2. Transcendental Knowledge

Sānkhya Yog

BG 2.11

Krishna said: You speak these words that sound of wisdom, yet you are grieving for those who should not be grieved for. The wise do not grieve for the living nor do they grieve for the dead.

श्री भगवानुवाच
अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः


This verse is Shri Krishna’s response to Arjuna’s statements which are founded on the idea that our life in the body and our relationships are so important that no matter what we do, good or bad, whether we side with dharma or adharma, we should try to preserve life and avoid death, especially the lives of the elders.

Arjuna’s opinion is not wrong as long as he is only thinking about his personal viewpoint of family relationships. But he was standing on the battlefield, and standing in opposition were those respected elders, who unfortunately for Arjuna, were there to defend adharma. Arjuna was expected to fight against them and perhaps kill them. This is different from them dying from natural causes, which also cause grief, but we can deal with such death more easily. Arjuna just could not bring himself to fight.

That is briefly the background to which Shri Krishna made this critical statement in this verse. Shri Krishna explained why the wise do not grieve over life and death.

  • śhrī bhagavān uvācha — Krishna said

    श्री भगवानुवाच

  • aśhochyān-anvaśhochas-tvaṁ — you are mourning that which is not worthy of grief

    • aśhochyān — not worthy of grief

    • anvaśhochas — are mourning

    • tvaṁ — you

    अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं

  • prajñā-vādānśh — words of wisdom

    • prajñā — wisdom, intelligence, understanding

    • vādānśh — words, sayings

  • cha — and

  • bhāṣhase — speaking

  • gatāsūn-agatāsūnśh-cha — the living and the dead
    gata āsūn—the dead; agata asūn—the living; cha—and

    • gata — dead, deceased, departed

    • āsūn — vital spirit, life

    • agata — living

    • āsūn — vital spirit, life

    • cha — and

  • nānuśhochanti — never lament

    • na — never

    • anuśhochanti — lament

  • paṇḍitāḥ — the wise

...2.10

Krishna said: You speak these words that sound of wisdom, yet you are grieving for those who should not be grieved for. The wise do not grieve for the living nor do they grieve for the dead.

[11]

There was never a time in the past, and there will never be a time in the future, when any of us cease to exist.

[12]

Just as the soul travels in one body from childhood and youth into old age, it passes into a new body after one's death - the wise have no delusions about this.

[13]

The contact of the senses with the sense objects produce cold and heat, happiness and sorrow. They rise and fall. They are impermanent. Learn to tolerate them, Arjuna.

[14]

2.15...

Similar verses

Chapter 2, Verse 11