Chapter 2 Shloka 23
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावक:।
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुत:।।२३।।
Further explaining the indestructible and eternal nature of the Atma, Lord Krishna says:
The Atma cannot be cut by weapons nor burnt by fire – it cannot be moistened by water nor dried by the wind.
Bhagwan says “Arjuna, you must fight!”
1. This will have no effect on the Atma.
2. The Atma cannot be cut by weapons. The body bears the attack, the body may be pierced and cut, but this leads to the death of the body; the Atma is unaffected.
3. Fire too, can burn only the body to ashes, it cannot burn the Atma. This Atma is not combustible, fire can never affect it.
4. Water too, cannot wet the Atma, nor drown it. Water can never affect it.
5. Air also cannot dry the Atma. It’s force can never blow away the Atma. Air can never affect it.
So the Lord says, “Arjuna, you are needlessly afraid of fighting.”
Now understand this from the view point of a sadhak:
a) Know the Atma, for you are That.
b) Only the Atma is worth knowing, for you are That.
c) Only the Atma is worth attaining, for you are That.
d) You are not the body, you are the Atma. Strive to establish yourself in that Truth.
e) You are yourself That indivisible, singular essence, the Atma.
f) You are yourself beyond birth and death.
g) You are yourself beyond the five elements which constitute the world.
h) It is the body which burns, which can be cut asunder by a sword. Yet your basic core – the Atma, remains untouched. Become an Atmavaan, then this will become self evident to you.
