Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
People go on discussing birth and death — but the Creator made all of this.
Those who conquer the self and remain dead while alive shall never have to die again.
There is one kind of dying that ends all fear of dying: letting the ego die.
People in every age argue about life and death. The verse waves that aside. Birth and death are the Creator's plan. Our arguing does not improve it.
Instead it points to jeevat marnaa, "dying while alive." This does not mean the body. It means letting go of haumai, the "me, me, me" voice inside. When that bossy self is gone, death has nothing left to take. What it comes to collect has already been given away.
Think of a kid who already gave away the toy everyone wants to grab. There is nothing left to snatch. That is why those who "remain dead" in this way "never die again." The body does not last forever. But nothing is being clutched anymore.
What part of you — pride, the need to win, the fear of looking small — could you let die early?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI