In the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna makes a brilliant tactical shift in his argument. After spending many verses establishing the soul’s eternal, unchanging nature, He now temporarily concedes to Arjuna’s unenlightened perspective for the sake of argument. The Atha Cainam Nitya-jatam verse begins a “thought experiment,” showing that even if one were to believe the soul is born and dies with the body, there would still be no logical reason for lamentation.
Sanskrit Verse
अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम् ।
तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैनं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥ २६ ॥Transliteration
atha cainaṁ nitya-jātaṁ nityaṁ vā manyase mṛtam
tathāpi tvaṁ mahā-bāho nainaṁ śocitum arhasiWord for Word Translation
atha ca — if, however; enam — this (soul); nitya-jātam — constantly born; nityam vā — or constantly; manyase — you think; mṛtam — dead; tathā api — still; tvam — you; mahā-bāho — O mighty-armed one; na enam śocitum arhasi — you have no reason to lament.
English Translation
If, however, you think that the soul is constantly born and constantly dies, still you have no reason to lament, O mighty-armed Arjuna.
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
This verse is a masterclass in logical debate. Krishna temporarily sets aside the absolute truth to defeat Arjuna’s argument on its own flawed terms.
- Atha ca… manyase: “If, however, you think…” This opening phrase signals the start of a hypothetical scenario. Krishna is saying, “Okay, Arjuna, let’s forget for a moment that the Atman is eternal. Let’s proceed with your assumption that the self is born and dies.”
- Nitya-jātaṁ… nityaṁ mṛtam: “Constantly born… constantly dying.” This describes a viewpoint similar to certain schools of materialism, where there is no permanent soul, only a stream of life that begins at birth and ends at death. It is a direct contradiction of the `sanātana` (eternal) nature of the soul He just described.
- Tathāpi… na śocitum arhasi: “Even so, you should not lament.” This is the powerful conclusion. Krishna asserts that even from this materialistic or transient view of life, grief is still illogical. Why? Because if birth and death are a constant, natural, and unavoidable cycle, then lamenting over an inevitable part of nature is pointless. He will elaborate on this in the next verse.
By addressing Arjuna as `mahā-bāho` (mighty-armed), Krishna is also subtly reminding him of his power and heroic nature, suggesting that such a hero should not be swayed by illogical grief, regardless of his philosophical position. This is about maintaining his composure and fulfilling his Dharma.
Conclusion
Krishna demonstrates his supreme skill as a teacher by meeting his student on his own ground. He shows Arjuna that his grief is not only unjustified from the platform of absolute, spiritual truth, but it is also illogical from a conventional, materialistic standpoint. This verse serves to close all doors to the argument for lamentation. Whether one believes the soul is eternal or temporary, grief for the inevitable is not the behavior of a wise or strong person.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 – Verse 27 – Jatasya Hi Dhruvo Mrtyur
