Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 27

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

Why are people devoid of knowledge and devotion? Their case is analysed:

The Discerning and the Non-discerning 27-30

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 27

Serthi Kancheepuram

Ichcha dvesha samutthena dvandva mohena bharata I

Sarva bhutani sammoham  sarge yanti paran tapa II sloka 27

इच्छा द्वेष समुत्थेन द्वन्द्व मोहेन भारत ।सर्व भूतानि सम्मोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप ।। श्लोक २७

By the delusion of the pairs of opposites arising from desire and aversion, all beings, O Bharata, are subject to illusion at birth, O harasser of foes.

Among the pairs of opposites the foremost and the most lasting is the one pertaining to life and death. Where life is its counterpart, death, should necessarily be. The existence of the one to the exclusion of the other is impossible. From birth onwards a being proceeds towards death. The interval between the two is what is called life, which is as impermanent as bubble on water. Death may at any moment swoop and swallow up the embodied. Of the inseparable two, life and death, the desire for the fromer and aversion for the latter manifest themselves from birth onwards. But both of these attitudes are born of delusion.

The pairs of opposites pertaining to pleasure  and pain comes next. Sense pleasures are always crowned with pain. From birth onwards beings hug the one and shun the other. But it is an illusion to seek sense- pleasure to the exclusion of pain. 

Among the pairs of opposites, the desire for the one and aversion for the other are the foes  of the seekers of knowledge and devotion. These foes have to be conquered.

What do they do, who have got over the pairs of opposites? Their path to perfection is portrayed  in the next sloka.