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।
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.
