Gita : Ch-2. Slo-17.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :


Chapter-2. ( Samkya-yogam )


Slokam-17. ( Lord Krishna continues : "Which one envelops the whole world completely, that one is ever existing thing, this you ( Arjuna ) understand. Undestructible, this one, nobody is capable to destroy it." )





avinasi     tu    tadviddhi     yena      sarvamidam     tatam,


vinasamavyayasyasya     na     kascit      kartumarhati.





yena     idam     sarvam    =    by   whom    these    whole    things;

tatam   =   spread     widely    (  present   everywhere   );

tat    tu    avinasi    iti   =   but    that    imperishable;

viddhi   =   know    this;

avyayasya   asya    =    the    imperishable,   that    too;

vinasam      kartum   =   to    destroy;  

kascit      na      arhati    =    not    possible    to   anyone.   





In this slokam the Supreme Lord Krishna emphasizes the conclusive position of the Atma with the word avyayasya meaning indestructible. How this is to be understood is given by the word yena meaning by which indicating the difference between the Atma and the physical body which the soul pervades. This pervasiveness is so extremely subtle that it is impossible for anything to cause the destruction of its indestructible nature because whatever would be attempting to destroy it is also completely pervaded by it as well. 


The imperishable Atma whose existence is a reality has been delineated and emphasised in a general manner. Now in this verse it is stated: but know that, meaning to know the reality of the eternal Atma within every living entity. Pervading as the witness to the physical body which is subject to the transient modifications in the beginning known as birth and at its end is known as death. But it is not possible to modify the Atma which is imperishable and impossible to destroy. 


In how many ways is this to be understood? Endlessly, not limited by space, eternal, indestructible. It can not be destroyed by curses or magic and while being unable to be destroyed is also immutable. 


Attributes are threefold: relating to time, relating to place and to being complete in themselves. All these attributes are residing fully only in the Supreme Lord Krishna exclusively. (  Ref : Parama Sruti )


Even though the Atma within the physical body of every living entity is eternal and even though in all respects the use of the word tu confirms that eternity refers only to Lord Krishna alone, the temporal transmigration of bodies, feeling pain, incompleteness, these four attributes of destruction are never spoken as referring to Lord Krishna. However in relation to all other things there surely is a result in loss. ( Ref :  Maha Varaha Purana )

It should be understood that the Atma is indestructible and is the principle by which the physical body is permeated. The insentient body is completely distinct from the sentient Atma. By reason of its pervasive nature the soul is very subtle, in fact so exceedingly subtle is the Atma that it is verily incapable of being destroyed being subatomic in essence. There is no thing which is of different or of a dissimilar nature from it which in any way is capable of destroying the Atma. For whatever there is existing is pervaded by the Atma as well and being pervaded by the Atma itself verifies its less gross and most subtle position of all being subatomic. Such things as weapons, water, fire, air, cold etc. can not influence or be the agents of destruction for the imperishable soul, being all pervaded by it. 

The rationale of a hammer striking an object and disintegrating it is now given. When a hammer strikes an object with excessive force an extreme vibration produces a molecular disruption which causes the destruction of the object. But in the case of the Atma there is no facility for destruction as when light penetrates a glass jar is not destroyed when the glass is destroyed; similarly the Atma is like unto this in relation to the body. Thus it can be understood the imperishable nature of the Atma.

Now the next slokam explains that being perishable is the very nature of the physical body. 

To  be  continued  ...