It is evident that death of the physical body is inevitable to whatever is born and that there is no way to escape from this physical termination of the body. Similarly rebirth is unavoidable once one's physical body has died.

How can something which has been lost become again? It is conceivable that something which has already been to become again; but it is inconceivable for that which has never been to become.

Therefore there is nothing that can come that has not been. What is known as birth and death is but just different modifications of an ever existing condition.

Yarn and other materials exist but when they are woven into a fabric that is a particular arrangement of the yarn itself, it receives the name cloth in its modified state.

Even the asat-karya-vadis who follow the fallacious hypothesis that existence comes from non-existence should admit the ever existing state, for what we know as cloth to them is a new creation but is factually the same old yarn only in a new form which has been created.

It is not sagacious or well thought out to assume that a new substance has come into being simply because of a modified condition.

Thus coming into existence and disappearing from existence are modified states of an ever existing reality.

One of the conditions of this modified state is its appearance called birth and another condition being its diametric opposite is known as death which by disappearing this ever existing reality passes into.

For a substance which is intrinsically metamorphic the process of modification is essential. As in the case of a clod of earth, transformed into clay, transformed into a pot, transformed into dust and transformed back to earth again.

The manifestation of a subsequent condition is but a modification of a previous condition and that same subsequent condition becomes a prior condition of another subsequent condition.

Reasoning in this way it can be understood that it is natural that successive modifications take place in regards to creation and destruction of physical bodies which cannot be avoided and there is no reason to lament due to this.

If there is some slight grief which may be apparent by the passing from a prior modified state to a subsequent modified state even this grief need not arise in the case of living entities such as human beings because... and the next verse 28 clarifies why.

“अस्त्वेवमात्मनो नित्यत्वम् । तथाऽपि देहसंयोगवियोगात्मकजुनमूर्तीस्त एव । इत्यत अह अथ इति । कुतोऽशोकः? नियतत्वादित्याह – जातस्य पति । तदेव स्पष्टयति – अव्यक्तादीनि इति ।” – Thus even though the self is eternal, because of its association and dis-association with body (experiences as it were), birth and death as being certain. Thus He speaks in the verse. Why should one not grieve? Because of it (death) being according to Cosmic Order, thus he says in the verse. In this manner, He explains in the verse ‘अव्यक्तादीनि’.

“तिष्ठतु यावदयं विस्तारः । यावन्मोक्षं जीवस्य जन्ममरणे स्वयमेव मन्यसे, न तु नियमेन । तथापि तावन्मात्रेणापि ज्ञानेन शेच्छुं नाहसि ॥ नित्यं सनातनं प्रोक्तं नित्यं नियतमेव च । इति शब्दनिर्णये ॥ अत्र तु नियतम् । जातस्य हि ध्रुव । इति प्रकाशमानात् । तस्माद् नात्राऽश्चर्यवृद्धिः कर्तव्या ॥” –

Thus exists this expansive samsara. Until the Jiva finds deliverance, birth and death (of the body) are according to (Cosmic) order, and which you, Arjuna, would agree as the natural order. Therefore, even after such little knowledge, you do not deserve to get worried. “Eternal, permanent (it is) said to be, and also eternal and ever according to Cosmic order” thus according to Shabda Nirnaya. Here (also) it is according to Cosmic Order. . ‘For one who is born,(death) is certain...’ thus having been expressed. Therefore, in this context there is no cause to be surprised.

27 "For, certain unto the born is death, and certain unto the dead is birth; so, for a matter that is inevitable, thou dost not do well to grieve. (159)

That which is born is to disappear or what disappears is to be visible again. In this way, rotates the wheel of time over and over again. Just as the sun-rise and sun-set, automatically take place eternally, so do the birth and death exist of certainty in the world. At the time of the world dissolution all the three worlds come to an end, and therefore beginning and end are unavoidable everywhere. If this appeals itself to you why do you become distressed and why do you show ignorance, knowing all, you Dhanurdhara? Viewed from the various points, there exists no reason for you to lament. Hear also further.

'Jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyurdhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca'—According to the previous verse, if the soul is regarded as constantly taking birth and constantly dying, one should not

grieve, because death is sure of him who is born, and rebirth is assured of him who is dead.

**'Tasmādaparihārye'r the na tvaṁ śocitumarhas!'**—This cycle of birth and death has been going on from time immemorial and will continue upto eternity. Therefore, you should not lament over the inevitable. These Dhṛtarāṣṭra's sons and Bhīṣma, Droṇa etc., who are born will surely die, you cannot save them and after death, they will certainly take rebirth, you cannot stop it. So why should you grieve?

As the sun has risen, it will certainly set, and if it is set, it will definitely arise. This is an inevitable fact, which is known to all. Therefore, none grieves over the setting of the sun. It implies that one should not grieve over the death of anybody.

Whatever the Lord has stated in these two verses (26th and 27th) is not God's real theory. By the expression 'Atha ca' the Lord has put forth the argument of the people, who identify, themselves with the body. This is not a correct principle. In no case Arjuna should grieve. To bring home this point to him, Lord Kṛṣṇa has explained from that angle also.

