In the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna brings his detailed, philosophical description of the soul to a powerful conclusion. After listing its eternal and immutable qualities, He now describes its nature in relation to our ability to perceive it. The Avyakto Yam Acintyo Yam verse explains that the soul is beyond the grasp of the material senses and mind, and because of this, there is absolutely no cause for grief.
Sanskrit Verse
अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते ।
तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि ॥ २५ ॥Transliteration
avyakto ’yam acintyo ’yam avikāryo ’yam ucyate
tasmād evaṁ viditvainaṁ nānuśocitum arhasiWord for Word Translation
avyaktaḥ — unmanifest; ayam — this (soul); acintyaḥ — inconceivable; ayam — this; avikāryaḥ — unchangeable; ayam — this; ucyate — is said; tasmāt — therefore; evam — thus; viditvā — having known; enam — this; na anuśocitum arhasi — you should not grieve.
English Translation
It is said that the soul is unmanifest, inconceivable, and unchangeable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body.
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
This verse provides the final philosophical argument against lamentation by defining the soul’s transcendental nature in three ways.
- Avyaktaḥ (Unmanifest): The soul cannot be perceived by the material senses. It is `avyakta`, meaning it has no physical form that can be seen, heard, touched, tasted, or smelled. It is the invisible force that animates the body, but it is not the body itself.
- Acintyaḥ (Inconceivable): The soul cannot be fully understood by the material mind. It is `acintya`, meaning it is beyond our powers of thought, logic, and intellectual speculation. The nature of consciousness itself is one of the deepest subjects of metaphysics. We can know *that* it exists through its symptoms, but we cannot comprehend its essence with our limited cognitive tools.
- Avikāryaḥ (Unchangeable): The soul is immutable. It does not undergo any change or transformation (`vikāra`). The body changes, the mind changes, but the Atman remains eternally constant. It is without parts and is a single, unified whole, and therefore cannot be altered.
Krishna concludes with the powerful phrase, tasmād… nānuśocitum arhasi: “Therefore, you should not grieve.” This is the logical endpoint. If the soul is invisible, unthinkable, and unchangeable, and this is its eternal nature, then grieving for the fate of the body is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of who we are. It is illogical to lament for a temporary vehicle when the passenger is eternal and safe.
Conclusion
This verse concludes the first major philosophical section of the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna has systematically dismantled every possible reason for grief by revealing the true nature of the self. The soul is eternal, indestructible, unchanging, and beyond the perception of our material senses and mind. Having firmly established this truth, Krishna declares that there is no longer any basis for Arjuna’s sorrow. The foundation for right action, based not on emotion but on spiritual knowledge of one’s Dharma, has now been laid.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 – Verse 26 – Atha Cainam Nitya-jatam
