देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा ।
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ॥
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
देहधारीके इस मनुष्यशरीरमें जैसे बालकपन, जवानी और वृद्धावस्था होती है, ऐसे ही देहान्तरकी प्राप्ति होती है । उस विषयमें धीर मनुष्य मोहित नहीं होता ॥
English
Just as the embodied one passes through childhood, youth, and old age in this body, so too it passes into another body. The wise are not deluded by this.
What this verse means
The body changes through stages, and the one living in it moves on to another body. A steady person does not get confused by this.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna is frozen by grief. Krishna first reminds him that no one was truly born or lost, then gives a human example: the body moves from childhood to youth to old age, and the embodied one moves on as well.
Why this verse still matters
You watch an old photo and barely recognise yourself. The face, voice, and fears have changed — yet something in you has kept witnessing all of it.
The takeaway
There is relief in seeing change as natural, not tragic.
Word-by-word translation
देहिनः (the embodied one) / अस्मिन् (in this) / यथा (just as) / देहे (in the body) / कौमारम् (childhood) / यौवनम् (youth) / जरा (old age) / तथा (so) / देहान्तरप्राप्तिः (attaining another body) / धीरः (the wise) / तत्र (there) / न (not) / मुह्यति (is deluded)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga — The Yoga of Knowledge, which contains 72 verses.
Explore related themes: atman (12 verses), sankhya (11 verses)