Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 17 (BG 2.17)

જીવો ગીતા

Preparing your translation...

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते

You have the right to act...

Preparing your translation...

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते

You have the right to act...

મુખપૃષ્ઠ

મુખપૃષ્ઠ જ્ઞાન અભ્યાસક્રમ સમુદાય સાચવેલા ગોઠવણી

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 17 — Meaning & Commentary | Live Gita

← 2.16

BG 2.17 Sign in to save

2.18→

अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् |
विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति ||२-१७||

avināśi tu tadviddhi yena sarvamidaṃ tatam . vināśamavyayasyāsya na kaścitkartumarhati ||2-17||

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

In simple words

Krishna says: "There is something that fills and holds together everything in this universe. Nothing can damage it. Nothing can destroy it. No force in existence can touch it."

Commentaries

Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.

Swami Sivananda

English Commentary By Swami Sivananda2.17 अविनाशि indestructible? तु indeed? तत् That? विद्धि know (thou)? येन by which? सर्वम् all? इदम् this? ततम् is pervaded? विनाशम् destruction? अव्ययस्य अस्य of this Imperishable? न not? कश्चित् anyone? कर्तुम् to do? अर्हति is able.Commentary -- Brahman or Atman pervades all the objects like ether. Even if the pot is broken? the ether that is within and without the pot cannot be destroyed. Even so? if the bodies and all other objects perish? Brahman or the Self that pervades them cannot perish. 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 allfull and selfcontained. It is Existence Absolute. It is immutable.

Swami Chinmayananda

This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

Your reflection

to save your reflections on each verse.

Want to explore this verse deeper?

← 2.16 2.18→

Commentaries

Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.

Swami Sivananda

Swami Chinmayananda

That which pervades the entire universe and serves as the substratum of all that appears in this visible experience—that is the eternal Reality. Consider the many vessels fashioned from clay, each bearing different names according to their various uses or the objects they contain. Yet despite their diverse forms, they are all made of the same clay, which pervades all shapes and without which no vessel could exist. The origin, sustenance, and dissolution of all these vessels occur within clay itself. Therefore, clay alone is truly real in them all. In like manner, this ever-changing world is pervaded by an eternal, indestructible principle. The Blessed Lord declares that this principle can never be destroyed. Then what, pray, is the unreal—that which does not possess eternal existence? Hear this:

This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 17 (BG 2.17) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

Commentaries

Your reflection

Your reflection

Commentaries