In these two verses, Lord Kṛṣṇa says that all the worldly things, including the bodies, undergo change from one form to another. Abandoning the first form is called death and change to the second form is called birth. One should not grieve over this cycle because it inevitably goes on.

**Appendix**—A man is grieved if a dear one dies or there is loss of money. Similarly we are grieved when we think about the future—if the wife dies, what will happen? If the son dies, what will happen? etc. We are grieved and worried because we don't attach importance to discrimination. Changes in the world and in circumstances are inevitable. If circumstances don't change, how will the cycle of the world continue? How will a person pass from boyhood to youth? How will a fool become learned? How will a patient become healthy? How will a seed

turn into a tree? Without change the world will become like a static thing. In fact only a mortal dies, an immortal never dies. It is everyone's obvious experience that after death the body remains lying, but the self, the owner of the body transmigrates. If importance is attached to this experience, there can't be any worry or grief. At the death of Bāli, Lord Rāma draws Tārā's attention towards this experience—

*Tārā bikaḷa dekhi Raghurāyā, dīnha jñāna hari līnhi māyā. Chiti jala pāvaka gagana samīrā, pañca racita ati adhama śarīrā. pragaṭa so tanu tava āgem sovā, jīva nitya kehi lagi tumha rovā. upajā jñāna carana taba lāgī, līnheṣi parama bhagati bara māgī.*

(Mānasa, Kīṣkindhā 11/2-3)

We should think over when no body remained in eighty-four lac forms of life, how will this body remain intact? When eighty-four lac bodies didn't remain as 'I' and 'mine', how will this body remain as 'I' and 'mine'? This discrimination is possible only in human body, not in other bodies.

*Link:—In the next verse Lord Kṛṣṇa mentions the simple law of nature about birth and death.*

जातस्य हि लब्धजन्मनः ध्रुवः अव्यभिचारी मृत्युः मरणं ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च । तस्मादपरिहार्योऽयं जन्ममरणलक्षणोऽर्थः । तस्मिन्नपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥

कार्यकरणसङ्घातात्मकान्यपि भूतान्युद्दिश्य शोको न युक्तः कर्तुम्, यतः --

ऐसा होनेसे—

जिसने जन्म लिया है उसका मरण ध्रुव—निश्चित है और जो मर गया है उसका जन्म ध्रुव—निश्चित है, इसलिये यह जन्म-मरणरूप भाव अपरिहार्य है अर्थात् किसी प्रकार भी इसका प्रतिकार नहीं किया जा सकता, इस अपरिहार्य विषयके निमित्त तुझे शोक करना उचित नहीं

उपजे तें नाशे । नाशलें पुनरपि दिसे । हें घटिकायंत्र तैसें । परिभ्रमे गा ॥ १५९ ॥

ना तरी उदो अस्तु आपैसे । अखंडित होत जात जैसें । हें जन्ममरण तैसें । अनिवार जगीं ॥ १६० ॥

महाप्रळय अवसरे । हें त्रैलोक्यही संहरे । म्हणोनि हा परिहरे । आदि अंतु ॥ १६१ ॥

तूं जरी हे ऐसें मानसी । तरी खेदु कां करिसी । काय जाणतचि नेणसी । धनुर्धरा ॥ १६२ ॥

एथ आणिकही एक पार्था । तुज बहुतीं परी पाहतां । दुःख करावया सर्वथा । विषो नाहीं ॥ १६३ ॥

(2.159) जो उपजता है वह नष्ट होता है, और जो नष्ट हुआ है सो फिर उत्पन्न होता है। इस प्रकार यह संसार घटिकायन्त्र के समान चक्कर खा रहा है।

(2.160) अथवा सूर्योदय और सूर्यास्त जैसे आप ही आप निरन्तर होते जाते हैं वैसे ही जन्म-मरण भी संसार में अनिवार्य हैं।

(2.161) महाप्रलय के समय त्रैलोक्य का भी नाश हो जाता है परन्तु उससे कुछ आदि अन्त का नाश नहीं होता।

(2.162) यदि तुम यह बात मानते हो तो खेद क्यों करते हो? हे धनुर्धर! क्या जानबूझ कर अज्ञानी बनते हो?

(2.163) हे अर्जुन! एक बात और है। अनेक प्रकार से विचार करने पर तुम्हें ज्ञात होगा कि दुःख करने के लिए तो गुंजाइश ही नहीं है।

भावार्थ— जन्म लेने वाले की मृत्यु निश्चित है और मरने वाले का जन्म निश्चित है, अतः इस विषय में, जिसकी निवृत्ति का कोई उपाय नहीं है, तुम्हें शोक नहीं करना चाहिये।

व्याख्या— प्रश्न— यदि जन्म और मृत्यु निश्चित हैं, तो क्या इनसे मुक्ति का प्रयत्न नहीं करना चाहिए?

