Chapter 2 Verse 18

 

Verse 18:

अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ता: शरीरिण: |

अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत || 18||

Transliteration:

Antavanta ime dehA nityasyoktAH sharIriNaha.

anAshino.aprameyasya tasmAdyudhyasva bhArata..18..

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Word-by-word Meaning:

अन्त​-वन्त – that which has end; इमे – these; देहा – these bodies; नित्यस्य -  (of the ) imperishable; उक्ताः – it is told; शरीरिणः – those which possess the bodies; अनाशिनः – indestructible; अप्रमेयस्य – immeasurable; तस्मात् – therefore; युध्यस्व – engage in the war;भारत – O descendant of Bharata.

Meaning:

O descendant of Bharata, it is told that only these bodies are destructible, the imperishable, immeasurable soul is indestructible. Therefore, engage in the war.

Significance:

The usage of the word ‘tasmAt’ indicates that Lord Krishna is now trying to summarise His words. Lord Krishna has already told that bodies are perishable, soul is all-pervading, soul is indestructible. That which has a beginning and end is unreal and that which has no beginning and end is real. The soul is immeasurable, and the destruction of the body will never affect the soul. Having told all these, Lord also told that lamenting for the destruction of body is not worthy and for the destruction of soul is unwanted (as it is eternal). Lord, in this verse thus instructs Arjuna to engage in the war which is just doing his duty as a Kshatriya.