“This multitude of beings, born repeatedly, dissolves at night and remanifests at day, O Arjuna, helplessly.”
Key Teaching: Beings repeatedly manifest and dissolve in cosmic cycles.
Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Akshara Brahma Yoga.
Description:
Krishna teaches that the multitude of beings, born repeatedly, dissolves at Brahma’s night and remanifests at day, helplessly bound by cycles. This verse, continuing 8.18, addresses Arjuna’s need for cosmic clarity (2.9). The themes of guidance, as Krishna instructs, dharma, as he clarifies cyclic bondage, and Akshara Brahma Yoga, as he emphasizes impermanence, are central.
In the Mahabharata, Arjuna’s attachments (1.28–46) reflect ignorance of cycles. Krishna’s teaching contrasts with Duryodhana’s material pursuits (1.3–11), urging Arjuna to understand cyclic bondage for his Kshatriya duty, aligning with Karma Yoga (2.47, 8.18). Cycles bind beings helplessly.
Philosophically, this verse addresses the human entrapment in cycles, a theme Krishna refines with teachings on impermanence (8.18). Arjuna’s reluctance complicates his dharma, necessitating Krishna’s guidance to see cyclic nature. The theme of Akshara Brahma Yoga underscores the Gita’s focus on transcending cycles.
Sanjaya’s narration frames Krishna’s teaching objectively, emphasizing its cyclic clarity. This verse serves as a metaphor for life’s repetitive cycles, where knowledge reveals bondage. Krishna’s teaching prepares readers for performing duty with transcendent awareness, aligning with liberation.
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