The Bhagavad Gita Read Online Free PDF Page B

takes over and you erroneously identify your self with the body, you feel that physical death is death to the self, and that is frightening. But the Self (Atma) can never be ‘killed.’ When the body is slain the Atma remains unaffected.
    21  “The one who understands this hard-to-grasp principle of Atma — the True Self Within that is eternal, indestructible, and changeless — realizes that at this level of comprehension there is no ‘slaying’ and no ‘causing another to slay.’
    22  “As a person sheds a worn-out garment, the dweller within the body casts aside its time-worn human frame and dons a new one.
    23-24  “The Indweller — the Self, Atma — remains unaffected by all worldly changes. It is not wounded by weapons, burned by fire, dried out by wind, or wet by water. This indwelling Self is all-pervading (which means it is everywhere). It is also eternal and changeless because it is beyond the worldly dimension of time — time has no access to it.
 “Arjuna, the cessation of your present pain and sorrow will depend on how well you overcome your ignorance of your True Self that lives within you.”
     
The Qualities of the Atma
     
    25  “It is not easy — as I said, Arjuna — to fathom this mysterious concept of the True Self. Everything else in the world changes. Every creature, rock, blade of grass, human being, element, or component of any kind changes. Only the Atma never changes! Because it is never modified it is termed immutable. Because it is invisible, has no form, and cannot be heard, smelled, or touched, it is termed unmanifested. Because the human mind cannot perceive or conceive it, it is said to be unknowable. Why grieve over a Self that is immutable, unmanifested, and unknowable?”
    26-27  Krishna lets those ideas sink in, and then continues. “Even if you do choose to see yourself as a worldly body that dies, why suffer this anguish? Your despondency steals your strength. Death is inevitable for all the living. You know that death is certain in all of nature, so why mourn that which is natural? Nothing — absolutely nothing — in nature is permanent.
    28  “All beings are temporary. Before birth, they are unmanifested (nonmaterialized). At birth they become manifested. At their end they again become unmanifested. What is there in all this to grieve over? Grieving over the temporary just uses up your energy and holds back your spiritual growth.
    29  “No one really understands the Atma, Arjuna. One person sees it as wondrous, another speaks of its glory, others say it is strange, and there are many who listen but do not comprehend it at all. Very few even think of inquiring into what is beyond this physical world.
    30  “I am well aware that I have veered into high philosophy, but you must understand that all beings,whether called ‘friend’ or ‘enemy,’ have this indestructible Atma within. You must be poised above this debilitating sorrow of yours.”
The Warrior’s Personal Karma
     
    31  “One’s personal duty in life (one’s sva-dharma) should be viewed as one’s responsibility to his or her highest Self, the Atma. This ultrahigh level of duty carries with it the requirement that one never does anything that is contrary to this True Self Within. And even if you consider your sva-dharma more narrowly from the standpoint of being true to your profession, you should not hesitate to fight. For a warrior, war against evil, greed, cruelty, hate, and jealousy is the highest duty.
    32  “The tide of fortune comes in but rarely. This war is a great, unsolicited opportunity for you to fight for righteousness; for a warrior this is no less than a free pass to heaven. Therefore, rejoice, Arjuna. Be happy. This is your opportune moment!
    33  “But if you do not fight this battle of good over evil, you will fail in both your worldly duty and in your duty to your very Self. You will violate your sva-dharma. Not doing the right thing when it is required