na hi kalpayaśe yadi buddhiryasya dehe 'bhimānanaḥ . gṛhītvā mama dehāt tvam ekatvena vinodayaḥ
“If you do not think that I, who have an identification with the body, exist after the body is taken, then you do not perceive Me as One.”
Structure
na hi kalpayaśe yadi buddhir yasya dehe abhimānanaḥ gṛhītvā mama dehāt tvam ekatvena vinodayaḥ
yadi (if) tvam (you) dehe (in the body) abhimānanaḥ (have a sense of 'I')na hi (not at all) buddhir (your intelligence) kalpayaśe (function, work) gṛhītvā (having taken) mama (my) dehāt (from the body) tvam (you) ekatvena (as one with Me) vinodayaḥ (remove, destroy)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| na | na | indeclinable | — | not |
| hi | hi | indeclinable | — | indeed |
| kalpayaśe | kalpayaśe | verb | √kalp · laṭ-present · second | you imagine |
| yadi | yadi | indeclinable | — | if |
| buddhir | buddhir | noun | nominative · singular · feminine | intellect |
| yasya | yasya | pronoun | genitive · singular | of whom |
| dehe | dehe | noun | locative · singular · masculine | in the body |
| abhimānanaḥ | abhimānanaḥ | noun | nominative · singular · masculine | egoism |
| gṛhītvā | gṛhītvā | indeclinable | — | having taken |
| mama | mama | pronoun | genitive · singular | my |
| dehāt | dehāt | noun | ablative · singular · masculine | from the body |
| tvam | tvam | pronoun | nominative · singular | you |
| ekatvena | ekatvena | indeclinable | — | as one |
| vinodayaḥ | vinodayaḥ | verb | √ud · liṅ-optative · second | may you drive away |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): This verse underscores the non-dual reading of reality, emphasizing that the ultimate truth transcends body consciousness. According to Shankara, the identification with the body (deha-abhimāna) is a sign of ignorance (avidyā), which veils the true nature of the Self (ātman). In his commentary on the Bhagavad Gītā (BG 2.64), Shankara notes that the liberated individual (jīvanmukta) has transcended such bodily identifications, realizing the identity of ātman with Brahman. This verse thus points to the ultimate reality of brahman-ātman identity, where the distinctions between the individual self and the universal Self dissolve. By transcending bodily consciousness, one can realize this unity, echoing Shankara's central thesis in the Upadeśasāhasrī, that the knowledge of brahman is the means to liberation.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya): In the Vaiṣṇava tradition, this verse is seen as highlighting the relationship between the jīva (individual soul) and Īśvara (the Lord). Rāmānujācārya, in his commentary on the Bhagavad Gītā (BG 2.64), interprets this verse as emphasizing the dependence of the jīva on Īśvara for true knowledge and liberation. The jīva's identification with the body is a result of its ignorance of its true nature as a servant of the Lord. By surrendering to Īśvara and recognizing its dependence, the jīva can transcend bodily consciousness and achieve liberation. This verse thus underscores the devotional path (bhakti-mārga) as the means to realizing one's true nature and relationship with the Lord, a central theme in Rāmānujācārya's Śrī Bhāṣya.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda): Swami Vivekānanda interprets this verse as a call to transcend the limitations of the body and the ego, and to realize one's true nature as a spark of the divine. In his lectures on the Bhagavad Gītā, Vivekānanda emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and the recognition of the body as an instrument of the soul. By transcending bodily consciousness, one can realize the unity of all existence and achieve true freedom and liberation. This verse thus has a universal and practical application, urging individuals to look beyond their narrow identifications and to strive for a higher awareness of their true nature. As Vivekānanda notes in his work, 'The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda', the goal of human life is to realize this unity, and to manifest the divine within, a message that resonates with contemporary seekers of truth and self-realization.