Bhagavad Gita 2.11

Krishna begins his teaching by saying the wise do not grieve for the living or the dead.

अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे।
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः॥

aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṃ prajñāvādāṃś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūṃś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ

Translation

Krishna said, "You mourn people who are not worth mourning, and you do it while speaking like a wise man. The truly wise grieve neither for those whose breath has gone nor for those whose breath remains."

Hindi

श्रीकृष्ण बोले, "तुम उनके लिए शोक कर रहे हो जो शोक के योग्य नहीं हैं, और बातें ज्ञानियों जैसी कर रहे हो। सच्चे पंडित न उनके लिए रोते हैं जिनके प्राण चले गए, न उनके लिए जिनके प्राण अभी हैं।"

Commentary

With this verse Krishna begins the teaching proper, and Shankara marks it as the start of the Gita's instruction. He points out a mismatch: Arjuna talks the language of dharma and learning while sinking in grief. The reason grief is misplaced is given in 2.12.

Characters in this verse

Krishnaकृष्ण

Arjunaअर्जुन