**2.23** Weapons cannot cut this indweller, fire cannot burn it, water cannot moisten it, and wind cannot dry it.
**Commentary:** "Weapons cannot cut it" – Weapons cannot cut this indweller because these material weapons cannot even reach it. All weapons originate from the earth element. This earth element cannot produce any kind of modification in this indweller. Not only that, the earth element cannot even reach this indweller, let alone cause any modification.
"Fire cannot burn it" – Fire cannot burn this indweller because fire cannot reach it. When it cannot even reach it, how can burning by it be possible? The meaning is that the fire element can never produce any kind of modification in this indweller.
"Water cannot moisten it" – Water cannot moisten it because water cannot reach it. The meaning is that the water element cannot produce any kind of modification in this indweller.
"Wind cannot dry it" – Wind cannot dry it, meaning wind does not have the power to dry this indweller because wind does not reach it. The meaning is that the wind element cannot produce any kind of modification in this indweller.
Earth, water, fire, wind, and ether – these are called the five great elements. The Lord has spoken of only four of these great elements, stating that earth, water, fire, and wind cannot cause any kind of modification in this indweller; however, He has not discussed the fifth great element, ether. The reason for this is that ether does not have the power to perform any action. The power to act (to modify) lies only in these four great elements. Ether merely provides space for all of them.
Earth, water, fire, and wind – these four elements arise from ether itself, yet they cannot produce any kind of modification even in ether, their cause. That is, earth cannot pierce ether, water cannot moisten it, fire cannot burn it, and wind cannot dry it. When these four elements cannot cause any damage to ether (their cause), to the Mahat-tattva (the cosmic intellect, the cause of ether), or to Prakriti (primordial nature, the cause of Mahat-tattva), then how can they possibly reach the indweller, who is completely beyond Prakriti? How can these qualified substances reach that unqualified Principle? It is impossible (Gita 13.31).
The indweller is the eternal Principle. The four elements – earth, etc. – receive their existence and animation from it alone. Therefore, how can they, who receive existence and animation from it, modify it? This indweller is all-pervading, and the four elements – earth, etc. – are pervaded, i.e., within the indweller. Therefore, how can the pervaded object harm the all-pervader? It is simply not possible to harm it.
The context here is of war. Arjuna is grieving, thinking, "All these relatives will die." Therefore, the Lord says, "How will they die? Because the action of weapons cannot reach that (the indweller)." That is, even when the body is cut by weapons, the indweller is not cut; even when the body is burnt by fire-weapons, the indweller is not burnt; even when the body is dissolved by water-weapons, the indweller is not dissolved; and even when the body is dried by wind-weapons, the indweller is not dried. The meaning is that even when the body dies by weapons, the indweller does not die; rather, it remains exactly as it is, without modification. Therefore, grieving over this is utterly foolish on your part.
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