देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा।
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति।।2.13।।
।।2.13।।देहधारीके इस मनुष्यशरीरमें जैसे बालकपन जवानी और वृद्धावस्था होती है ऐसे ही देहान्तरकी प्राप्ति होती है। उस विषयमें धीर मनुष्य मोहित नहीं होता।
।।2.13।। जैसे इस देह में देही जीवात्मा की कुमार? युवा और वृद्धावस्था होती है? वैसे ही उसको अन्य शरीर की प्राप्ति होती है धीर पुरुष इसमें मोहित नहीं होता है।।
2.13।।व्याख्या देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे (टिप्पणी प0 50) कौमारं यौवनं जरा शरीरधारीके इस शरीरमें पहले बाल्यावस्था आती है फिर युवावस्था आती है और फिर वृद्धावस्था आती है। तात्पर्य है कि शरीरमें कभी एक अवस्था नहीं रहती उसमें निरन्तर परिवर्तन होता रहता है।यहाँ शरीरधारीके इस शरीरमें ऐसा कहनेसे सिद्ध होता है शरीरी अलग है और शरीर अलग है। शरीरी द्रष्टा है और शरीर दृश्य है। अतः शरीरमें बालकपन आदि अवस्थाओंका जो परिवर्तन है वह परिवर्तन शरीरीमें नहीं है। तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिः जैसे शरीरकी कुमार युवा आदि अवस्थाएँ होती हैं ऐसे ही देहान्तरकी अर्थात् दूसरे शरीरकी प्राप्ति होती है। जैसे स्थूलशरीर बालकसे जवान एवं जवानसे बूढ़ा हो जाता है तो इन अवस्थाओंके परिवर्तनको लेकर कोई शोक नहीं होता ऐसे ही शरीरी एक शरीरसे दूसरे शरीरमें जाता है तो इस विषयमें भी शोक नहीं होना चाहिये। जैसे स्थूलशरीरके रहतेरहते कुमार युवा आदि अवस्थाएँ होती हैं ऐसे ही सूक्ष्म और कारणशरीरके रहतेरहते देहान्तरकी प्राप्ति होती है अर्थात् जैसे बालकपन जवानी आदि स्थूलशरीरकी अवस्थाएँ हैं ऐसे देहान्तरकी प्राप्ति (मृत्युके बाद दूसरा शरीर धारण करना) सूक्ष्म और कारणशरीरकी अवस्था है।स्थूलशरीरके रहतेरहते कुमार आदि अवस्थाओंका परिवर्तन होता है यह तो स्थूल दृष्टि है। सूक्ष्म दृष्टिसे देखा जाय तो अवस्थाओंकी तरह स्थूलशरीरमें भी परिवर्तन होता रहता है। बाल्यावस्थामें जो शरीर था वह युवावस्थामें नहीं है। वास्तवमें ऐसा कोई भी क्षण नहीं है जिस क्षणमें स्थूलशरीरका परिवर्तन न होता हो। ऐसे ही सूक्ष्म और कारणशरीरमें भी प्रतिक्षण परिवर्तन होता रहता है जो देहान्तररूपसे स्पष्ट देखनेमें आता है (टिप्पणी प0 51.1) ।अब विचार यह करना है कि स्थूलशरीरका तो हमें ज्ञान होता है पर सूक्ष्म और कारणशरीरका हमें ज्ञान नहीं होता। अतः जब सूक्ष्म और कारणशरीरका ज्ञान भी नहीं होता तो उनके परिवर्तनका ज्ञान हमें कैसे हो सकता है इसका उत्तर है कि जैसे स्थूलशरीरका ज्ञान उसकी अवस्थाओंको लेकर होता है ऐसे ही सूक्ष्म और कारणशरीरका ज्ञान भी उसकी अवस्थाओंको लेकर होता है। स्थूलशरीरकी जाग्रत् सूक्ष्मशरीरकी स्वप्न और कारणशरीरकी सुषुप्ति अवस्था मानी जाती है। मनुष्य अपनी बाल्यावस्थामें अपनेको स्वप्नमें बालक देखता है युवावस्थामें स्वप्नमें युवा देखता है और वृद्धावस्थामें स्वप्नमें वृद्ध देखता है। इससे सिद्ध हो गया कि स्थूलशरीरके