Continuing his hypothetical argument from the previous verse, Lord Krishna now provides the reason *why* one should not grieve, even if they believe life is a temporary cycle of birth and death. The Jatasya Hi Dhruvo Mrtyur verse presents a stark, undeniable truth about material existence. It is a universal law, as certain and predictable as the rising and setting of the sun, and to lament over it is therefore illogical.
Sanskrit Verse
जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च ।
तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥ २७ ॥Transliteration
jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca
tasmād aparihārye ’rthe na tvaṁ śocitum arhasiWord for Word Translation
jātasya — for one who has been born; hi — for; dhruvaḥ — is a certainty; mṛtyuḥ — death; dhruvam — is a certainty; janma — birth; mṛtasya — for one who has died; ca — and; tasmāt — therefore; aparihārye — for that which is unavoidable; arthe — in the matter; na — not; tvam — you; śocitum arhasi — should you lament.
English Translation
For one who has been born, death is certain; and for one who has died, birth is certain. Therefore, in a matter that is unavoidable, you should not lament.
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
This verse is a masterstroke of pure, cold logic, designed to dismantle emotional arguments. Krishna breaks the cycle down into two unavoidable certainties.
- Jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyuḥ: “For one who is born, death is certain.” `Dhruva` means fixed, certain, like the Pole Star (`Dhruva-tārā`). This is the first half of the inescapable equation. Anything that comes into being within the material world is subject to decay and will inevitably perish. This is a fundamental law of nature.
- Dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca: “And for the dead, birth is certain.” This is the other half of the cycle of samsara from the materialistic or cyclical viewpoint. If one dies, one must be born again to experience the results of their actions. The cycle is relentless and automatic.
- Tasmād aparihārye ’rthe: “Therefore, in a matter that is unavoidable…” This is the logical hammer that seals the argument. `Aparihārye` means unavoidable, inevitable, inescapable. Krishna frames the entire cycle of birth and death not as a tragedy, but as a simple, mechanical, and unavoidable fact of existence.
- Na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi: “You should not lament.” The conclusion is inescapable. Why waste emotional energy grieving over a process that is as fixed and certain as gravity? It is illogical and serves no purpose. This is the ultimate appeal to Arjuna to abandon his useless grief and perform his Dharma.
Conclusion
With this verse, Krishna has completely trapped Arjuna’s argument. He has shown that from the highest spiritual truth (the soul is eternal), there is no reason to grieve. Now he has also shown that even from a conventional, cyclical view of life, there is no reason to grieve. The process is simply an unavoidable, natural law. Lamenting the inevitable is futile. This leaves Arjuna with no logical platform upon which to base his sorrow, compelling him to look for a higher, transcendental reason for action.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 – Verse 28 – Avyaktadini Bhutani
