2-16

नासतो विद्यते भावः नाभावो विद्यते सतः ।
उभयोरपि दृष्टोन्तस्त्वनयोः तत्वदर्शिभिः  ॥ १६ ॥

nAsato vidyate bhAvaH nAbhAvo vidyate sataH |
ubhayorapi dRSTontastvanayoH tatvadarSibhiH || 16 ||

असतः [asataH] The body न विद्यते [na vidyate] does not have भावः [bhAvaH] a stable form. सतः [sataH] The Self न विद्यते [na vidyate] does not have अभावः [abhAvaH] an unstable or perishing nature. अन्तः [antaH] The distinction उभयोः अपि अनयोः [ubhayoH api anayoH] between the two of them दृष्टः [dRSTaH] has been realized तत्वदर्षिभिः [tatvadarSibhiH] by those who know and can show reality as it is.

How is the Self different?

The body, which is never constant, does not have a stable form. The Self, which is unchanging, is not subject to instability. Leaders who show the path have realized the true nature of the body and the Self. The distinction between the body and the Self is realized by knowing their true nature. The word अन्त [anta] in this Shloka refers to such distinction.

The body has no consciousness. It has instability and change as its very nature. The Self, having consciousness, has stability in its nature - this is the meaning here. Unstable things are, by nature, subject to destruction. Stable things do not get destroyed.

The Self is pure and unbounded knowledge. It has been that way and will always remain so.

Here are references from other scriptures that state the same:

विश्णु पुराण [vizNu purANa] , 2-12-43: Sri Parashara has said thus- ‘The Self is the embodiment of knowledge. Anything other than that is not permanent.’

विश्णु पुराण [vizNu purANa] , 2-12-45: ‘Thus the Self, whose form is constituted by knowledge, is said to be true and unchanging. Other things do not have a true form. This way, the true nature of the Self has been told to you by me’

विश्णु पुराण [vizNu purANa] , 2-14-24: ‘The indestructible Self is indeed the ultimate goal to be achieved - Thus say the enlightened people. All inanimate objects are made up of things that are destructible; hence they are bound to be destroyed. There is no doubt here’

विश्णु पुराण [vizNu purANa] , 2-13-100: ‘Even over the ages, it does not obtain different forms, which are normally caused by the usual cause-and-effect occurrences. What is such a thing?’ (Indicates that it’s nothing that’s visible to the senses)

Even in the Gita, it is said in 2-18: ‘these bodies are destructible’; in 2-17: ‘know that the Self is indestructible’. The term सत्त्व [sattva] is used for the Self and असत्त्व [asattva] for the body. This Shloka doesn’t touch upon the performance of good deeds - the word सत् [sat] does not indicate goodness here, though it is one of its meanings.

The purpose of describing the destructible and indestructible nature of the body and the Self is to eradicate any confusion in recognizing them.

It was said in 2-11: ‘Wise people do not feel sorry for temporary bodies or the everlasting Self’. How can we know the everlasting nature of the Self?