2.21

vedāvināśinaḿ nityaḿ
ya enam ajam avyayam
kathaḿ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha
kaḿ ghātayati hanti kam

Translation

O Partha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn and immutable kill anyone or cause anyone to kill?

2.22

vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya
navani grhnati naro ’parani
tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany
anyani samyati navani dehi

Translation

As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.

2.23

nainaḿ chindanti śastrāṇi
nainaḿ dahati pāvakaḥ
na cainaḿ kledayanty āpo
na śoṣayati mārutaḥ

Translation

The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.

2.24

acchedyo ‘yam adāhyo ‘yam
akledyo ‘śoṣya eva ca
nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur
acalo ‘yaḿ sanātanaḥ

Translation

This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same.

2.25

avyakto ‘yam acintyo ‘yam
avikāryo ‘yam ucyate
tasmād evaḿ viditvainaḿ
nānuśocitum arhasi

Translation

It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable and immutable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body.

2.26

atha cainaḿ nitya-jātaḿ
nityaḿ vā manyase mṛtam
tathāpi tvaḿ mahā-bāho
nainaḿ śocitum arhasi

Translation

If, however, you think that the soul [or the symptoms of life] is always born and dies forever, you still have no reason to lament, O mighty-armed.

2.27

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur
dhruvaḿ janma mṛtasya ca
tasmād aparihārye ‘rthe
na tvaḿ śocitum arhasi

Translation

One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament.

2.28

avyaktādīni bhūtāni
vyakta-madhyāni bhārata
avyakta-nidhanāny eva
tatra kā paridevanā

Translation

All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation?

2.29

āścarya-vat paśyati kaścid enam
āścarya-vad vadati tathaiva cānyaḥ
āścarya-vac cainam anyaḥ śṛṇoti
śrutvāpy enaḿ veda na caiva kaścit

Translation

Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all.

2.30

dehī nityam avadhyo ‘yaḿ
dehe sarvasya bhārata
tasmāt sarvāṇi bhūtāni
na tvaḿ śocitum arhasi

Translation

O descendant of Bharata, he who dwells in the body can never be slain. Therefore you need not grieve for any living being.