साथसाथ सूक्ष्मशरीरका भी परिवर्तन होता है। ऐसे ही सुषुप्तिअवस्था बाल्यावस्थामें ज्यादा होती है युवावस्थामें कम होती है और वृद्धावस्थामें वह बहुत कम हो जाती है अतः इससे कारणशरीरका परिवर्तन भी सिद्ध हो गया। दूसरी बात बाल्यावस्था और युवावस्थामें नींद लेनेपर शरीर और इन्द्रियोंमें जैसी ताजगी आती है वैसी ताजगी वृद्धावस्थामें नींद लेनेपर नहीं आती अर्थात् वृद्धावस्थामें बाल्य और युवाअवस्थाजैसा विश्राम नहीं मिलता। इस रीतिसे भी कारणशरीरका परिवर्तन सिद्ध होता है।जिसको दूसरा देवता पशु पक्षी आदिका शरीर मिलता है उसको उस शरीरमें (देहाध्यासके कारण) मैं यही हूँ ऐसा अनुभव होता है तो यह सूक्ष्मशरीरका परिवर्तन हो गया। ऐसे ही कारणशरीरमें स्वभाव (प्रकृति) रहता है जिसको स्थूल दृष्टिसे आदत कहते हैं। वह आदत देवताकी और होती है तथा पशुपक्षी आदिकी और होती है तो यह कारणशरीरका परिवर्तन हो गया।अगर शरीरी(देही) का परिवर्तन होता तो अवस्थाओंके बदलनेपर भी मैं वही हूँ (टिप्पणी प0 51.2) ऐसा ज्ञान नहीं होता। परन्तु अवस्थाओंके बदलनेपर भी जो पहले बालक था जवान था वही मैं अब हूँ ऐसा ज्ञान होता है। इससे सिद्ध होता है कि शरीरीमें अर्थात् स्वयंमें परिवर्तन नहीं हुआ है।यहाँ एक शंका हो सकती है कि स्थूलशरीरकी अवस्थाओंके बदलनेपर तो उनका ज्ञान होता है पर शरीरान्तरकी प्राप्ति होनेपर पहलेके शरीरका ज्ञान क्यों नहीं होता पूर्वशरीरका ज्ञान न होनेमें कारण यह है कि मृत्यु और जन्मके समय बहुत ज्यादा कष्ट होता है। उस कष्टके कारण बुद्धिमें पूर्वजन्मकी स्मृति नहीं रहती। जैसे लकवा मार जानेपर अधिक वृद्धावस्था होनेपर बुद्धिमें पहले जैसा ज्ञान नहीं रहता ऐसे ही मृत्युकालमें तथा जन्मकालमें बहुत बड़ा धक्का लगनेपर पूर्वजन्मका ज्ञान नहीं रहता। (टिप्पणी प0 51.3) परन्तु जिसकी मृत्युमें ऐसा कष्ट नहीं होता अर्थात् शरीरकी अवस्थान्तरकी प्राप्तकी तरह अनायास ही देहान्तरकी प्राप्ति हो जाती है उसकी बुद्धिमें पूर्वजन्मकी स्मृति रह सकती है (टिप्पणी प0 51.4) ।अब विचार करें कि जैसा ज्ञान अवस्थान्तरकी प्राप्तिमें होता है वैसा ज्ञान देहान्तरकी प्राप्तिमें नहीं होता परन्तु मैं हूँ इस प्रकार अपनी सत्ताका ज्ञान तो सबको रहता है। जैसे सुषुप्ति(गाढ़निद्रा) में अपना कुछ भी ज्ञान नहीं रहता पर जगनेपर मनुष्य कहता है कि ऐसी गाढ़ नींद आयी कि मेरेको कुछ पता नहीं रहा तो कुछ पता नहीं रहा इसका ज्ञान तो है ही। सोनेसे पहले मैं जो था वही मैं जगनेके बाद हूँ तो सुषुप्तिके समय भी मैं वही था इस प्रकार अपनी सत्ताका ज्ञान अखण्डरूपसे निरन्तर रहता है। अपनी सत्ताके अभावका ज्ञान कभी किसीको नहीं होता। शरीरधारीकी सत्ताका सद्भाव अखण्डरूपसे रहता है तभी तो मुक्ति होती है और मुक्तअवस्थामें वह रहता है। हाँ जीवन्मुक्तअवस्थामें उसको शरीरान्तरोंका ज्ञान भले ही न हो पर मैं तीनों शरीरोंसे अलग हूँ ऐसा अनुभव तो होता ही है। धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति धीर वही है जिसको सत्असत्का बोध हो गया है। ऐसा धीर मनुष्य उस विषयमें कभी मोहित नहीं होता उसको कभी सन्देह नहीं होता। इसका अर्थ यह नहीं है कि उस धीर मनुष्यको देहान्तरकी प्राप्ति होती है। ऊँचनीच योनियोंमें जन्म होनेका कारण गुणोंका सङ्ग है और गुणोंसे सम्बन्धविच्छेद होनेपर धीर मनुष्यको देहान्तरकी प्राप्ति हो ही नहीं सकती।