Bhagavad Gita: Understanding One Shloka at a time. (Chp. 2, Verse 17) — HBR Patel

Trying to understand Bhagavad Gita, one Shloka at a time…

अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् |
विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति || 17||

But know that which pervades the entire body, know it to be indestructible. No one is able to cause the destruction of the imperishable soul.

The message continues. The soul is eternal and it can be destroyed. The soul pervades the entire body. With the destruction of this physical body, the soul can not be destroyed, not even the entire ammunition of this world can cease the existent of the soul. That divine soul is our true identity and the physical body is just a temporary utility to attain the Moksha.

The world suffers due to misplaced identity and the mighty Arjuna was also facing the same problem, associating his true identity with his mortal body. With this attachment, he hesitated to perform his rightful duties and became delusional. To uplift the Arjuna from his misery, Bhagwan Shree Krishan gives his wisdom to identify his true self: a divine soul…