In Bhagavad Gita 2.13, Krishna explains that just as the embodied Self passes through childhood, youth and old age, it passes into another body, and the wise are not confused by this.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे
कौमारं यौवनं जरा
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्
धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ॥ २-१३ ॥
dehino’sminyathā dehe
kaumāraṃ yauvanaṃ jarā
tathā dehāntaraprāptir
dhīrastatra na muhyati
English transliteration dehino’sminyathaa dehe
kaumaaram yauvanam jaraa
tathaa dehaantarapraaptir
dheerastatra na muhyati ॥ 2.13 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Just as the embodied Self passes through childhood, youth and old age in this body, so it passes into another body. The steady person is not deluded by this.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| देहिनः dehinaḥ | of the embodied (Self) |
| अस्मिन् asmin | in this |
| यथा yathā | as |
| देहे dehe | in the body |
| कौमारम् kaumāram | childhood |
| यौवनम् yauvanam | youth |
| जरा jarā | old age |
| तथा tathā | so |
| देहान्तरप्राप्तिः dehāntaraprāptiḥ | attaining another body deha (body) + antara (another) + prāptiḥ (attainment) |
| धीरः dhīraḥ | the steady, wise |
| तत्र tatra | in this |
| न na | not |
| मुह्यति muhyati | is deluded |
Word-wise Chanting
- de–hi–no–‘smin–ya–thā de–he 8 syllables de-hi-no-‘smin-ya-thaa de-he
- kau–mā–raṃ yau–va–naṃ ja–rā | 8 syllables kau-maa-ram yau-va-nam ja-raa
- ta–thā de–hān–ta–rap–rāp–tir– 8 syllables ta-thaa de-haan-ta-rap-raap-tir-
- dhī–ras–tat–ra na muh–ya–ti || 2-13 8 syllables dhee-ras-tat-ra na muh-ya-ti
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 2 Verse 13
Context
Krishna explains how the Self can be eternal while bodies change (following 2.12).
Meaning
Krishna uses an image everyone knows. We pass through childhood, youth and old age, yet we feel ourselves to be the same person throughout. The body changes completely; the one who experiences remains. Death is described as a further change of the same kind: the Self passes to another body.
The dhīra, the steady one, is not bewildered by change because he has recognised what does not change. This verse invites a simple contemplation: the body of childhood is gone, yet you are still here. If you have already survived so many changes of body, the change called death need not be the end of you.
In Practice
Look at a photograph of yourself as a child. Notice that the body has changed entirely, yet the sense of “I” remains. Rest in that continuity.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga (The Yoga of Knowledge). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.