उत्तर— भगवान् ने अर्जुन को पहले तो सांख्य का उपदेश किया और फिर यह समझकर कि इसकी बुद्धि लक्ष्य को ग्रहण करने में असमर्थ है, वे सृष्टि का प्रवाही स्वरूप दिखलाने लगे। यहाँ जो 'ध्रुव' शब्द दिया है वह सिद्धान्त नहीं है, यह केवल सृष्टि का प्रवाह सूचित करता है। अभिप्राय यह है कि यदि तुम्हारी समझ में सांख्य-सिद्धान्त आ गया है तब तो जन्म-मरण दोनों नहीं हैं, और यदि यह बात समझ में नहीं आयी तब भी शोक नहीं करना चाहिये, क्योंकि इस जन्म-मरण से कोई किसी प्रकार बच नहीं सकता। इसी की पुष्टि अगले श्लोक में करते हैं—

‘जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च’—पूर्वश्लोकके अनुसार अगर शरीरको नित्य जन्मने और मरनेवाला भी मान लिया जाय, तो भी वह शोकका विषय नहीं हो सकता। कारण कि जिसका जन्म हो गया है, वह जरूर मरेगा और जो मर गया है, वह जरूर जन्मेगा।

‘तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि’—इसलिये कोई भी इस जन्म-मृत्युरूप प्रवाहका परिहार (निवारण) नहीं कर सकता; क्योंकि इसमें किसीका किंचिन्मात्र भी वश नहीं चलता। यह जन्म-मृत्युरूप प्रवाह तो अनादिकालसे चला आ रहा है और अनन्तकालतक चलता रहेगा। इस दृष्टिसे तुम्हारे लिये शोक करना उचित नहीं है।

ये धृतराष्ट्रके पुत्र जन्में हैं, तो जरूर मरेंगे। तुम्हारे पास ऐसा कोई उपाय नहीं है, जिससे तुम उनको बचा सको। जो मर जायेंगे, वे जरूर जन्मेंगे। उनको भी तुम रोक नहीं सकते। फिर शोक किस बातका?

शोक उसीका कीजिये, जो अनहोनी होय।

अनहोनी होती नहीं, होनी है सो होय॥

जैसे, इस बातको सब जानते हैं कि सूर्यका उदय हुआ है, तो उसका अस्त होगा ही और अस्त होगा तो उसका उदय

**परिशिष्ट भाव**—किसी प्रियजनकी मृत्यु हो जाय, धन नष्ट हो जाय तो मनुष्यको शोक होता है। ऐसे ही भविष्यको लेकर चिन्ता होती है कि अगर स्त्री मर गयी तो क्या होगा? पुत्र मर गया तो क्या होगा? आदि। ये शोक-चिन्ता अपने विवेकको महत्त्व न देनेके कारण ही होते हैं। संसारमें परिवर्तन होना, परिस्थिति बदलना आवश्यक है। अगर परिस्थिति नहीं बदलेगी तो संसार कैसे चलेगा? मनुष्य बालकसे जवान कैसे बनेगा? मूर्खसे विद्वान् कैसे बनेगा? रोगीसे नीरोग कैसे बनेगा? बीजका वृक्ष कैसे बनेगा? परिवर्तनके बिना संसार स्थिर चित्रकी तरह बन जायगा! वास्तवमें मरनेवाला (परिवर्तनशील) ही मरता है, रहनेवाला कभी मरता ही नहीं। यह सबका प्रत्यक्ष अनुभव है कि मृत्यु होनेपर शरीर तो हमारे सामने पड़ा रहता है, पर शरीरका मालिक (जीवात्मा) निकल जाता है। अगर इस अनुभवको महत्त्व दें तो फिर चिन्ता-शोक हो ही नहीं सकते। बालिके मरनेपर भगवान् राम इसी अनुभवकी ओर ताराका लक्ष्य कराते हैं—

तारा विकल देखि रघुराया। दीन्ह ग्यान हरि लीन्ही माया॥ छिति जल पावक गगन समीरा। पंच रचित अति अधम सरीरा॥ प्रगट सो तनु तव आगें सोवा। जीव नित्य केहि लगि तुम्ह रोवा॥

उपजा ग्यान चरन तब लागी । लीन्हेसि परम भगति बर माँगी ॥

(मानस, किष्किन्धा० ११। २-३)

विचार करना चाहिये कि जब चौरासी लाख योनियोंमें कोई भी शरीर नहीं रहा, तो फिर यह शरीर कैसे रहेगा? जब चौरासी लाख शरीर में-मेरे नहीं रहे, तो फिर यह शरीर में-मेरा कैसे रहेगा? यह विवेक मनुष्य-शरीरमें हो सकता है, अन्य शरीरोंमें नहीं।

सम्बन्ध—पीछेके दो श्लोकोंमें पश्चान्तरकी बात कहकर अब भगवान् आगेके श्लोकमें बिलकुल साधारण दृष्टिकी बात कहते हैं।