Verse 2.26

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.26:

अथ चैनं नित्य-जातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम् ।
तथापि त्वं महा-बाहो नैनं शोचितुम् अर्हसि ॥ २६ ॥

atha cainaṃ nitya-jātaṃ nityaṃ vā manyase mṛtam |
tathāpi tvaṃ mahā-bāho nainaṃ śocitum arhasi || 26 ||

atha–if however; ca–also; enam–this (soul); jātam nityam–always takes birth; nityam–always; vā–or; manyase–you think; mṛtam–dies; tathāpi–still; tvam–you; mahā-bāho–O mighty-armed one; na–not; enam–for this (soul); śocitum–grieve; arhasi–befitting.

If, however, you think that the soul is perpetually born and perpetually dies, there is still no reason for you to grieve, O mighty-armed one.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Śrī Bhagavān is saying, “O Arjuna, what I have explained to you so far has been based on scripture, but now I am explaining from the perspective of ordinary experience. Please listen very attentively. If you consider that the birth of the body is eternal, that is, that the self is born perpetually, and if you think that when the body perishes, the soul dies, even then, O mighty-armed Arjuna, as a valiant kṣatriya, it is your duty to fight.”

In regard to one’s prescribed duty, it is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.54.40):

kṣatriyāṇām ayaṃ dharmaḥ prajāpati-vinirmitaḥ
bhrātāpi bhrātaraṃ hanyād yena ghorataras tataḥ

According to the religious principles of the kṣatriyas, who were created by Lord Brahmā, one brother can even kill another brother. Therefore, kṣatriya-dharma is said to be very fearsome.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa ceases to employ scriptural injunctions in His effort to make Arjuna under stand and is now making him understand from a common sense point of view. He has told him that if he understands the soul to be eternal, as explained in the Śrutis and other scriptures, then there is no reason for grief. But even from a common sense point of view, there is also no reason to grieve. Atheists like Cārvaka consider the soul to be temporary like the gross body and say that it does not exist after death. Also, according to the philosophy of a certain sect of Buddhists, if one considers the soul to be repeatedly taking birth and dying, there is still no reason to grieve for it.