Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 11

English Translation

The Blessed Lord said You grieve for whose who are not to be grieved for; and you speak words of wisdom! The learned do not grieve for the departed and those who have not departed.

Detailed Commentary

A human experiences sorrow when they create divisions in worldly things, believing 'these are mine and these are not'; 'these belong to my family and these do not'. What seems 'ours' is where attachment (mamata) and clinging (asakti) arise. From this, sorrow (shoka), anxiety (chinta), and fear (bhaya) are born. In the Bhagavad Gita, Dhritarashtra first asked, "What did my sons and Pandu's sons do on the battlefield?" The Pandavas regarded him with respect, yet Dhritarashtra felt attachment (mamata) towards his own sons. For this very reason, he showed partiality. A similar attachment (mamata) awoke in Arjuna, but it was not like Dhritarashtra's. Arjuna referred to everyone, even Duryodhana, as his own kin (svajan). Due to this attachment (mamata), Arjuna experienced sorrow (shoka) out of concern for those who might be killed in battle. To dispel this sorrow (shoka), Bhagavan imparted the teachings of the Gita. 'Ashochyananvashochastvam' – In this world, there are two entities: the perishable body (vinashīl sharīr) and the imperishable Self (avināshī Ātmā). The Self has no end, therefore, there is no cause for sorrow concerning it. The destruction of the body is certain, so there should be no sorrow even for it. Sorrow arises from foolishness. Every situation that arises in a human's life is the fruit of their actions (karmas). To grieve whether these situations are favorable or unfavorable is foolishness. Situations come and go; they are never permanent. Hence, happiness (sukha) and sorrow (duhkha) are also not permanent. 'Prajñāvādānśhcha bhāṣhase' – You speak words of wisdom, yet you also grieve. A true pundit (wise one) never grieves. The destruction of the clan (kula) will lead to the destruction of family dharma (kula-dharma) and the downfall of ancestors (pitr̥s). Your very words, which concern the clan's well-being, demonstrate the perishable nature of the body and the imperishable nature of the Self. If you truly concern yourself with the clan, it becomes evident that the body is transient, while the Self is eternal. 'Gatāsūnagatāsūmścha' – The end of every life is certain. To grieve for them is wrong. Grieving for the dead causes them distress. One should not worry even for the living; rather, one should nurture and sustain them. The cause of one's physical and mental afflictions (vikāras) is the identification with the body. Bhagavan has stated that sorrow for 'gatāsūn' (those who are gone) and 'agatāsūn' (those who are not yet gone), both of whom are perishable, is the cause. 'Nānushochanṭi panḍiṭāḥ' – Those whose intellect (buddhi) is discerning (vivekashīl) do not grieve for what is Real (Sat) or unreal (Asat). By perceiving Sat as Sat and Asat as Asat, sorrow does not arise. The body is Asat, and the Self (Ātmā) is Sat. Sorrow arises only from mistaking Asat for Sat. Connection: The reason why sorrow regarding the truth of Sat (the Real) is improper, is explained in the subsequent verses.