Gita 2.26
Sankhya Yoga
अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम् । तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥
atha cainaṁ nitya-jātaṁ nityaṁ vā manyase mṛtam | tathāpi tvaṁ mahā-bāho naivaṁ śocitum arhasi ||
In essence: Even if you believe the self repeatedly dies and is reborn, what is natural and universal cannot be a cause for personal grief.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Lord, I find it difficult to accept that the Self is eternal. It seems too good to be true. Can you give me something I can work with even if I'm not convinced?"
Guru: "Very well. Suppose you are right - suppose consciousness is born with the body and dies with it. What then?"
Sadhak: "Then death is truly the end. And that is terrifying. All that a person was, all their love and wisdom and memories - simply extinguished."
Guru: "Is it? Or is it simply the natural way of things, like a candle that burns down? Does the flame weep for itself?"
Sadhak: "The flame has no awareness. But we know we will die, and that knowledge creates suffering."
Guru: "Does the knowledge create suffering, or does the resistance to the knowledge create suffering? If you fully accepted that birth and death are the rhythm of existence, would you still grieve?"
Sadhak: "Perhaps not... I grieve because I feel it shouldn't be this way. I want permanence."
Guru: "And there is your answer. Grief comes from fighting reality. Whether the Self is eternal or mortal, fighting reality brings only pain. The warrior accepts what is and acts with full engagement."
Sadhak: "So even a materialist can be free from grief?"
Guru: "Anyone who stops demanding that the universe be other than it is can be free. But I tell you - when you look deeply, you will find that which does not die. Not as a belief, but as direct recognition."
Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.
🌅 Daily Practice
Contemplate the millions of beings who have been born and died before you. You are part of an immense river of life. Feel the naturalness of being a temporary wave in this eternal ocean. Let this bring humility and peace, not despair.
When resistance arises to something you cannot change - traffic, weather, another person's behavior, the passage of time - notice the suffering this resistance creates. Ask: can I accept this moment exactly as it is? This is training for the ultimate acceptance.
Reflect on this day as a complete cycle - a birth at dawn, a death at sleep. Everything this day held is now passing. What remains? Rest in that remaining presence without grasping at the day's contents.