Ramanuja's Gita Bhashyam - Chapter 2 - sloka 27

The entire content of this mail is an abstract from Swami Adidevananda's translation of  The  Gita Bhashya, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

The materialistic standpoint - 26-28

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 2 - Samkhya Yoga - Sloka 27

Jatasya hi dhruva mrutyuh dhruvam janma mrutasya cha I

Tasmad apari harye arthe na tvam shochitum arhasi II sloka 27

जातस्य हि ध्रुवः   मृत्युः ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च ।

तस्मात  अपरी हार्ये अर्थे न त्वं शोचितुम अर्हसि ।।श्लोक २७ 

For death is certain for the born and  rebirth is certain for the dead; T

 

herefore y

 

ou should not feel grief for what is  inevitable

For what has originated, the destruction is certain - it is seen to be inevitable. Similarly what has perished will inevitably originate. How should this be understood - that there is origination for that (entity) which has perished? It is seen that an existing entity only can originate and not a non-existent one. Origination, annihilation etc. are merely particular states of an existent entity. 

Lets take an example - thread does really exist. When arranged in a particular way, it is called clothes. it is seen that even those who call the cloth a new entity, will admit that no entity over and above the particular arrangement of threads is seen. It is therefore not tenable to believe that a new entity has emerged, since  the process of manufacture has only created a new name and special functions for the thread. No new entity emerges. 

Origination & annihilation 

of an existent entity are thus only  particular stages. an entity is born and dies. This evolving entity goes through a sequence of evolutionary stages. For instance, clay becomes a lump, a jug, a postherd and finally powder. Therefor what is called annihilation of a current entity is also then the birth or attainment of a next stage of evolving. This annihilation itself becomes therefore the birth of the next stage. Thus the sequence called birth and annihilation being inevitable for an evolving entity, it is not worthy for you to grieve. 

Sri Krishna syas that not even the slightest grief arising from seeing an entity passing existing stage to an opposite stage, is justifiable in regard to human beings, etc.