In the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna delivers the final verse of his concessionary argument. After establishing that birth and death are an inevitable cycle, He now describes the nature of beings within that cycle from a purely phenomenal perspective. The Avyaktadini Bhutani verse argues that since we have no knowledge of beings before their birth or after their death, it is illogical to become attached and lament for the brief, temporary phase in the middle when they are manifest.
Sanskrit Verse
अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत ।
अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥ २८ ॥Transliteration
avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyakta-madhyāni bhārata
avyakta-nidhanāny eva tatra kā paridevanāWord for Word Translation
avyakta-ādīni — unmanifest in the beginning; bhūtāni — all created beings; vyakta-madhyāni — manifest in the middle; bhārata — O descendant of Bharata; avyakta-nidhanāni — unmanifest at death; eva — certainly; tatra — there; kā — what; paridevanā — lamentation.
English Translation
All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when they are annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation?
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
This verse is the logical culmination of Krishna’s argument against grief from a worldly perspective. He describes the journey of all beings (`bhūtāni`) in three distinct phases.
- Avyaktādīni (Unmanifest in the beginning): Before birth, we do not know where a being was or in what state they existed. Their existence was `avyakta`, or unmanifest to our senses and mind.
- Vyakta-madhyāni (Manifest in the middle): The period between birth and death is the only time a being is `vyakta`, or manifest. This is the short, visible phase where we interact with them. It is a brief flash of existence between two vast unknowns.
- Avyakta-nidhanāny (Unmanifest at the end): Upon death, the being again enters the `avyakta` state. We do not know where they have gone. They are once again beyond our perception. This idea of emerging from and returning to a mysterious source is a concept found in many philosophies of religion.
Tatra kā paridevanā? “So what is the cause for lamentation?” This is a powerful and piercing rhetorical question. Krishna’s logic is impeccable: If a being’s origin and destination are unknown and unmanifest, and only a brief middle period is known, why invest so much emotional energy in grieving over the inevitable transition back to the unmanifest state? It’s like being sad that a character who walked on stage for one scene has now exited. This temporary nature of manifest existence is a core theme in the cycle of samsara.
Conclusion
With this verse, Krishna concludes his argument that grief is illogical even from a non-spiritual viewpoint. He has shown that death is certain and that the manifest state is merely a brief interlude between two vast periods of unmanifest existence. To lament for this fleeting middle phase is to misunderstand the fundamental nature of phenomenal reality. Having deconstructed all possible justifications for Arjuna’s sorrow, Krishna has now cleared the ground to return to the ultimate spiritual truth of the eternal Atman.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 – Verse 29 – Ascarya-vat Pasyati Kascid Enam
