Bhagavad Gita

यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ। समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते।।2.15।।

That person whom these do not disturb, O best among men, who is steady in pleasure and pain, is fit for immortality.

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः। उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः।।2.16।।

There is no existence for the unreal, nor is there non-existence for the real; the truth of both has been seen by those who perceive reality.

अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्। विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित् कर्तुमर्हति।।2.17।।

Know that which pervades all this is indestructible; no one can bring about the destruction of this imperishable.

अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः। अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत।।2.18।।

These bodies are said to be perishable, but the embodied soul is eternal, indestructible, and immeasurable; therefore, fight, O Bharata.

य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम्। उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते।।2.19।।

He who thinks this kills, and he who thinks this is killed, both do not understand; this does not kill, nor is it killed.

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि न्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः। अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे।।2.20।।

It is never born nor does it ever die; having once existed, it does not cease to be. It is unborn, eternal, everlasting, ancient; it is not killed when the body is slain.

वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम्। कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम्।।2.21।।

O Partha, whoever knows this as indestructible, eternal, unborn, and unchanging, how can that person cause anyone to be killed or kill anyone?

वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि। तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही।।2.22।।

Just as a person discards worn-out garments and takes up new ones, so the embodied soul abandons old bodies and enters new ones.

नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः। न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः।।2.23।।

Weapons do not cut this, fire does not burn this; water does not wet this, nor does wind dry it.

अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च। नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः।।2.24।।

This is unbreakable, unburnable, unwettable, and undryable; it is eternal, all-pervading, stable, immovable, and ancient.

अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते। तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि।।2.25।।

This is said to be unmanifest, inconceivable, and unchanging; therefore, knowing this, you should not grieve.

अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम्। तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि।।2.26।।

But even if you think this self is constantly born and constantly dies, even then, mighty-armed one, you should not grieve in this way.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च। तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि।।2.27।।

For death is certain for the born, and birth is certain for the dead; therefore, you should not mourn over what cannot be avoided.

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत। अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना।।2.28।।

All beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their middle, and unmanifest again at their end, O Bharata; so what is there to lament?

आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेन माश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः। आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्यः श्रृणोति श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित्।।2.29।।

Someone regards this as a wonder, another speaks of it as a wonder, another hears of it as a wonder, yet even after hearing, no one truly knows it.

देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत। तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि।।2.30।।

The embodied self in everyone's body is always indestructible, O Bharata; therefore, you should not grieve for any beings.

स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि। धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाछ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते।।2.31।।

Even considering your own duty, you should not waver; for a warrior, there is nothing better than a righteous battle.

यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम्। सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम्।।2.32।।

Happy are the warriors, O Partha, who obtain such a battle that comes of itself, opening the gates of heaven.

अथ चैत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि। ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि।।2.33।।

But if you do not engage in this righteous battle, then, abandoning your duty and honor, you will incur sin.

अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम्। संभावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते।।2.34।।

People will speak of your undying infamy; and for one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death.

भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः। येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम्।।2.35।।

The great chariot-warriors will think you have withdrawn from battle out of fear; having been highly esteemed by them, you will fall into disgrace.

अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून् वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः। निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम्।।2.36।।

Your enemies will speak many unseemly words, slandering your strength; what could be more painful than that?

हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम्। तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः।।2.37।।

If you are killed, you will attain heaven; if you win, you will enjoy the earth; therefore, arise, O son of Kunti, resolved to fight.

सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ। ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि।।2.38।।

Having made pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat the same, then prepare for battle; thus you will not incur sin.

एषा तेऽभिहिता सांख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां श्रृणु। बुद्ध्यायुक्तो यया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि।।2.39।।

This understanding has been declared to you from the standpoint of knowledge; now hear it from the standpoint of discipline. Endowed with this understanding, O Partha, you will free yourself from the bondage of action.

नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते। स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात्।।2.40।।

In this path, there is no loss of effort, nor is there any harm; even a little of this discipline protects one from great fear.

व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन। बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम्।।2.41।।

In this, O joy of the Kurus, the intellect is resolute and single-pointed; but the intellect of the irresolute is many-branched and endless.

यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः। वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः।।2.42।।

Unwise people, devoted to the flowery words of the Vedas, O Partha, declare that there is nothing else; their minds are set on desires and heaven, promising rebirth as the fruit of action, filled with many special rituals, aiming at enjoyment and power.

कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम्। क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति।।2.43।।

Their minds are set on desire and heaven, promising rebirth as the fruit of action, filled with many special rituals, aiming at enjoyment and power.