Chapter 2 – Sankhya Yoga
Verse 17
avināśhi tu tadviddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam
vināśham avyayasyāsya na kaśhchit kartum arhati
Simple Meaning
O Arjuna!
Know that the element by which the entire universe is pervaded is imperishable.
That soul can never be destroyed.
No one has the power to destroy this eternal and indestructible soul.
The body is perishable, but the soul dwelling within it is everlasting.
Detailed Explanation
Lord Krishna gives Arjuna the knowledge of the soul’s imperishable nature.
He explains that the entire universe is filled with the same divine essence—the soul.
The soul is neither born nor does it ever die, nor can it ever be destroyed.
The body changes with time, grows old, and finally perishes,
but the soul remains beyond all these changes.
No power, weapon, or circumstance can destroy the soul.
Krishna tells Arjuna that although the body may be destroyed in battle,
the soul always remains safe, eternal, and unshaken.
Therefore, it is not right to abandon one’s duty out of fear of bodily death.
This knowledge is given to remove fear, sorrow, and confusion from Arjuna’s mind.
Word-by-Word Meaning
- Avināshi–Imperishable, indestructible
- Tu–Truly, indeed
- Tad viddhi–Know that
- Yena–By which
- Sarvam–The entire
- Idam–This universe
- Tatam–Is pervaded
- Vināśam–Destruction
- Avyayasya– Of the imperishable
- Asya–Of this
- Na kaścit–No one
- Kartum arhati–Is capable of doing
Hidden Spiritual Meaning
This verse presents one of the most important principles of self-realization.
It teaches us that we are not the body, but the imperishable soul
that pervades the entire universe.
When a seeker understands this truth,
the fear of death disappears, and attachment to the body fades away.
Pleasure and pain, gain and loss, life and death
no longer disturb the mind.
This realization grants steady wisdom, fearlessness, and inner peace.
Such knowledge leads a person toward the path of liberation (moksha).
Message of the Verse
Rising above the perishable body
and realizing the imperishable soul
is the true knowledge, the path to a fearless life,
and the way to ultimate freedom.
