Shloka 23

कर्मयोग–ज्ञानयज्ञ–अवतारोपदेश

Karma-Yoga, Jñāna-Yajña, and Avatāra Instruction

Devanagari script

सम्बन्ध-- आत्माका स्वरूप दुर्विज्ञेग होनेके कारण पुनः तीन श*लोकॉद्वारा प्रकारान्‍्तरसे उसकी नित्यता

Transliteration

na enaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi na enaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ | na ca enaṁ kledayanty āpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ ||

Translation

兵刃不能割裂此真我；烈火不能焚烧它；水不能浸溶它；风不能吹干它。

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• एनम्: this (one), him/it
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• छिन्दन्ति: cut
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: present (lat), parasmaipada, third, plural

• शस्त्राणि: weapons
• शस्त्राणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र
• Form: neuter, nominative, plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• एनम्: this (one), him/it
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• दहति: burns
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह्
• Form: present (lat), parasmaipada, third, singular

• पावकः: fire
• पावकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एनम्: this (one), him/it
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• क्लेदयन्ति: moisten, wet
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्लिद्
• Form: present (lat), parasmaipada, third, plural, true

• आपः: waters
• आपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्
• Form: feminine, nominative, plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• शोषयति: dries up
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुष्
• Form: present (lat), parasmaipada, third, singular, true

• मारुतः: wind
• मारुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• śastrāṇi (weapons)
• pāvaka (fire)
• āpaḥ (water)
• māruta (wind)
• ātman (Self) (implied referent)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The ātman is indestructible and unaffected by physical forces—weapon, fire, water, or wind—so fear and grief based on the idea that the true Self can be destroyed are unfounded.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates Kṛṣṇa’s instruction to Arjuna on the battlefield: to dispel Arjuna’s sorrow and hesitation by affirming the Self’s invulnerability, thereby supporting resolute action in accordance with dharma.