Chapter 2, Verse 22

वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय
नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि।
तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा
न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही।।2.22।।

vāsānsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya
navāni gṛihṇāti naro ’parāṇi
tathā śharīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇānya
nyāni sanyāti navāni dehī

vāsānsi — garments;
jīrṇāni — worn-out;
yathā — as;
vihāya — sheds;
navāni — new;
gṛihṇāti — accepts;
naraḥ — a person;
aparāṇi — others;
tathā — likewise;
śharīrāṇi — bodies;
vihāya — casting off;
jirṇāni — worn-out;
anyāni — other;
sanyāti — enters;
navāni — new;
dehī — the embodied soul

This verse uses a simple comparison to help us understand how we change bodies throughout our lives. Just like when we wear clothes, we eventually wear out and need new ones. Think about it: over time, our clothes get old and torn, and we discard them for something fresh and new. In the same way, our physical bodies also grow old and eventually become unfit for living. We start as babies, grow into children, then teenagers, and eventually adults. As we age, our body changes — it gets weaker, wrinkles appear, and sometimes we become ill. This change is a natural part of life.

Now, you might wonder what happens when our body becomes too old or worn out, just like clothes that we can no longer wear. According to this verse, the soul, which is like the core of who we are, doesn’t just vanish when the body gets old. Instead, it moves on to a new body, similar to how we pick out a new outfit.

The message in this verse is particularly important for Arjuna, a warrior who is feeling regret and sorrow for having to fight against his relatives and teachers. Krishna, who is guiding him, is saying that he shouldn't worry so much about the physical body of his grandfather or his teacher because, like a garment, their bodies will change, but their souls are eternal. They will continue to exist, just in a different form.

This idea is especially freeing because it suggests that death is not the end. If someone experiences death, they are not truly 'gone' — they simply move into a 'new outfit' or body. If Arjuna can understand this, he can let go of his grief and focus on his duty in this life. Instead of feeling sad about the natural cycle of life and death, he can see this battle as a way to support a righteous cause. Those who fight for a just purpose will cleanse their souls and perhaps even take on a new life that is better or more fulfilling. Therefore, there is no reason for him to be sorrowful or hesitant about his actions.