Sunday, October 4, 2015

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 18

अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः ।
अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ॥२- १८॥


antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ ।

anāśino'prameyasya tasmādyudhyasva bhārata ॥2- 18॥

It is said, these finite bodies [are] of the eternal, embodied, indestructible, [and] immeasurable; therefore you must fight, O descendant-of-Bharata! 


Word-for-word translation

antavantas (adjective) (nominative, plural) = finites 

ime (pronoun, nominative, plural) = these

dehās (nominative, plural) = bodies

nityasya (genitive, singular) = of eternal 

uktās (past passive participle, plural) = said

śarīriṇas (genitive, singular) = of the embodied 


anāśinas (genitive, singular) = of the indestructible 

aprameyasya (genitive, singular) = of the immeasurable 

tasmāt (adverb) (indeclinable) = therefore

yudhyasva (imperative, 2nd person, singular) = you must fight!

bhārata (vocative, singular) = O descendant-of-Bharata 


Commentary

It is so interesting how the former translations are so varied and poetic in their translations for this verse, especially since the verb "to be" is to be understood in the first part of the verse and a relatively easy verse. 

This verse forwards the attributes of the bodies and their ultimate boundlessness and therefore there is no fear of ultimate cessation of life.  

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