2-17, 18 Sankhya Yoga (सांख्य योग) 17 & 18th verses

 अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् |

विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति ||(2-17)||

avināśhi tu tadviddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam
vināśham avyayasyāsya na kaśhchit kartum arhati

Word to Word Meaning: idam sarvam = this entire universe;  yena = by whom; tatam =  pervaded; avināśhi = indestructible;  viddhi = know; asya = of it; avyayasya = of the imperishable;  vināśham = destruction; kartum = to cause;  kaśhchit = any one; na arhati = unfit, ineligible. 

Literal Meaning: O Arjuna! Understand that which permeates the universe is imperishable. That infinite entity cannot be destroyed by anyone.

अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ता: शरीरिण: |
अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ||(2-18)||

antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śharīriṇaḥ
anāśhino ’prameyasya tasmād yudhyasva bhārata 

Word to Word Meaning: nityasya— of the eternal one; anāśhinaḥ—indestructible; aprameyasya— of the immeasurable;  śharīriṇaḥ—of the embodied soul;   anta-vantaḥ—having an end; ime dehāḥ—these material bodies;  uktāḥ—are said; tasmāt—therefore;  yudhyasva—fight (more in the doing, opposite of inaction); bhārata—descendant of Bharat, Arjun 

Literal Meaning: O Arjuna! Understand that the eternal, imperishable, incorruptible soul resides within the body. However, these bodies are perishable. Recognizing this inevitable truth, therefore, fight.

Implied Meaning: O Man! Recognize the unavoidable reality that humans have no control over either the permanent or the impermanent. Therefore, continue to fulfil the duties assigned to you. 

Commentary:

1.   The Lord is elucidating the purpose of existence: to comprehend and execute the tasks designated for each of us. In our present state, we are often misled by our own thoughts and conditioning. In truth, humans have limited choices. Therefore, the only viable option is to discover and fulfil the duties prescribed to us. (Refer 3.35)

2.   Indeed, we are endowed with awareness, which is an integral part of universal consciousness. However, instead of recognizing this and aligning ourselves with its divine command, we often allow ourselves to be guided by our own limited experiences and fears, much like Arjuna in this context. This single misstep leads to the chaos and turmoil we witness in the world around us.

3.   Annamacharya, one of the greatest exponents of Hindu philosophy, said as below.

గుఱ్ఱాలఁ గట్టని తేరు కొంక కెందైనాఁ బారీ

విఱ్ఱవీఁగుచుఁ దీసీని వేడుకతో జీవుఁడు ॥పల్లవి॥

 

gu~r~rAla gaTTani tEru koMka keMdainA bArI

vi~r~ravIguchu dIsIni vEDukatO jIvuDu          ॥pallavi॥

 

Literal meaning: Fuelled by his arrogance, man sets out on an adventurous odyssey, pitching himself as the master of the horseless vehicle that is his body.

 

4.    This solitary misstep veers the man off course. Ignoring the divine directive, we opt to live life on our terms, ultimately leading to a lacklustre existence.

5.    Despite the clarity, following the commandment appears straightforward, yet man stumbles repeatedly. Arjuna, engulfed in misery, finds it challenging to grasp directives like "you should fight". Moreover, our current state renders comprehending divine commands nearly impossible. Even if understood, our worldly experiences often overshadow such decrees, leading us to dismiss them as "irrational actions".