Chapter 2 Verse 16

Chapter 2, Verse 16

"That which is non-existent can never come into being,
And that which is can never cease to be.
Those who know the nature of the Self
Also know the nature of 'is' and 'is not'."

Sri Aurobindo:

"The Self is and cannot cease to be, though it may change the forms through which it appears. This opposition of 'is' and 'is not', this balance of Being and becoming which is the mind's view of existence, finds its end in the realization of the Atman as the one imperishable Self by whom all this universe has been extended."

Srila Prabhupada:

"That the body is changing every moment by the actions and reactions of the different cells is admitted by modern medical science; and thus growth and old age are taking place in the body. But the spirit soul exists permanently, remaining the same despite all changes of the body and the mind. That is the difference between matter and spirit. By nature, the body is ever-changing, and the soul is eternal. This conclusion is established by all seers of truth."