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Study a Verse
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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 2.12
न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः ।
न चैव नभविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम् ॥ १२ ॥
na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ
na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ
sarve vayam ataḥ param
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Kṛṣṇa says that He, Arjuna and all these kings have always existed and will never cease to exist.
Prabhupāda explains that each soul remains an individual even after liberation. Kṛṣṇa eternally maintains all living beings.
Only devotees can truly understand the Gītā and its teaching of eternal spiritual individuality.
We are all eternal individuals — Therefore there is no cause of lamentation for change of bodies
Supporting verse for “Eternal individuality” — Ref. Katha Upanisad & Svetasvatara Upanisad “Nityo Nityanam...”)
Supreme Personality of Godhead is the maintainer of innumerable living entities
How is He maintaining?
In terms of different situations according to ‘individual work’ and ‘reaction of work’
Also by plenary portion, He is alive in the heart of all living entities
Visions of Saintly Persons who achieve ‘perfect and eternal peace’ – They can see same Supreme Lord within and without
Refutation of Mayavadi Theory — The following points are refuted:
What is their theory?
Individual soul is separated or broken from original consciousness by covering of Maya or illusion
Refutation – But we know that the soul is unbreakable (Ref. Bg. 2.13 & 2.23)
After liberation the soul merges or dissolves homogenously into impersonal Brahman and lose individual existence
Refutation – But we know that the soul is insoluble and never dissolves (Ref. Bg. 2.24)
Also refutes the following points
Mayavadi may argue: “Individuality exists only in conditioned state”
Refutation – Krishna clearly states individuality of the Lord and the living entities for future also (importance of Krishna’s statement as authoritative – because Krishna cannot be subject to illusion)
Mayavadi may argue: “ Individuality is material and not ‘spiritual’
Refutation – Then how can one distinguish Krishna’s individuality. Krishna confirms His individuality in the past and also in the future. If Krishna is an ordinary conditioned soul, born of four defects, then Bhagavad-gita loses all value
Mayavadi argues: “Plurality mentioned in this verse refers to body”
Refutation – But Bodily conception condemned in the previous verse Why would Lord place a conventional proposition on the body again
If “Individuality refers to the Empirical universe”
Refutation: Then there is no need of teaching by the Lord
Only a ‘devotee’ can understand the ‘Bhagavad-gita’ and the concept of ‘Spiritual Individuality’(Ref. Bg. Chapter 4)
Who cannot understand – Those who are envious of the Lord
Failure of Mayavada
Analogy to explain ‘Failure of Mayavadis/Non-Devotees’ – Bees licking the bottle of honey
Ref. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu on Mayavada
He forbids us to read the most misleading Mayavada presentations on Bhagavad-gita
Texts 2.12 & 2.13
This basic understanding of the difference between the individual soul and his temporary body is further stressed in the next verse
There is no death for the soul. The body can never be saved
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: ātmā, jñāna.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 2.12 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to soul & knowledge?
Spend five minutes reflecting on what in you does not change.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.