha nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur achalo ’yaṁ sanātanaḥ
Word Meanings
achchhedyaḥ—unbreakable; ayam—this soul; adāhyaḥ—incombustible; ayam—this soul; akledyaḥ—cannot be dampened; aśhoṣhyaḥ—cannot be dried; eva—indeed; cha—and; nityaḥ—everlasting; sarva-gataḥ—all-pervading; sthāṇuḥ—unalterable; achalaḥ—immutable; ayam—this soul; sanātanaḥ—primordial
Translation
This soul cannot be cut, burned, wetted, or dried; it is eternal, all-pervading, unchanging, immovable, and primordial.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse serves as a profound psychological anchor, reminding us that our core essence remains untouched by the external turmoil of life. When we identify with the indestructible Self rather than our fleeting ego or circumstances, we transcend the fear of loss, failure, and mortality. It teaches that the true 'I' is not defined by physical damage or emotional erosion, granting us an unshakeable inner peace. By internalizing this truth, we learn to face life's inevitable changes with stability, knowing that our essential being exists beyond the reach of time and destruction.