नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः ।न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ॥
nainaṃ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṃ dahati pāvakaḥ |na cainaṃ kledayanty āpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ ||
- न · na
- not
- एनम् · enam
- this (self)
- छिन्दन्ति · chindanti
- cut
- शस्त्राणि · śastrāṇi
- weapons
- न · na
- nor
- एनम् · enam
- this
- दहति · dahati
- burns
- पावकः · pāvakaḥ
- fire
- न · na
- nor
- च · ca
- and
- एनम् · enam
- this
- क्लेदयन्ति · kledayanti
- wet, moisten
- आपः · āpaḥ
- waters
- न · na
- nor
- शोषयति · śoṣayati
- dries
- मारुतः · mārutaḥ
- wind
“Weapons do not cut it, fire does not burn it, waters do not wet it, wind does not dry it.”
— Original plain-language translation
The four elements parade past and fail, one by one. Arjuna's arrows belong to the elements; the self belongs to none of them. The verse works as warriors' logic: your weapons are simply the wrong instruments for what you fear destroying.
— Reader's notes (original)