यहाँ तत्र पदका अर्थ देहान्तरप्राप्तिके विषयमें नहीं है प्रत्युत देहदेहीके विषयमें है। तात्पर्य है कि देह क्या है देही क्या है परिवर्तनशील क्या है अपरिवर्तनशील क्या है अनित्य क्या है नित्य क्या है असत् क्या है सत् क्या है विकारी क्या है विकारी क्या है इस विषयमें वह मोहित नहीं होता। देह और देही सर्वथा अलग हैं इस विषयमें उसको कभी मोह नहीं होता। उसको अपनी असङ्गताका अखण्ड ज्ञान रहता है। सम्बन्ध अनित्य वस्तु शरीर आदिको लेकर जो शोक होता है उसकी निवृत्तिके लिये कहते हैं
।।2.13।। स्मृति का यह नियम है कि अनुभवकर्त्ता तथा स्मरणकर्त्ता एक ही व्यक्ति होना चाहिये तभी किसी वस्तु का स्मरण करना संभव है। मैं आपके अनुभवों का स्मरण नहीं कर सकता और न आप मेरे अनुभवों का परन्तु हम दोनों अपनेअपने अनुभवों का स्मरण कर सकते हैं।वृद्धावस्था में हम अपने बाल्यकाल और यौवन काल का स्मरण कर सकते हैं। कौमार्य अवस्था के समाप्त होने पर युवावस्था आती है और तत्पश्चात् वृद्धावस्था। अब यह तो स्पष्ट है कि वृद्धावस्था में व्यक्ति के साथ कौमार्य और युवा दोनों ही अवस्थायें नहीं हैं फिर भी वह उन अवस्थाओं में प्राप्त अनुभवों को स्मरण कर सकता है। स्मृति के नियम से यह सिद्ध हो जाता है कि व्यक्ति में कुछ है जो तीनों अवस्थाओं में अपरिवर्तनशील है जो बालक और युवा शरीर द्वारा अनुभवों को प्राप्त करता है तथा उनका स्मरण भी करता है।इस प्रकार देखने पर यह ज्ञात होता है कि कौमार्य अवस्था की मृत्यु युवावस्था का जन्म है और युवावस्था की मृत्यु ही वृद्धावस्था का जन्म है। और फिर भी निरन्तर होने वाले इन परिवर्तनों से हमें किसी प्रकार का शोक नहीं होता बल्कि इन अवस्थाओं से गुजरते हुये असंख्य अनुभवों को प्राप्त कर हम प्रसन्न ही होते हैं।जगत् में प्रत्येक व्यक्ति के इस निजी अनुभव का दृष्टान्त के रूप में उपयोग करके श्रीकृष्ण अर्जुन को यह समझाना चाहते हैं कि बुद्धिमान पुरुष जीवात्मा के एक देह को छोड़कर अन्य शरीर में प्रवेश करने पर शोक नहीं करता।पुनर्जन्म के सिद्धान्त के पीछे छिपे इस सत्य को यह श्लोक और अधिक दृढ़ करता है। अत बुद्धिमान पुरुष के लिये मृत्यु का कोई भय नहीं रह जाता। बाल्यावस्था आदि की मृत्यु होने पर हम शोक नहीं करते क्योंकि हम जानते हैं कि हमारा अस्तित्व बना रहता है और हम पूर्व अवस्था से उच्च अवस्था को प्राप्त कर रहे हैं। उसी प्रकार एक देह विशेष को त्याग कर जीवात्मा अपनी पूर्व वासनाओं के अनुसार अन्य देह को धारण करता है। इस विषय में धीर पुरुष मोहित नहीं होता है।
2.13 As are boyhood, youth and decrepitude to an embodied being in this (present) body, similar is the acisition of another body. This being so, an intelligent person does not get deluded.
