Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 27

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च । तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyurdhruvaṃ janma mṛtasya ca | tasmādaparihārye'rthe na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi

Translation

To that which is born, death is indeed certain; and to that which is dead, birth is certain. Wherefore, about the unavoidable thing, thou oughtst not to grieve.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

jātasya

of the born

hi

indeed

dhruvaḥ

certain

mṛtyuḥ

death

dhruvam

certain

janma

birth

mṛtasya

of the dead

ca

and

tasmāt

therefore

aparihārye

(in) inevitable

arthe

in matter

na

not

tvam

thou

śocitum

to grieve

arhasi

(thou) oughtest

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

For that which has come into being, destruction is certain; and for that which has perished, re-birth is certain. Wherefore, regarding an unavoidable thing, thou oughtst not to grieve. The course of beings is necessary; lamentation does not alter it, and one should not lament what cannot be helped.