देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे

Every Sanskrit word explained in English

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Word-by-Word Breakdown

देहिनः

dehinaḥ

of the embodied soul (the one who dwells in the body)

अस्मिन्

asmin

in this

यथा

yathā

just as

देहे

dehe

in the body

कौमारम्

kaumāram

childhood

यौवनम्

yauvanam

youth

जरा

jarā

old age

तथा

tathā

similarly, in the same way

देहान्तर

dehāntara

another body

प्राप्तिः

prāptiḥ

the attaining, acquisition

धीरः

dhīraḥ

the wise, the steadfast one

तत्र

tatra

therein, with regard to this

न मुह्यति

na muhyati

is not deluded, does not grieve

Complete Translation

जैसे इस देह में देही (जीवात्मा) की कुमार, युवा और वृद्धावस्था होती है, वैसे ही उसको अन्य शरीर की प्राप्ति होती है; धीर पुरुष इसमें मोहित नहीं होता है।

Origin & History

Source: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 13

Author: Spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna; recorded by Sage Veda Vyasa in the Mahabharata (Bhishma Parva)

Period: Ancient (part of the Mahabharata, traditionally dated to the Dvapara Yuga)

On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna was paralyzed by sorrow at the prospect of fighting and killing his own teachers, elders, and kinsmen. The philosophy of the Gita truly begins here in the second chapter, Sankhya Yoga, where Krishna dispels Arjuna's grief by revealing the true nature of the Self. This verse is among the first and most famous statements of that teaching: the soul is eternal and merely transmigrates from body to body.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the meaning of Dehino'smin Yatha Dehe?▼

It means 'Just as the embodied soul passes through childhood, youth, and old age in this body, similarly it attains another body after death; the wise are not deluded by this.' It is Krishna's core teaching on the eternal soul and reincarnation in Bhagavad Gita 2.13.

Why does Krishna speak this verse to Arjuna?▼

Arjuna was overwhelmed with grief at the thought of his kinsmen dying in battle. Krishna teaches that the soul is never truly destroyed — it only leaves an old body and takes a new one, just as a person naturally moves from childhood to old age. Thus a wise person does not grieve over death.

Who is the 'dhira' (steadfast one) mentioned in the verse?▼

The dhira is the wise, self-controlled person who understands the distinction between the eternal soul and the temporary body. Because of this knowledge, such a person remains undeluded and unshaken even in the face of death.

Can this verse be chanted for a departed soul?▼

Yes. This verse is traditionally recited at times of bereavement and in remembrance of the departed, as a meditation on the imperishable nature of the soul. It brings peace to the grieving and affirms that the atman lives on.

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