2.13 Just as in this body the embodied (soul) passes into childhood, youth and old age, so also does it pass into another body; the firm man does not grieve thereat.
2.13. Just as the boyhood, youth and old age come to the embodied Soul in this body, in the same manner is the attaining of another body; the wise man is not deluded at that.
2.13 देहिनः of the embodied (soul)? अस्मिन् in this? यथा as? देहे in body? कौमारम् childhood? यौवनम् youth? जरा old age? तथा so also? देहान्तरप्राप्तिः the attaining of another body? धीरः the firm? तत्र thereat? न not? मुह्यति grieves.Commentary -- Just as there is no interruption in the passing of childhood into youth and youth into old age in this body? so also there is no interruption by death in the continuity of the ego. The Self is not dead at the termination of the stage? viz.? childhood. It is certainly not born again at the beginning of the second stage? viz.? youth. Just as the Self passes unchanged from childhood to youth and from yourth to old age? so also the Self passes unchanged from one body into,another. Therefore? the wise man is not at all distressed about it.
2.13 As to that, to show how the Self is eternal, the Lord cites an illustration by saying,৷৷.of the embodied, etc. Yatha, as are, the manner in which; kaumaram, boyhood; yauvanam, youth, middle age; and jara, decrepitude, advance of age; dehinah, to an embodied being, to one who possesses a body (deha), to the Self possessing a body; asmin, in this, present; dehe, body . These three states are mutually distinct. On these, when the first state gets destroyed the Self does not get destroyed; when the second state comes into being It is not born. What then? It is seen that the Self, which verily remains unchanged, acires the second and third states. Tatha, similar, indeed; is Its, the unchanging Selfs dehantarapraptih, acisition of another body, a body different from the present one. This is the meaning. Tatra, this being so; dhirah, an intelligent person; na, does not; muhyati, get deluded.
2.12-13 Na hi etc. Dehinah etc Never indeed did I not exist, but I did exist [always]. Likewise are you and these kings. If there can be lamentability for one, on attaining change in physical form then why is one not lamented over when one attains the youth from the boyhood ? He, who is wise, does not lament. But, wisdom is easily attainable for him whose concern is not even for this [present] body. Therefore you must seek wisdom.
