Chapter 2 Shloka 26

अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम्।

तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि।।२६।।

When Lord Krishna saw that Arjuna had not comprehended

the essential nature of the Atma, He explained it from yet another angle.

Even though you think that the Self is subject to

birth and death, even then, O mighty armed one!

You have no reason to grieve.

Chapter 2 Shloka 26

अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम्।

तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि।।२६।।

When Lord Krishna saw that Arjuna had not comprehended the essential nature of the Atma, He explained it from yet another angle.

Even though you think that the Self is subject to birth and death, even then, O mighty armed one! You have no reason to grieve.

Dear little one! When the Lord sees that the other is unable to understand what he is saying, that Supreme Guru descends to the disciple’s intellectual level.

a) Arjuna was unable to comprehend the truth about the Atma;

b) Arjuna did not possess the requisite faith to believe Lord Krishna’s words instantly, as a divine injunction;

c) He may have understood that Truth in theory but its practical implication was very difficult to understand.

In actual fact, those who take pride in their intellect, feel they are able to understand everything. They therefore accept only that which they can understand intellectually.

However:

1. How can they accept that essence which cannot be brought into the mind’s thoughts?

2. How can they concur with that which cannot be grasped?

3. How can they know that which never manifests itself, which cannot be defined with certainty?

4. How can limited human understanding comprehend the limitless?

It is also extremely difficult to accept that knowledge which you do not wish to apply in practice.

a) Knowledge which has not proved itself in your life, is meaningless ignorance.

b) Knowledge which is not used in practice, is mere word knowledge.

c) Knowledge which you do not bring into your life, that knowledge is lifeless and without light.

d) If you become the living embodiment of knowledge, then that knowledge brings illumination and is full of life.

In order to comprehend the nature or essence of the Atma, it is necessary to become an Atmavaan. Actually the Atma cannot be understood, one can only merge in it through renunciation of identification with the body, with the actions of the body and with the body’s sensory experiences. The resultant state cannot be described in words.

This was Arjuna’s problem. He, too, could not understand the Lord’s explanation of the Atma. Therefore Lord Krishna, now talking from His point of view, said to him, “Arjuna! If you truly believe that the Atma takes birth and is subject to death, then it is not right for you to grieve. For:

a) birth is inevitable;

b) death, too, is inevitable.

If one must die, of what avail is this grief? Continue to perform your allotted duty.”

O Sadhak! You too, must renounce your pride of the intellect and accept the Lord’s word in toto. Do not bother if your intellect understands it completely or not. The Lord is telling you the truth. He says, you are not the body, you are not the mind and you are not the intellect. Look!

1. That Supreme Purushottam Himself has told you so!

2. That Eternal divine Essence, Who is knowledge embodied, has told you so!

3. That Luminescence Itself – Atma Itself has told you so!

4. That One Who is the very Light of spirituality, Lord Krishna Himself has imparted this knowledge!

5. That Indestructible, pure blissful One Who is the Supreme Brahm, Truth Itself, the Unmanifest manifested – has told you so!

If you do not listen to Him, then whose word will you accept? Who will come to you to impart this knowledge as Lord Krishna Himself has done? Therefore:

a) Accept what He says;

b) Renounce all attachment with this body;

c) Even if it be only for a short while, do as He says;

d) Establish your relationship with the Atma and stop considering yourself to be this body.

Why did the Lord have to say, “If you do not believe my word, I shall explain it to you in another way?” Why do you bring Him down thus to your level? Why do you not accept all He says as the gospel Truth and try to apply it to your life? At least accept that the Lord is telling the Truth. He cannot be wrong – your understanding may be deficient.

Your failure to understand His Word can have many causes:

a) You may be afraid to relinquish the body idea;

b) You may be fearful of renouncing all that you call your own;

c) An individual is always afraid to let go of his established concepts and beliefs;

d) ‘What will become of me if I forget myself?’ Such fears get the better of the person.

These are the varied reasons due to which ordinary mortals, whose intellect is limited by their identification with the body, are unable to understand the Lord’s Word.

Little one! The One you consider to be your Lord has spoken thus! Gather your courage and try to accept what He says – who knows, it might work!