Bhagavad Gita BG 2.18
Chapter 2, Verse 18 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः । अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ॥ १८ ॥
antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ anāśino 'prameyasya tasmād yudhyasva bhārata
Meaning
These bodies of the eternal, indestructible and immeasurable embodied soul are said to come to an end; therefore fight, O descendant of Bharata.
Understanding
The first direct conclusion of the philosophical argument: since the bodies (dehāḥ) are temporary (antavantaḥ — having an end) while the soul (śarīriṇaḥ — the dweller in the body) is eternal (nitya), indestructible (anāśinaḥ), and immeasurable (aprameyasya) — therefore, fight! 'Tasmād yudhyasva' is the logical conclusion drawn from the philosophical premise. The instruction to fight flows naturally from the understanding of the soul's eternal nature.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अन्तवन्तः | antavantaḥ | having an end / perishable / finite |
| देहाः | dehāḥ | bodies / material forms |
| नित्यस्य | nityasya | of the eternal one |
| शरीरिणः | śarīriṇaḥ | of the soul / the dweller in the body |
| अनाशिनः | anāśinaḥ | of the indestructible one |
| अप्रमेयस्य | aprameyasya | of the immeasurable / incomprehensible one |
| तस्माद् युध्यस्व | tasmād yudhyasva | therefore fight! |
| इमे | ime | these (material bodies) |
| उक्ताः | uktāḥ | are said to be / are declared |
| भारत | bhārata | O descendant of Bharata (Arjuna) |