2.13 As the self is eternal, one does not grieve, thinking that the self is lost, when an embodied self living in a body gives up the state of childhood and attains youth and other states. Similarly, the wise men, knowing that the self is eternal, do not grieve, when the self attains a body different from the present body. Hence the selves, being eternal, are not fit objects for grief. This much has to be done here; the eternal selves because of Their being subject ot beginningless Karma become endowed with bodies suited to Their Karmas. To get rid of this bondage (of bodies), embodied beings perform duties like war appropriate to their stations in life with the help of the same bodies in an attitude of detachment from the fruits as prescribed by the scripture. Even to such aspirants, contacts with sense-objects give pleasure and pain, arising from cold, heat and such other things. But these experiences are to be endured till the acts enjoined in the scriptures come to an end. The Lord explains the significance immediately afterwards:
“One’s body becomes the object of affection as it is related to the soul (which is most dear to the self.) By relation with that body, one’s sons, brothers or other relatives become objects of affection. And by relationship to them, even their sons also become objects of affection. So when their bodies perish, there will certainly be lamentation.” In answer to this, he speaks this verse. “In the body belonging to the jiva (dehinah) one attains stages such as boyhood. After boyhood is destroyed one attains youth. When youth is destroyed one attains old age. In the same manner, one attains another body. Just as (yatha) one does not lament for the destruction of the objects of affection in the form of boyhood and youth of the body which are related to the soul, so (tatha) one should also not lament for the destruction of the object of affection, the body, which is also related to the soul.” “But with the destruction of youth and attaining old age one does lament.” “With the destruction of boyhood and attainment of youth one rejoices. With the destruction of worn out bodies of Bhisma and Drona, they will attain new bodies and will also become joyful.” Another meaning is: Just as in one body one attains various states such as boyhood, the one jiva attains various bodies life after life.
It may be argued that although it is certainly true that the Supreme Lord Krishna is not ever subject to birth and death being transcendental to the material manifestation what about the individual living entities who everyday are dying and being born. This is what is being answered in this verse. Even as the embodied living entity in the very same lifetime, possesses different physical bodies during different stages of life such as infancy, youth and old age; but always keeping the consciousness that one is the same individual despite these modifications presented in the form of the body. So it can be understood that on the destruction of the physical body the eternal soul is embodied in another physical body only due to the impressions one has accumulated in their subtle body and that the subtle body is real is observed at the birth of an infant who begins to suck the mothers breast immediately owing to past life impressions. The eternal soul does not perish when the physical body perishes; therefore the spiritually intelligent are not deluded by the birth or destruction of the body knowing that the eternal soul is not subject to birth or death.
This verse confirms that the soul is distinct from the body but by it being distinct does not make it independent. Only when the physical body is seen changing through infancy, childhood, youth etc. can this separate distinctness be perceived and thus confirmed until the soul giving up its present body acquires a new body and in some rare cases a living entity can recollect their past lives. The physical body is obviously not what has the experience of childhood, youth, etc as is evidenced when the body is dead. The body is just the container and when the soul has departed. The body has no further identification with the soul leading itself to experience that it is a human being or tiger or worm or whatever physical form it possessed as the case may be. But due to the fact that the soul remains within the physical body during deep sleep similar to the ego centered mind; it is possible to perceive the existence of the soul as an independent consciousness whereas the body is merely like a wooden box. This is verified by direct experience from the transcendental authority of the Vedas. It cannot be conceived by any mental or intellectual genius because it is beyond the scope of materialism. Nor can the Vedas reflect any vestige of human intellect or human endeavour within them because they come exclusively from the divine revelations of Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa avatara an authorised incarnation of the Supreme Lord confirmed by name in the Vedic scripture known as Srimad Bhagavatam or Bhagavat Purana Without understanding that there is a transcendental source to the eternal