Bhagavad Gita Bhashya (Adi Shankaracharya) 2.23
Bhagavad Gita Bhashya (Adi Shankaracharya) 2.23 · 2 · Verse 23
Sanskrit Original
।।2.23।। एनं प्रकृतं देहिनं न च्छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि निरवयवत्वात् न अवयवविभागं कुर्वन्ति। शस्त्राणि अस्यादीनि। तथा न एनं दहति पावकः अग्निरपि न भस्मीकरोति। तथा न च एनं क्लेदयन्ति आपः। अपां हि सावयवस्य वस्तुनः आर्द्रीभावकरणेन अवयवविश्लेषापादने सामर्थ्यम्। तत् न निरवयवे आत्मनि संभवति। तथा स्नेहवत् द्रव्यं स्नेहशोषणेन नाशयति वायुः। एनं तु आत्मानं न शोषयति मारुतोऽपि।। यतः एवं तस्मात्
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,) one's own Self. [Ast. reads 'enam tu atmanam, but this Self', in place of enam svatmanam.-Tr.]