2-11 Sankhya Yoga (सांख्य योग) 11th verse

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे |
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिता: ||2-11||

śhrī bhagavān uvācha
aśhochyān-anvaśhochas-tvaṁ prajñā-vādānśh cha bhāṣhase
gatāsūn-agatāsūnśh-cha nānuśhochanti paṇḍitāḥ

Word to word Meaning: śhrī-bhagavān uvācha = the Supreme Lord said; aśhochyān = not worthy of grief; anvaśhochaḥ = yet mourning; tvam = you; prajñā-vādān = words of wisdom (heard from others); cha—and; bhāṣhase—speaking; gata āsūn—the dead; agata asūn—the living; cha—and; na—never; anuśhochanti—lament; paṇḍitāḥ—the wise, the intelligent. 

Literal meaning: The Lord said, "Arjun! The wise do not grieve for the dead, nor for the living. While you try to speak the language of the wise, yet you mourn that does not merit such sorrow." 

Explanation:

Many consider this shloka as the starting of Bhagavad Gita.

Arjuna's Premature Concerns: Arjuna’s concerns about the war and its consequences are premature since the events he dreads have not yet occurred. Lord Krishna, therefore, dismisses Arjuna’s explanation, questioning, "How can anyone remain in sorrow and yet speak as though wise?" This illustrates that Arjuna’s perception is clouded by grief, obstructing his ability to think clearly.

The Nature of Wisdom (बुद्धि का स्वरूप): Without ambiguity, Lord Krishna declares, "The wise do not mourn for the living or the dead." The truly wise possess a discerning intellect capable of perceiving life and death with equanimity. Upon careful observation, the essence of this verse suggests that it is Arjuna's grief that clouds his perception. The Bhagavad Gita deeply explores the barriers that hinder clarity of vision, revealing how emotional attachments distort our understanding.

Emotions Colour Perception (रंगीला भावनाएँ): Our perception is shaped by our emotions, which create the memories and attachments we hold dear. However, the wise do not succumb to these emotional influences. Instead, they remain detached, allowing them to view life and death impartially. In contrast, most people struggle by demarcating experiences as "desirable " and "undesirable or death," leading to confusion, doubt, and mental clutter. This mental noise fosters ambiguity and prevents us from perceiving the true nature of reality.

Wisdom is live experience (ज्ञान ऐक जिंदा अनुभव): True wisdom is not just vast knowledge acquired from texts like the Vedas. It lies in the rare ability to directly experience and understand the essence of life and death. The Bhagavad Gita emphasizes that this deeper insight cannot be attained through intellectual effort alone but through personal live experience and not a stored knowledge. It assures that those who sincerely follow its teachings will uncover profound truths and transformative benefits.

Communion with Truth (सत्य के गौद मे): No living person who has experienced death. In the true sense, there are very few people who can be called "Pandit". Therefore, the truly wise are those who have transcended mortality, such as sages like Narada and Vyasa. To gain real wisdom, one must seek communion with these immortal sages. Thus, the ultimate purpose of life is to transcend the known barriers like life & death and realize the eternal truth.

Exemplars of True Wisdom (अति विशिष्ट मानव्): Great men like Annamacharya, Jiddu Krishnamurti, and Thyagaraja devoted their lives to the pursuit of eternal wisdom. They serve as human examples who attained enlightenment. The purpose of these commentaries is to enunciate that such spiritual heights are within reach for all who dedicate themselves to the path of truth. 

Additional Explanation

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अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे

(aśhochyān-anvaśhochas-tvaṁ prajñā-vādānśh cha bhāṣhase)

Baseless Avocation (निराधार व्यवसाय्): In the Mahabharata, the Pandavas firmly believed the kingdom was their rightful inheritance. As Arjuna stood amidst the battlefield, his mind raced ahead, envisioning the devastation he assumed would unfold. Consumed by these projections, he fell into deep grief. This tendency to draw conclusions based on imagination and assumption has, throughout history, fuelled wars, perpetuated class divisions, and caused countless atrocities. Such deeply rooted misconceptions, which form the foundation of many human conflicts, demand thorough examination and reflection. To delve further into this idea, let us consider the world renowned painting by René Magritte, La carte blanche ("The White Paper"), as shown below.

We Are Blind to What’s Right in Front of Us: Upon examining the painting closely, its impossibility becomes evident. The depiction of the horse and rider is incongruous, an illusion crafted to defy logic. A closer look reveals that the image has been divided into three distinct parts and rearranged within the scene. Yet, despite this clear inconsistency, our mind bypasses the details and instinctively perceives a complete horse and rider. This highlights how our perceptions are often shaped by assumptions rather than objective analysis. Also refer the picture below for further explanation. 

Unwarranted Struggles: As shown in the images above, our mind often grasps things that aren’t truly present. The constant news of the world— hunger, death, poverty, injustice, inequality and luxurious lives of the rich —burdens our minds. Amidst this, we place excessive trust in the logic we create for ourselves (like Arjuna here) and disregard the truth. We become convinced that peace and tranquillity can be attained solely through our own efforts. 

The Universal Misfortune: Every individual effort often contradicts or undermines another’s, leading us to unknowingly stray from the path of truth. In our fervour to achieve peace through our personal means, we disregard truth and balance, unintentionally creating the chaos, conflict, and disarray we see in the world. These inconsistencies and turmoil are visible to anyone who observes closely. The Bhagavad Gita opens with a striking commentary on this human predicament, emphasizing that this universal misfortune is not some distant abstraction but an ever-present reality. What humanity can do amidst such circumstances is deeply explored in the teachings of the Gita. 

The Origin of Disorder: Arjuna's arguments, though thoughtful and logical, were set aside by Krishna. Human reasoning, limited by individual perspectives, often fails to encompass universal truths. When people think in isolation or within narrow groups, their logic diverges, resulting in conflicting ideologies and constant friction. This fragmentation creates a web of confusion that pulls individuals in opposing directions. Krishna's dismissal of Arjuna’s reasoning underscores a profound truth. To truly comprehend the truth, one must harmonize body, mind, and soul., Therefore, without this integration nothing can be achieved by intellectual analysis.

Corollaries:

To align with the Truth, one must cast aside all obstacles, including the fear of death. 

Permanent Fluctuating State: "Our existence constantly oscillates between awareness (reason) and unawareness (unreason). This fluctuation makes it impossible to perceive the truth clearly. The movement between these states is a reflection of impermanence. In this ever-changing state, the truth remains elusive. (See Bhagavad Gita 2:28 and 4:18 for further insight.)"

Primary Issue: We are only conscious of changes in our state of being. When we are "aware," it means we were previously "unaware," and vice versa. This constant shifting between awareness and unawareness leaves us uncertain about our true nature. (This theme is reflected in Bhagavad Gita 4:17 and 4:18.) Our inability to understand our authentic state keeps us trapped in a cycle of confusion.

Reason is The Root of Chaos: Arjuna's arguments, though grounded in reason, were dismissed by Krishna. This is because reason itself often leads to chaos—it gives rise to multiple, conflicting theories and perspectives. Krishna did not give credence to Arjuna’s logical propositions because they were rooted in the intellect, which cannot grasp the ultimate truth. The deeper implication here is that the "death" referred to is the death of all attachments and preconceived notions, allowing one to meet the truth face to face.

"Live with wisdom, not just talk of it. Without substantial change, we remain living dead."