January24 – Bhagavadgita Chapter 2; Verses 2.17 (Day 24) Sankhya Yoga

 

January 24 – Chapter 2; Verse 17

Day 24 [2.17]

अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।

विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति ॥ २-१७॥ 

avināśhi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam
vināśham avyayasyāsya na kaśhchit kartum arhati (2.17) 

அவினாஶி து¹ த¹த்¹வித்³தி⁴ யேன ஸர்வமித³ம் த¹த¹ம் |
வினாஶமவ்யயஸ்யாஸ்ய ந க¹ஶ்சி¹த்¹க¹ர்து¹மர்ஹதி¹ ||17|| 

17. Know That to be indestructible, by whom all this is pervaded. None can cause the destruction of That, the Imperishable. 

Commentary: The Self (Brahman or Atman) pervades all objects like ether. Even if the pot is broken, the ether that is within and without it cannot be destroyed. Similarly, if the bodies and all other objects perish, the eternal Self (Brahman) that pervades them cannot be destroyed; It is the living Truth, Sat.

Brahman has no parts.  There cannot be either increase or diminution in Brahman.  People are ruined by loss of wealth.  But Brahman does not suffer any loss in that way.  It is inexhaustible.  Therefore, none can bring about the disappearance or destruction of the Self.  It always exists.  It is always all-full and self-contained.  It is Existence Absolute.  It is unmutable. 

Commentary by Swami Venkatesananda: Every being is pervaded by God, inside and outside.  A block of ice submerged in water has not only water on all sides, but is itself water, though in solid form.

That all-pervading God is indestructible and living faith in the all-pervading reality gives us a wonderful sense of security.  But identification of the Self with the passing phantom gives rise to insecurity and grief.  The servant may be healthier and stronger than his master, but there is always a lurking sense of insecurity in him because he does not know when his dismissal will come.  Reliance on ’solid’ matter generates insecurity, whereas reliance on subtle and invisible God confers security on us.  Matter changes; the spirit is unchanging.

Life becomes meaningful and all activities are purposeful only on the basis of faith in the enduring reality.

All scriptures proclaim the truth that God pervades all inside and outside; in short, God alone exists, naught else. Whatever exists in this universe is pervaded by God. – Īśāvāsya upaniṣad.

Lord Nārāyaṇa dwells, pervading everything within and without – all that is heard of and all that is seen in the entire universe. – Nārāyaṇa Suktaṁ.

All this is indeed Brahman or the absolute; there is no diversity here. – Upaniṣad.

Realisation of this unity will free us from sorrow. ‘Burn this forest of ignorance with the fire of conviction that ‘I am one and pure consciousness’. Be free from sorrow. Be blissful.’ – Aṣṭavakra Gītā. 

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