Gita 2.23
Sankhya Yoga
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः । न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ॥
nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ na cainaṁ kledayanty āpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ
In essence: Weapons cannot cut the soul, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet it, wind cannot dry it—every force in the universe is powerless against your true nature.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Guru, if the soul cannot be cut by weapons, why do I feel so vulnerable? When someone threatens me, real fear arises. Where does that fear come from if I'm truly invincible?"
Guru: "That fear is the body's intelligence, not the soul's reality. Let me ask you—when you watch a scary movie, does your heart race?"
Sadhak: "Yes, even though I know it's just images on a screen."
Guru: "Exactly. The body responds to perceived threat regardless of actual danger. The body you wear doesn't know it's just a garment—it takes itself very seriously. Its fear is the fear of the clothes, not the wearer."
Sadhak: "But even if my soul is safe, I don't want my body to suffer. Is it wrong to protect the body?"
Guru: "Not at all. A wise person cares for their garments. But there's a difference between practical care and existential terror. You lock your doors at night, but you don't lie awake in dread that all meaning ends if a thief enters. Protection without panic—that's the wisdom of knowing what you truly are."
Sadhak: "So I should think 'nothing can truly harm me' even while taking practical precautions?"
Guru: "Precisely. The bird builds a nest and guards its eggs, but it knows itself as a bird, not as the nest. Protect the body as appropriate; just don't mistake vulnerability of form for vulnerability of being."
Sadhak: "What about emotional pain? That feels like it cuts deeper than any sword."
Guru: "Does it cut the one who observes the pain, or does it cut the mind's reactions? When you feel heartbreak, notice: there is the pain, and there is the awareness of the pain. The pain comes and goes. The awareness remains. Which are you—the storm, or the sky in which the storm appears?"
Sadhak: "I want to say I'm the sky... but the storms feel so consuming."
Guru: "Because you enter them. The sky doesn't try to 'not have storms'—it simply remains what it is. Storms cannot tear the sky, floods cannot wet it, winds cannot blow it away. Your awareness has the same invulnerability. Learn to remain as the witness, and you will discover the peace that no weapon can disturb."
Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.
🌅 Daily Practice
When you wake, before the mind fills with the day's concerns, take a moment to feel yourself as awareness itself—prior to thought, prior to body sensation. Rest in that spacious presence and affirm: 'No weapon, no fire, no water, no wind can touch what I truly am.' Carry this invulnerability into your day.
When you feel threatened—by criticism, by uncertainty, by any form of attack—pause and ask: 'Is my awareness being harmed, or only my self-image?' Notice that awareness itself remains clear and untouched while the mind reacts. This split-second recognition can transform fear into grounded presence.
Reflect on the 'weapons' that seemed to harm you today—harsh words, disappointing news, your own harsh judgments. Ask yourself: 'Is the one who witnessed all of this any different from the one who woke this morning?' Notice the constancy of awareness amidst all apparent wounds. Rest in that which has never been successfully attacked.