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Bhagavad Gita 2.23

Weapons, fire, water and wind cannot harm the self.

नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः।
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः॥

nainaṃ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṃ dahati pāvakaḥ
na cainaṃ kledayanty āpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ

Translation

"Blades do not cut it, fire does not burn it, water does not wet it, and wind does not dry it."

Hindi

"इसे शस्त्र काट नहीं सकते, अग्नि जला नहीं सकती, जल भिगो नहीं सकता और वायु सुखा नहीं सकती।"

Commentary

Four elements, fire among them, are named in turn and each fails against the self. The verse is a concrete answer to the fear that weapons on the battlefield can end a person. It leads straight into 2.24, which says the same in the form of a list of qualities.

Characters in this verse

Key concepts