Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 23
भगवद् गीता अध्याय 2 श्लोक 23

नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः।
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः।।2.23।।



English Translation - Swami Sivananda
2.23 Weapons cut It not, fire burns It not, water wets It not, wind dries It not.


English Translation of Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya's
2.23 Why does It verily remain unchanged? This is being answered in, Weapons do not cut It, etc. Sastrani, weapons; na, do not; chindanti, cut; enam, It, the embodied one under discussion. It being partless, weapons like sword etc. do not cut off Its limbs. So also, even pavakah, fire; na dahati enam, does not burn, does not reduce It to ashes. Ca, and similarly; apah, water; na enam kledayanti, does not moisten It. For water has the power of disintegrating a substance that has parts, by the process of moistening it. That is not possible in the case of the partless Self. Similarly, air destroys an oil substance by drying up the oil. Even marutah, air; na sosayati, does not dry; (enam, It,) ones own Self. [Ast. reads enam tu atmanam, but this Self, in place of enam svatmanam.-Tr.]


Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 2.23Nainam cchindanti shastraani nainam dahati paavakah;
Na chainam kledayantyaapo na shoshayati maarutah.


Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 2.23na—not; enam—this soul; chhindanti—shred; śhastrāṇi—weapons; na—nor; enam—this soul; dahati—burns; pāvakaḥ—fire; na—not; cha—and; enam—this soul; kledayanti—moisten; āpaḥ—water; na—nor; śhoṣhayati—dry; mārutaḥ—wind