Dhīras tatra na muhyati. Dhīra means—we began first explanation—dhīra means one who is . . . one who is out of ignorance. That means. So one who knows, one who knows the process of the body, changing every moment, then why he should lament when this body is left and another body is taken? Suppose if I throw away this covering of my body and take another covering, then what is there lamentation? What is the cause of lamentation there? And one should be, rather, glad that the old garment is thrown away and one new garment is taken up.
So this, this question . . . because Arjuna was disturbed that "How can I fight with my grandfather? That is all right. That is my duty to fight. But how can I fight with my grandfather, Bhīṣmadeva, with my teacher, Droṇācārya? It is not possible." So he is playing the part of a fool, but he was not a fool, but just to teach us. Unless he becomes a fool like us, why this Bhagavad-gītā will come?
The Bhagavad-gītā . . . just like it is play. Kṛṣṇa is constant companion of Arjuna. So Arjuna cannot be put into that ignorance. It is for our benefit that by the will of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna is put into that sort of ignorance. So he is asking Kṛṣṇa all these questions just like a foolish man, and Kṛṣṇa is giving instruction so that it is being recorded in the history of Mahābhārata for future generation. You see?
So here Arjuna, he was declining fight, declining fight that, "How can I fight with my grandfather?" You see? "He is respectable. He has brought me up since my father's death. And here is my teacher, Droṇācārya. He has taught me this military art. Whatever I am warrior, my expertness is due to him. And do you think, Kṛṣṇa, I shall kill them? No, I can fight with them, I can kill them, but it is not my duty." So Arjuna . . . and says like that. But Kṛṣṇa says, "No. You must be dutiful. Never mind who is that, your grandfather or your teacher. No. When there is fight . . . you are a kṣatriya. A kṣatriya should not be . . . has no other consideration in the fight. He must fight."
So here is the thing, you see, that Kṛṣṇa does not say that "You become a nonviolent." No. Never says that. When there is question of fight for right cause, you must fight. There is no question of becoming nonviolent. You see? Now, now, He is saying that "Don't be aggrieved. Even your grandfather, Bhīṣmadeva, dies, even your Droṇācārya . . . it will be good for them, because they are now old enough, and as soon as they are dead, they get a new body. So you should not be discouraged."
Then one thing is that "Do you mean to say that therefore a man should be killed?" No. We cannot kill without reason. No. That will be a great sin. But this is a fight. This is a fight for a cause. They are not killers. It is said that a kṣatriya who lays down his life in the battlefield, he at once rises up to the higher planets. You see? Because for right cause, if one lays down his life . . . just like so many people, they lay . . . lay down their life for the cause of the country. Do you mean to say they are sinful or they are going to hell? No, no, no. Those who are laying down for the good cause their life, their next life is very brilliant. But if you commit suicide without any reason and written or without any cause, then you will be sinful. You'll be sinful. These are . . . of course, we get knowledge from this . . . so:
- dehino 'smin yathā dehe
- kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
- tathā dehāntara-prāptir
- dhīras tatra na muhyati
- (BG 2.13)
So dhīra, one who has got complete knowledge of the constitution of this body and the constitution of the spirit soul, they are not aggrieved when a soul transmigrates from one body to another. That is the sum and substance of the whole this verse.
Now, here some philosophical . . . philosophical question may be raised. There are two classes of philosopher, that after liberation, after getting out of this body, the soul amalgamates with the Supreme Soul. That question we have already discussed. Still, there is no harm discussing it again, because any, I mean to say, substantial knowledge, if it is discussed one after another, twice, thrice, it is better.