Vedas, the establishment of statements regarding righteousness cannot be applicable for all eternity and if they are not accepted for all time then there would have been no reason for them to exist and they would not have been the basic foundation for the instruction of righteousness. Without the universality of these premises the denial of what is not truth would not have been possible. There would then have been no connection to eternality from any established source. Therefore the principles found in the eternal Vedas constitute what is real. Otherwise without superior guidance from an eternal source nothing in this life can be accepted as absolute evidence. Things that we have heard would have no relevance as they would have nothing to reference it to. Otherwise one would have no thoughts or response to this that you are now reading. It would appear as a figment of the imagination. It would then be a cause of misery unless one was due to self-realisation an exception to this. If activities are judged with reference to righteousness or unrighteousness then facades of being unaware are not valid and intention is automatically exposed. The transcendental statements found in the Vedas are eternal being established beyond the purview of time, hence the Vedas are self-evident and are to be known as absolute giving perfect knowledge of the Ultimate Truth. By the authority of the Vedas the wise are never deluded. Otherwise why would there be any sorrow thinking that the destruction of the physical body is the destruction of the soul. The soul cannot be destroyed. The soul is eternal thus the statement not that you were not. Not even by the destruction of the physical body. Hence the statement dehinah meaning the soul being the occupier of the deha which is the body. Even with the physical body changing its form as from infancy to childhood to youth etc. or being pitiful on account of old age etc. With the deterioration and demise of the body certainly comes the acceptance of another new body. Now begins the summation. The Supreme Lord Krishna to illustrate that there is no possibility of His having a physical body uses the word dehinah as an adjective to describe the plight of all embodied beings by stating: with the transmigration from one body to another. Therefore perceiving it as just a further modification of the body coming after old age there is no justification for sorrow.
Ramanuja. Bhagavad-Gita: chapter 2, verse 14 The qualities of sound, feeling, colour, taste and smell with their corresponding faculties known as the senses are called matras because they manifest from the basic fundamental elements of water, fire, earth, air and ether. Contact of the senses with these matras cause such physical perceptions of duality as cold and hot, hard and soft, bitter and sweet that are experienced as pleasure or pain. The use of cold and heat in this verse is symbolised as the summation of all external experiences. The Supreme Lord instructs Arjuna to tolerate them with courage while fulfilling ones duties to completion. As these external experiences come and go they should not be regarded as impediments to discharging ones responsibilities by men of courage. Also they are anitya or temporary, meaning that for whoever has achieved the termination of their karma as in the case of one who has attained mukti or liberation, the dualities of physical sensations are not able to disturb or distract. Are these experiences of the duality of physical sensations causing the perception of pleasure and pain of any value? It will be discoursed in the next verse.
Ramanuja. Bhagavad-Gita: chapter 2, verse 14 The qualities of sound, feeling, colour, taste and smell with their corresponding faculties known as the senses are called matras because they manifest from the basic fundamental elements of water, fire, earth, air and ether. Contact of the senses with these matras cause such physical perceptions of duality as cold and hot, hard and soft, bitter and sweet that are experienced as pleasure or pain. The use of cold and heat in this verse is symbolised as the summation of all external experiences. The Supreme Lord instructs Arjuna to tolerate them with courage while fulfilling ones duties to completion. As these external experiences come and go they should not be regarded as impediments to discharging ones responsibilities by men of courage. Also they are anitya or temporary, meaning that for whoever has achieved the termination of their karma as in the case of one who has attained mukti or liberation, the dualities of physical sensations are not able to disturb or distract. Are these experiences of the duality of physical sensations causing the perception of pleasure and pain of any value? It will be discoursed in the next verse.
Dehino’smin yathaa dehe kaumaaram yauvanam jaraa; Tathaa dehaantara praaptir dheeras tatra na muhyati.
dehinaḥ—of the embodied; asmin—in this; yathā—as; dehe—in the body; kaumāram—childhood; yauvanam—youth; jarā—old age; tathā—similarly; deha-antara—another body; prāptiḥ—achieves; dhīraḥ—the wise; tatra—thereupon; na muhyati—are not deluded
